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ParityQC licenses the intellectual property for it's quantum-computing architecture to other companies.Credit: Elisabeth Fitsch

Parity Quantum Computing in Innsbruck, Austria, spun off from the University of Innsbruck, Austria, in 2020.

In 2013, Wolfgang Lechner had an idea that he thought was probably too good to be true: a mathematical trick that would change how quantum computers encode information. If it worked, he reasoned, it would be a big deal. Quantum computers can, in theory, perform certain calculations many times faster than conventional digital computers, but they are extremely sensitive to interference and are hard to scale up. Lechners brainwave was to provide these computers with an architecture based on the concept of parity. This could transform them from small laboratory devices into vast, commercial machines capable of solving problems that are currently intractable.

Read more about The Spinoff Prize

Lechner, a physicist at the University of Innsbruck in Austria, discussed the proposal with a colleague, but they managed to persuade themselves that it was a non-starter. Over the next two years he kept turning the idea over in his mind, and says it became an obsession. Eventually, at 3 a.m. in a hotel room, he had a flash of inspiration that could mean his parity-based approach should work after all.

He quickly filed a patent and, just six months later, received an offer for the intellectual property from a large technology company. (Lechner declined to reveal the company or the size of the offer.) This told him that the architecture had commercial potential, and that it might be better to try to reap the rewards directly. So he and his colleagues at the University of Innsbruck decided to reject the offer and set up a spin-off company. ParityQC launched in 2020, and has been named a finalist in The Spinoff Prize 2023.

Three years on from its set-up, the company now employs about 30 people. It has landed sizeable contracts from high-tech manufacturers and from governments with one deal alone worth several tens of millions of euros. According to Lechners co-chief-executive Magdalena Hauser, this early success combined with grants from the European Union and the governments of Austria and Germany has meant that the company has avoided having to drum up support from venture capitalists. We made revenue from the start, says Hauser.

Quantum computers owe their calculating prowess to certain quantum phenomena of atomic-scale objects. These computers encode data in the form of qubits, which can exist as 0 and 1 at the same time unlike conventional bits, which exist as only one or the other. Multiple qubits can be entangled to generate all possible values from a string of 0s and 1s simultaneously, enabling parallel processing that is not possible with classical computers.

Part of Nature Outlook: The Spinoff Prize 2023

But qubits are fragile. Their states can be disrupted by the slightest amount of heat or other interference. Their durability varies according to the kind of physical qubit used ions, neutral atoms, superconducting circuits or quantum dots. They might remain intact for a few seconds if they are perfectly isolated or might disappear after milliseconds if they interact with other qubits during a calculation.

A second major issue for quantum computing is the spatial properties of qubits. The physical processes that link qubits to one another usually occur only over very short distances, such as the overlap of two electron clouds around atomic nuclei or the connection of two superconducting circuits. This means that each qubit typically interacts only with its nearest neighbours, rather than qubits farther away.

ParityQCs architecture helps quantum computers to deal with both limitations. It does so by changing how the data are encoded in qubits. Rather than representing the values of individual logical qubits as specified by the program being executed physical qubits instead record the relationship between pairs of logical qubits in terms of parity. If the qubits in a pair have the same value, then the parity is 1; if the values are different, then the parity is 0 (See Blueprint for quantum computing).

Credit: Alisdair MacDonald

This change in encoding to a system based on parity transforms all operations involving several qubits, no matter how far apart they are, into the equivalent of local interactions. That eliminates the need for interactions over long distances. And operations can be carried out on all qubits in a computer simultaneously, maximizing the complexity of calculations that can be performed in the brief period during which qubits remain intact.

Since dreaming up the parity architecture1, Lechner and his colleagues at ParityQC and the University of Innsbruck have gone on to have dozens of papers published that elaborate the scheme. In one of the most recent2, they have proposed a specific set of operations, or gates, that rely on parity encoding and have confirmed3 that this set would speed up several of the most important quantum algorithms devised so far. These include an algorithm that would allow quantum computers to find the prime factors of large numbers, posing a threat to Internet encryption schemes that rely on the difficulty of such calculations.

To turn this knowledge into revenue, ParityQC licenses its intellectual property to hardware developers so that they can build chips incorporating the architecture. According to Hauser, the company has sold licences to Japanese electronics giant NEC to produce a superconducting quantum chip, and has entered several consortia that were set up in response to the German government investing 2 billion (US$2.2 billion) to fund the development of quantum technologies.

Notably, the company jointly received an 83-million contract awarded by the German Aerospace Center in Cologne to build ion-trap computers. Along with manufacturers eleQtron in Siegen, Germany, and NXP Semiconductors in Eindhoven, the Netherlands, it won the contract to build a 10-qubit demonstration computer and then develop modular and scalable devices. (This type of computer is also being developed by another The Spinoff Prize 2023 finalist, Alpine Quantum Technologies, although Alpine is not part of ParityQCs collaboration.)

Sue Sundstrom, a start-up coach based in Clevedon, UK, and a judge for The Spinoff Prize 2023, is impressed by what she describes as ParityQCs analysis of how previously radically different technologies have been able to get into the market and make money. She notes a parallel with Arm in Cambridge, UK, a firm which started selling blueprints of chips for reduced-instruction set computers in the 1980s. She also praises the hiring of people with commercial expertise. For quantum companies that is quite rare, she says.

Fellow judge Emily MacKay, who is a technology strategist at Siemens Energy and is based in Cambridge, UK, applauds ParityQCs efforts to make its architecture scalable and applicable to various types of hardware. Their research approach is future-proofing as far as possible, she says. (Her comments on ParityQC do not necessarily reflect the views of Siemens Energy.)

But MacKay adds that the company faces an elephant in the room having to decide whether to compete or collaborate with the worlds biggest provider of cloud computing, Amazon Web Services. Lechner says that ParityQC would be an ideal supplier to the larger firm, arguing that its parity architecture is well suited to Amazon which plans to build quantum computers that mitigate errors, partly in hardware and partly through software. We are not in contact [with Amazon] at the moment but would be happy to [be], he says.

However, not all specialists are convinced that the parity architecture will achieve its desired results, at least when it comes to solving optimization problems (such as maximizing the return from a financial portfolio or minimizing the distance travelled by goods vehicles). Itay Hen, a numerical physicist at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles, questions whether a quantum computer fitted with the architecture could solve such problems more quickly than would a classical computer given what he says is the absence of any quantum algorithm that guarantees such an outcome. Even if we had the perfect quantum computer, we still wouldnt know whether it is better than a laptop, he says.

Lechner acknowledges that there is no general proof showing that quantum computers have an advantage over their classical counterparts when it comes to optimization problems. But he is confident that at some point in the next few years perhaps by around 2030 the parity architecture will enable a quantum computer to pass this milestone for one or more problems, with classically impossible optimization made possible by new algorithms that emerge. That is our dream, Lechner says, and the target we are working towards.

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Rewriting the quantum-computer blueprint - Nature.com

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Quantum computing stocks are up on major news from an industry leader. Semiconductor producer Nvidia (NASDAQ:NVDA) announced a significant breakthrough today. Along with Rolls-Royce (OTCMKTS:RYCEY) and quantum computing innovator Classiq, the company has achieved something that stands to revolutionize jet engine efficiency. Nvidia laid out the following in a statement on May 21:

Using NVIDIAs quantum computing platform, the companies have designed and simulated the worlds largest quantum computing circuit for computational fluid dynamics (CFD) a circuit that measures 10 million layers deep with 39 qubits. By using GPUs, Rolls-Royce is preparing for a quantum future despite the limitations of todays quantum computers, which only support circuits a few layers deep.

This news came out over the weekend, yet it has helped spur a rally for quantum computing stocks so far this week. NVDA isnt currently rising, but its announcement has pushed several of its peers into the green. On top of it, other positive developments have helped generate further momentum for the sector.

As impressive as its recent breakthrough is, Nvidia has been trending downward all day, though it still remains in the green for the week. For other quantum computing stocks, though, it has been a smooth ride to the top. Things have gone much better for IonQ (NYSE:IONQ), which has surged about 40% over the past five days. Last week, it announced that its powerful IonQ Aria computer would be available through the Amazon (NASDAQ:AMZN) Bracket quantum computer service, sending shares up.

Quantum Computing (NASDAQ:QUBT) also reported a positive catalyst recently. The penny stock hasnt been enjoying the same type of growth as IonQ, but it has two reasons to celebrate. Aside from the quantum computing stocks rally, the company has received a follow-on task order to continue supporting NASA in its remote sensing and climate change monitoring. Quantum Computing has high hopes for its work in this field. As Chief Technology Officer Dr. William McGann states:

Our current prototype systems have shown outstanding performance in both pattern prediction and recognition, demonstrating good potential for sunlight noise removal. Through this project, we hope to prove the concept and develop a roadmap for future large-scale deployment to help NASA and many other potential customers.

This has also been a good day for Arqit Quantum (NASDAQ:ARQQ), which has risen 2% for the day. Like its penny stock peer QBUT, this company has spent the past week rising steadily as investor enthusiasm for quantum computing stocks continues to mount. This could be a turning point for the industry, especially as Nvidia continues its quest for market dominance. The company is already making significant headways in the artificial intelligence (AI) race, giving investors the type of exposure that they need. Now it is reminding everyone that it should also be counted as a leader among quantum computing stocks. As it rises, smaller cap companies can easily follow, as IONQ and QUBT have proven this week.

On Penny Stocks and Low-Volume Stocks:With only the rarest exceptions, InvestorPlace does not publish commentary about companies that have a market cap of less than $100 million or trade less than 100,000 shares each day. Thats because these penny stocks are frequently the playground for scam artists and market manipulators. If we ever do publish commentary on a low-volume stock that may be affected by our commentary, we demand thatInvestorPlace.coms writers disclose this fact and warn readers of the risk.

Read More:Penny Stocks How to Profit Without Getting Scammed

On the date of publication, Samuel OBrient did not have (either directly or indirectly) any positions in the securities mentioned in this article. The opinions expressed in this article are those of the writer, subject to the InvestorPlace.com Publishing Guidelines.

Samuel OBrient has been covering financial markets and analyzing economic policy for three-plus years. His areas of expertise involve electric vehicle (EV) stocks, green energy and NFTs. OBrient loves helping everyone understand the complexities of economics. He is ranked in the top 15% of stock pickers on TipRanks.

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Why Are Quantum Computing Stocks ARQQ, IONQ, QUBT Up Today? - InvestorPlace

Finding the best quantum computing stocks to buy is critical because this is clearly the next big industry.

Quantum computers promise to bring the power of quantum mechanics to bear in solving our most vexing problems. They may be capable of processing more data, faster, than any classical computer.

If all that happens, then quantum computing stocks may bring generational wealth to their investors.

Quantum computers are unique in that they use qubits rather than classical bits. These qubits are fundamentally quantum mechanical, and do not have a defined value until measured. Qubits can be made out of a variety of materials, but as of now there is no consensus of how best to make a qubit within the industry. Whos qubit becomes the standard will have a big impact on who wins and loses in the quantum race.

Because of this, its important to understand the science as well as the finance of quantum computing companies. What type of qubit they plan to use, and how they plan to deploy it in order to overcome quantum noise and other issues, will be central to whether a company survives and prospers.

But for the companies that do prosper, they could be the founders of a new trillion dollar industry. With that said, here are some of the best quantum computing stocks to buy.

Source: Amin Van / Shutterstock.com

IonQ (NYSE:IONQ) plans to use small, modular quantum computers and network them together to solve big problems.

Their latest offering is the 32 qubit IonQ Forte, built using trapped ions as qubits. While 32 qubits seems low, IonQ hopes the modular design will allow multiple systems to work in parallel. That could help to overcome quantum noise, and allow limitless scaling to meet the needs of any user.

IonQ is also making headway in bringing its computers to the masses. Theyve partnered with Amazon to bring the 25 qubit IonQ Aria to Amazon Braket. Amazon Braket is an Amazon Web Service for quantum computing.

This means that programmers can now work on developing software and services on IonQ computers more easily than before. This will give IonQ a leg in in the race to become the standard for quantum ecosystems

IonQ is still a small company, so an investment here could yield very large gains. But it is still somewhat speculative relative to the competition.

In Q1 2023 it had just $4.2 million in revenue, and a net loss of $27 million. It does have $51 million in cash and $336 million in investments, so it still has plenty of runway to survive. But it will eventually need real revenue in order to justify its valuation.

IonQs partnership with Amazon is a good first step towards getting itself available to the public. If they can build off this success, theyll prove themselves one of the best quantum computing stocks of our generation.

Source: Sundry Photography / Shutterstock.com

Intel (NASDAQ:INTC) may seem an unusual bet for the quantum computing industry, but their recent moves make them an enticing one.

Theyve recently released a software development kit (SDK) for quantum computers, for starters. This SDK simulates how a quantum computer will act, and allows programs to write and debug programs for quantum computers.

Even though current quantum computers are rare and difficult to maintain, this lets software developers get a head start in developing applications.

Intel is building itself as a real competitor for developing the chips that will run future quantum computers. They are developing their capacity to produce quantum dots at the scale and purity necessary to be used as qubits.

Quantum dots are just one way companies are trying to make qubits, but if Intels process is successful it could become the standard. That would make Intel a big player in the future quantum chip industry.

Intels biggest strength is its background in computer chips.

One of their weaknesses is that there is not yet a standard for producing quantum qubits, and the quantum dots they are working on might not get used by other quantum computing companies.

Compounding this is the fact that their cash flow has suffered as the chip shortage has eased. In Q1 2023 they had revenue of $11.7 billion and a net loss of $2.8 billion.

But quantum chips could provide a path back to profit, and their quantum dots bet is one of the most promising paths forward for the industry.

Source: josefkubes / Shutterstock.com

Honeywell (NASDAQ:HON) may not be known for their quantum computers, but Honeywell Quantum Solutions has sneakily made itself a real player in the industry.

Like IonQ, Honeywell is using trapped ions to power its quantum systems. But Honeywell is also pushing the boundaries of science in ways that could truly solve the problem of quantum error correction.

The biggest unsolved problem in quantum computers isnt how to make a qubit, its how to make a qubit that holds data for any significant length of time.

The bits of classical computers are exceptionally stable, but the qubits of quantum computers are liable to lose their information content if they interact at all with outside particles.

Qubits losing their information introduce errors into the computer program. And so quantum error correction is necessary to keep quantum programs running smoothly.

Recently though, Honeywell achieved what could be a quantum leap in quantum error correction. Quantinuum, held jointly by Honeywell and Cambridge Quantum Computing (privately held), has created a topological quantum state which could be the key to solving quantum error correction.

Solving quantum error correction is essential for any quantum computer to achieve widespread adoption. Quantinuums achievement puts it at the forefront in the race to broadly commercialize quantum computers.

Honeywell is also a safe haven for investment even apart from their quantum computers. In Q1 of 2023 they had $8.9 billion in revenue and $1.4 billion in net income. Quantum computing was only a tiny part of that.

The advances from Quantinuum could change all that. And that could make Honeywell one of the best quantum computing stocks to buy.

On the date of publication, John Blankenhorn did held a long position in Intel. The opinions expressed in this article are those of the writer, subject to the InvestorPlace.com Publishing Guidelines.

John Blankenhorn is a neuroscientist at Emory University. He has significant experience in biochemistry, biotechnology and pharmaceutical research.

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The 3 Quantum Computing Stocks You Need to Own - InvestorPlace

Quantum sensors exploit the fundamental properties of atoms and light to make measurements of the world. The quantum states of particles are extremely sensitive to the environment, which is a virtue for sensing, if problematic for making a quantum computer. Quantum sensors that use particles as probes can quantify acceleration, magnetic fields, rotation, gravity and the passage of time more precisely than can classical devices that are engineered or based on chemical or electrical signals. They can be used to make atomic clocks that are smaller and more accurate, cameras that can see through fog and around corners, and devices for mapping structures underground, among many other potential applications. They stand to transform a multitude of sectors, from energy, land use and transport to health care, finance and security. But their commercial promise needs to be appreciated more.

As researchers developing quantum sensors in the laboratory, we are keen to make governments and industry more aware of the possible benefits in particular, in improving the safety of national critical infrastructure that relies on sensors, such as air-traffic control systems and water utilities. However, we and others face hurdles in gaining attention and funding to adapt quantum sensors for use in real-world settings.

One challenge is that it is hard to predict exactly how and where emerging technologies will be adopted. The history of physics is full of serendipitous inventions. X-ray generators, for example, were the accidental by-product of experiments to see whether beams of electrons could pass through glass, yet they are now crucial to medicine and airport security. The inventor of the laser, Theodore Maiman, famously described that technology as a solution seeking a problem.

Another factor is that many people including business leaders think quantum technologies are devices of the future, not the present. Unlike quantum computers, which get a lot of press but might be decades away from offering wide commercial advantage, quantum sensors are already in use in the lab. A handful are in commercial use: atomic clocks, for example, measure the passage of time supremely accurately using high-frequency quantum transitions in atoms. Their accuracy maintains the synchronization of communication and energy networks, and digital radio stations. They are crucial for satellite navigation services such as GPS.

Light waves squeezed through slits in time

Even so, it took 20 years to move GPS receivers from being specialist devices used by the military, tech-savvy hikers and ships captains to providing navigation for smartphones and cars. Now, the quantum community needs to establish similar pathways for realizing the commercial benefit of other types of quantum sensor.

Quantum gravity sensors and quantum gas detectors flown on satellites could collect accurate data on levels of groundwater, carbon dioxide and methane to improve climate modelling. Quantum magnetic sensors can image peoples brain signals in real time1, and quantum gravimeters can monitor underground water levels and volcanic eruptions2. Combinations of quantum sensors that track gravity gradients, magnetic fields and inertial forces 1,000 times more precisely than can classical ones might, for instance, enable reliable navigation in places where satellite signals are jammed or cannot reach, such as remote sites, conflict zones or underwater.

Here we highlight five priorities for commercializing quantum sensors to get them adopted faster.

Innovators in industry are rarely excited by a lab result that simply proves a concept. They want to know that a device will work reliably for a specific application, and that it will benefit their businesss finances. Researchers need to ensure that any sensor bound for the market is robust and reliable, can be manufactured reproducibly and cost-effectively, and is compatible with other systems in use. In practice, this might mean redesigning many aspects of the technology. Each tweak brings fresh challenges.

For example, in our lab at the UK Quantum Technology Hub Sensors and Timing in Birmingham, we have developed a sensor that measures gradients in gravity. In two chambers 1 metre apart, lasers trap rubidium atoms from a vapour and cool them to a standstill3. More laser pulses create superpositions of quantum states and read these out for the rubidium atoms in each cloud. Software converts those signals into a gravity gradient measure. By using a single laser beam to manipulate the atoms, this quantum device is 1,000 times less sensitive to noise from vibrations than are conventional gravimeters, and is thus easier to deploy.

A diamond-based quantum sensor can measure magnetic fields at the atomic scale.Credit: David Kelly Crow/de Leon lab/Princeton University

The version we first demonstrated in the lab was the size of a small van, with tables full of optical components and racks of electronic systems and power supplies. It was built from bespoke parts and tuned by hand. Taking this device outside the lab, to sense subterranean tunnels through small changes in local gravity4, meant making all of the components more robust, smaller and cheaper, as well as improving their performance.

Our physicists and engineers had to find ways to control the laser beam under varying temperatures, contain it in a vacuum to avoid air turbulence and pulse the laser to reduce the impacts of stray magnetic fields. Work is ongoing to operate the device on a moving platform to ease deployment, to increase its sensitivity and bandwidth to speed up mapping, and to reduce its size to that of a backpack so it can be mounted on a drone to survey large areas.

Test quantum mechanics in space invest US$1 billion

One promising avenue for miniaturization is integrating quantum sensors in photonic microchips5,6. These rely on light (photons) rather than the electrons used in conventional microchips, and are fast and energy efficient. Similar technology is found in fibre-optic networks. Quantum sensors could be miniaturized using photonic chips and existing manufacturing processes for micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS), which are used in vehicle airbags. The benefit is that they are robust and cope with vibrations better than bulkier optical systems do.

The challenge is integrating all the elements into one system that includes lasers, modulators, waveguides and beam splitters, as well as components such as vapour cells. Further research and investment are needed into new materials, fabrication technologies, device packaging and procedures for testing and validation. Standardization of quantum sensor technologies as low-cost building blocks is also urgently required, mirroring the processes for fibre-optic communication and MEMS sensor technologies.

Researchers need to talk to business leaders to determine how quantum sensors can add value across a range of applications. For example, uses for a gravity sensor are not obvious; few people visualize their surroundings in terms of gravity or the density of materials. But after discussions with more than 100 companies, we concluded that gravity sensors would be excellent for illuminating unknowns in the ground, from the position of forgotten mineshafts to groundwater levels and the distribution of carbon in soils and magma flows. These can, in principle, be seen by classical gravimeters, but ground vibrations make the measurement time infeasibly long, typically 510 minutes for a single data point. With quantum gravity gradiometers, such data could be collected in seconds, opening up the potential for gravity cartography4. And thats just what we have focused on so far.

An optical clock in which strontium ions oscillate in response to laser light.Credit: Andrew Brookes, National Physical Laboratory/Science Photo Library

Money for applied research and multidisciplinary collaborations between academia and industry is needed to validate these ideas. In our case, the next step involves geophysics research using such gravimeters to improve understanding of how water flows and accumulates underground. This information could be used to refine flood models, for example. Civil-engineering research is also required on how best to detect leakage in water pipes using such sensors. Broader technological and economic considerations will determine how this approach can be used most effectively in water management.

Companies should start thinking about new business models, such as offering underground mapping services to farmers to help reduce water use in irrigation. Engaging in pilot projects would put businesses in a good position to capitalize on market disruption, rather than being caught out by it.

Any sensor must be plugged into a bigger system to reap its benefits. For example, an inertial sensor one that detects movement is relatively useless on its own. But when integrated with electronics, software and a display in a smartphone, it can provide health information on step counts and calories burnt by the user.

Similarly, quantum accelerometers and sensors of rotation, gravity and magnetic field can be combined into position, navigation and timing systems for subsea and underground use. For this application, quantum sensors offer reduced bias, better precision and more stability than do their classical counterparts, allowing navigation with metre-level accuracy without having to use global satellite systems such as GPS. This capability would enable exploration of resources on the seabed, as well as securing and maintaining pipelines, cables and foundations of offshore wind farms and oil rigs, for example.

However, it remains fiendishly challenging to integrate quantum sensors into a full-blown navigation system. Constructing an inertial measurement unit alone requires three accelerometers, one for each spatial dimension, and three rotation sensors, one for each rotational degree of freedom, arranged at perfect right angles and all linked with a clock. If fitted on a vehicle or submarine, such a navigation system would need to compensate for small changes in local gravity and other forces induced by Earths rotation. The whole thing would need to be calibrated, which is hard to achieve at the high level of precision needed.

Quantum computings reproducibility crisis: Majorana fermions

Gravity and magnetic sensors would be needed for mapping these fields along the trajectory of the vehicle, as well as a computer control system with specialist software. Databases of field readings would need to be developed for comparison against the recorded gravity and magnetic traces, to allow absolute position fixes to deal with unavoidable long-term drifts.

Researchers also need to consider in detail how quantum sensor systems might be linked to national and international infrastructure networks. For example, communication networks could be revolutionized with the next generation of quantum clocks, optical clocks, which could be 1,000-fold more precise than the time provided by current satellite navigation systems. This might enable new modes of ultra-fast broadband, for example, which squeeze more data packets into channel bandwidth and use less energy to transmit each bit of data. Similarly, quantum sensors capable of detecting hydrogen could speed up the energy transition from natural gas to hydrogen fuels, because they could detect leaks and safeguard infrastructure to enable secure roll-out of this potentially highly explosive fuel.

Whereas academic researchers can develop sensors with the right properties, industry needs to lead this systems integration stage. Existing academic funding streams are too small to support such collaborative research. Substantial long-term research and development contracts with industry are needed to make this happen. For instance, in the 2000s, funding from the US Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency helped to create the chip-scale atomic clock within a decade, through a dedicated development programme involving academia and industry.

Raw data from a sensor needs to be transformed into information that is useful for a specific task. For example, although a quantum magnetic-field sensor can detect tiny fields associated with patterns of neural activity in the brain, 3D visualizations of brain activity require an array of such sensors, and algorithms and graphical representations to display them in ways a physician can interpret.

Development of such systems is under way1 and could revolutionize understanding of brain conditions. Real-time mapping (scans 100 times a second, for example) and analysis of brain responses to visual or sensual stimuli, even while a person is moving, might replace current techniques for diagnosing brain disorders based on patient questionnaires. It could also allow physicians to assess the efficacy of drugs for brain conditions on an individual basis.

A researcher at German firm Q.ANT checks a quantum sensor intended for industrial use.Credit: Sebastian Gollnow/dpa via Alamy

Similarly, advanced analytics are needed to extract 3D underground images from gravity surveys, where it remains challenging to determine how deep sensed objects are. Banks of radars driven by quantum oscillators need to be networked to show detailed images instead of dots on a radar screen, such as would be needed to classify and distinguish drones from birds flying over a city. Big data techniques must be deployed to harvest all of this information, enabling the monitoring of tens of thousands of delivery drones in cities, for instance.

Perhaps the greatest data challenge in terms of time and effort is to create training data sets through trials. Researchers need to conduct large-scale medical trials to find biomarkers for brain conditions, collect data from networks of gravimeters to understand underground water and other assets, and source radar data through sensor networks across cities. We encourage governments to fund such programmes to seed future ventures.

Although many countries have begun coordinated efforts to develop the base level of quantum technologies, there is still a scattered approach to adoption and exploitation. With many groups working in isolation, tackling the research challenges we outline would take decades. To speed things up, a strategy for coordinating research projects on quantum sensors is needed.

At the research end of the pipeline, some nations, including Germany, Japan, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom and the United States, have set up hubs and large projects to align academic and national needs in quantum technologies by bundling expertise and providing portals for interactions with industry and other partners. Yet, generally, sensors are not getting the attention they deserve in national quantum tech initiatives, with a few exceptions, such as QuantumBW, an initiative by the German state of Baden Wrttemberg, which explicitly focuses on quantum sensing.

Underdog technologies gain ground in quantum-computing race

Governments need to introduce policies and regulation to support innovation in quantum sensors, with one focus being enhancements to the management and security of critical national infrastructure. For example, a 2020 presidential order requires US national aviation authorities to become independent of global navigation satellite systems timing by 2025. This would ensure air-traffic control systems keep working even if those systems fail by accident or through hostile intervention. It is still too early to determine the impact, but the order has set the boundary conditions for the emergence of business ideas related to timing technologies.

Similar approaches in communications, water-resource management and medicine might encourage the uptake of quantum sensors in those sectors to make them more resilient by having independent timing and navigation or more detailed data.

Initiatives are also needed to bring companies, from component manufacturers to system integrators, together with academics to help find business solutions, rather than simply come up with the technology and then quickly scale up production in the hope that there will be a market. One promising effort is the National Accelerator for Quantum Sensors in the United Kingdom. Launched in 2022 and still to be fully funded, this accelerator involves three corporate giants with a global reach (BAE Systems, BP and BT) and is committed to bringing in dozens more companies. Although initiatives in other countries target quantum technologies in general such as QED-C in the United States the UK programme is unique in that it focuses on sensors.

To conclude, a long-term, industry-led approach for quantum sensor innovation is urgently needed. The physics of quantum sensors can deliver the performance, but the question is: who will lead the world in delivering the benefits?

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Quantum sensors will start a revolution if we deploy them right - Nature.com

LEESBURG, Va., May 23, 2023 /PRNewswire/ --Quantum Computing Inc. ("QCI" or the "Company") (NASDAQ: QUBT), a first-to-market full-stack photonic-based quantum computing and solutions company, today announces that it received a follow-on task order to its subcontract award announced on February 8, 2023, to support NASA in remote sensing and climate change monitoring. In addition to testing its proprietary quantum photonic system for remote sensing applications (QLiDAR), QCI will also be processing satellite images by utilizing its photonic-based reservoir computing technology. This initial testing engagement is expected to be completed during the second quarter of 2023.

Dr. William McGann, QCI Chief Technology Officer commented, "Sunlight interference (noise) is a huge issue in space-based LiDAR remote sensing. LiDAR measurements of the air, and the optically thin aerosols/clouds during daytime from space experience compromised signal integrity. As a result, it is very difficult, if at all possible, to make good daytime LiDAR measurements from space with adequate signal-to-noise-ratios. In this expanded project, we will explore reservoir photonic computing to remove sunlight noise in satellite LiDAR images, thereby enabling daytime operations of spaceborne LiDAR systems. Our current prototype systems have shown outstanding performance in both pattern prediction and recognition, demonstrating good potential for sunlight noise removal. Through this project, we hope to prove the concept and develop a roadmap for future large-scale deployment to help NASA and many other potential customers."

QCI, through its wholly owned subsidiary, QI Solutions, which focuses on federal government projects, will perform both the original quantum LiDAR work as well as applying photonic computing capability to process the LiDAR data. This will be accomplished under a subcontract from Science Systems Applications, Inc. (SSAI), a leading scientific, engineering and IT solutions provider. Under the expanded subcontract, QCI will run the data from the QLiDAR system through the photonic-based reservoir computer to improve the calculation of the level of water released from snowmelt. Upon successful completion of the task under the new subcontract, follow-on options include airborne testing and positioning these devices together with the photonic reservoir system to enhance the signal integrity of the satellite images to create a network for monitoring snow levels globally. This will promote a better understanding of climate changes and provide accurate data for industry and agriculture.

"This expanded contract is a significant opportunity for QCI to demonstrate and validate two distinct QCI technology offerings to the recognized preeminent global leader in space research and exploration," commented Sean Gabeler, President of Q1Solutions. "QCI's photonic LiDAR and reservoir photonic computing systems deliver new measurement and data processing capabilities with single-photon sensitivity, strong noise rejection, and high-ranging spatial resolution and image fidelity at great distances through challenging environments such as snow, ice and water, during night or day. QCI systems are built for easy, scalable, and versatile use with favorable size, weight, power, and cost combined with increased connectivity and capacity, decreased training bias, and strengthened security."

For additional information on the company's suite of solutions, please visit our websiteor contact our team directly.

About Quantum Computing Inc. (QCI)

Quantum Computing Inc. is a full-stack quantum hardware and software company on a mission to accelerate the value of quantum computing for real-world business solutions, delivering the future of quantum computing, today. The company delivers accessible and affordable full-stack solutions with real-world industrial applications, using photonic-based quantum entropy, which can be used anywhere and with little to no training, operates at normal room temperatures and low power. QCI is competitively advantaged delivering its quantum solutions at greater speed, accuracy, and security at less cost QCI's core entropy computing capability, the Dirac series, delivers solutions for both binary and integer-based optimization problems using over 11,000 qubits for binary problems and over 1000 (n=64) qudits for integer-based problems, each of which are the highest number of variables and problem size available in quantum computing today.Using the Company's core quantum methodologies, QCI has also developed specific quantum applications for AI, cybersecurity and remote sensing, including its Reservoir Quantum Computing, reprogrammable and non-repeatable Quantum Random Number Generator and LiDAR products. For more information about QCI, visit http://www.quantumcomputinginc.com.

About QI Solutions, Inc. (QIS)

QI Solutions, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Quantum Computing Inc., is a supplier of quantum technology solutions and services to the government and defense industries. With a team of qualified and cleared staff, QIS delivers a range of solutions from entropy quantum computing to quantum communications and sensing, backed by expertise in logistics, manufacturing, R&D and training. The company is exclusively focused on delivering tailored solutions for partners in various government departments and agencies. For more information about QIS, visit https://qiwerx.com/.

Important Cautions Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements as defined within Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. By their nature, forward-looking statements and forecasts involve risks and uncertainties because they relate to events and depend on circumstances that will occur in the near future. Those statements include statements regarding the intent, belief or current expectations of Quantum Computing Inc. (the "Company"), and members of its management as well as the assumptions on which such statements are based. Prospective investors are cautioned that any such forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve risks and uncertainties, and that actual results may differ materially from those contemplated by such forward-looking statements.

The Company undertakes no obligation to update or revise forward-looking statements to reflect changed conditions. Statements in this press release that are not descriptions of historical facts are forward-looking statements relating to future events, and as such all forward-looking statements are made pursuant to the Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Statements may contain certain forward-looking statements pertaining to future anticipated or projected plans, performance and developments, as well as other statements relating to future operations and results. Any statements in this press release that are not statements of historical fact may be considered to be forward-looking statements. Words such as "may," "will," "expect," "believe," "anticipate," "estimate," "intends," "goal," "objective," "seek," "attempt," "aim to," or variations of these or similar words, identify forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, those described in Item 1A in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K, which is expressly incorporated herein by reference, and other factors as may periodically be described in the Company's filings with the SEC.

SOURCE Quantum Computing Inc.

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