Summary: The UK Science Minister, George Freeman, announced new funding for quantum technology research and innovation during London Tech Week. The funding includes £8 million for 12 projects exploring quantum technologies for position, navigation and timing (PNT), £6 million for 11 projects working on software-enabled quantum computation, £6 million for 19 projects’ feasibility studies in quantum computing applications, and £25 million for seven projects quantum-enabled PNT via the Small Business Research Initiative (SBRI).
Introduction
UK Science Minister George Freeman announced new funding for quantum technology research during London Tech Week. The funding includes £8 million for 12 projects exploring quantum technologies for position, navigation, and timing (PNT), £6 million for 11 projects on software-enabled quantum computation, and £6 million for 19 projects’ feasibility studies in quantum computing applications. Dr Joseph Cotter from Imperial College London leads a project to develop quantum sensor technology for underwater and underground use. Dr Aleks Kissinger at the University of Oxford is working on the next generation of quantum compilers to improve quantum computer performance.
New Funding for UK Quantum Tech Research and Innovation
During London Tech Week, UK Science Minister George Freeman announced new funding to support universities and businesses working in the UK’s quantum technologies sector. The funding, provided through the UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) Technology Missions Fund, will build upon the country’s National Quantum Technologies Programme, which has been running for nearly a decade.
The funding includes £8 million for 12 projects exploring quantum technologies for position, navigation and timing (PNT), £6 million for 11 projects working on software-enabled quantum computation, £6 million for 19 projects’ feasibility studies in quantum computing applications, and £25 million for seven projects quantum-enabled PNT via the Small Business Research Initiative (SBRI).
Harnessing Quantum Physics for Sensor Technology
One of the 12 projects researching PNT is led by Dr Joseph Cotter from Imperial College London. The project aims to harness quantum physics to develop a new type of sensor technology that can be used underwater or underground. It will explore how quantum sensors can complement the use of global navigation satellite systems (GNSS), which are currently relied upon by society but can be vulnerable to adverse weather conditions, jamming, and have limited capability underwater and underground.
The Imperial team is developing new navigation sensor technology to provide superior position accuracy in networks beneath our feet and a more resilient and secure alternative to GNSS. Partnering with Transport for London (TfL), the team will test the new technology on trains, as 45% of TfL’s network is underground. Understanding train-position in rail networks to high degrees of accuracy is critical for advancements in condition-based maintenance and train control systems.
Advancing Quantum Computing with Quantum Compilers
In partnership with the National Quantum Computing Centre (NQCC), the 11 software-enabled quantum computation projects will advance algorithm capability to improve the performance of quantum computers. One project, led by Dr Aleks Kissinger at the University of Oxford, will develop the next generation of quantum compilers.
Quantum compilers are tools that translate code written by humans into something the machine can run, increasing the ability to understand and tame many sources of errors. This produces efficient software with independently-checkable guarantees of reliable performance.
Feasibility Studies in Quantum Computing Applications
The 19 feasibility studies in quantum computing applications will demonstrate commercial benefits of quantum computing in various sectors. These include investigating the use of quantum computing and quantum machine learning to reduce carbon emissions in aviation, developing improved methods for detecting and reducing money laundering, applying and commercially exploiting quantum computing techniques to address operational healthcare use cases, and creating a next-generation quantum computing-based approach to enzyme-targeted drug discovery.
Quantum-Enabled Systems for Positioning, Navigation, and Timing
Supported through UKRI’s SBRI, seven projects will deliver quantum-enabled systems for positioning, navigation, and timing. The aim is to deliver quantum-enabled sensors for navigation applications, such as magnetic or gravity field sensors. Projects include UK sovereign supplies of deployable high accuracy atomic clocks to provide timing and navigation in the absence of satellite navigation signals, and industrial applications such as finance transaction stamping and future (5G, 6+G) telecommunications.
Developing Quantum Computing Testbeds
As part of a wider quantum computing mission, the NQCC is investing £30 million to commission the development of quantum computing testbeds (prototype quantum computers) in the UK. The mission seeks to underpin further growth of a UK quantum computing sector capable of delivering quantum advantage in 2025. The NQCC is partnering with Innovate UK to deliver the competition, which is currently open for expression of interest but closes on 26 June 2023.
“Our exceptional researchers, businesses and innovators are continuously pushing the boundaries of Quantum Technology development, placing the UK at the leading edge of this field. Together, through this support and investment, we will work in partnership to realise the potential of this technology for our UK economy and society.”
Will Drury, Executive Director, Digital and Technologies at Innovate UK
Exec Summary
The UK Science Minister, George Freeman, has announced new funding for quantum technology research, including £8 million for 12 projects exploring quantum technologies for position, navigation, and timing (PNT). Additionally, £6 million will be allocated for 11 projects working on software-enabled quantum computation, aiming to improve the performance of quantum computers.
- UK Science Minister George Freeman announces new funding for quantum tech research and innovation during London Tech Week.
- Funding includes £8 million for 12 projects exploring quantum technologies for position, navigation, and timing (PNT); £6 million for 11 projects on software-enabled quantum computation; £6 million for 19 projects’ feasibility studies in quantum computing applications; and £25 million for seven projects on quantum-enabled PNT via the Small Business Research Initiative (SBRI).
- The investments are made through the UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) Technology Missions Fund and build upon the National Quantum Technologies Programme.
- Dr Joseph Cotter from Imperial College London leads a project to develop quantum sensor technology for use underwater or underground, partnering with Transport for London to test the technology on trains.
- Dr Aleks Kissinger at the University of Oxford leads a project to develop the next generation of quantum compilers, which translate human-written code into machine-readable format.
- Feasibility studies in quantum computing applications aim to reduce carbon emissions in aviation, detect and reduce money laundering, address operational healthcare use cases, and create a quantum computing-based approach to enzyme-targeted drug discovery.
- The National Quantum Computing Centre (NQCC) is investing £30 million to develop quantum computing testbeds in the UK, aiming to deliver quantum advantage by 2025.
