UK Invests £106m in Quantum Hubs

The UK government has recently confirmed funding for five research hubs dedicated to advancing the practical applications of quantum technology in various fields such as medical scanners, the quantum Internet, and secure positioning systems.

Backed by £106 million over the next five years, these five quantum research hubs will be located in Glasgow, Edinburgh, Birmingham, Oxford, and London. This initiative is part of the ongoing UK National Quantum Technologies Programme (NQTP), which was established in 2014 with a target funding of £1.5 billion over the next decade, and the hubs were officially announced last year.

The University of Glasgow will lead the Quantum Enabled Position, Navigation and Timing (QEPNT) hub, focusing on developing quantum technologies for resilient position, navigation, and timing systems in national security and critical national infrastructure. These technologies aim to provide enhanced accuracy and reliability in sectors such as aerospace, autonomous vehicles, finance, maritime, and agriculture, while also working on creating smaller and lighter devices.

Professor Douglas Paul, the Project Lead for the QEPNT Hub, emphasized the importance of accurate time, direction, and speed measurements for the UK's critical infrastructure. He highlighted the vulnerability of current connections to disruptions caused by technical issues or deliberate malicious actions, underscoring the potential economic impact of such disruptions on key industries.

The QEPNT hub will collaborate with researchers from various institutions including Imperial College London, the Universities of Bristol, Cambridge, Edinburgh, Loughborough, Strathclyde, Heriot-Watt, Queen’s University Belfast, and Warwick to develop new and improved atomic clocks, quantum gyroscopes, and quantum accelerometers for portable and affordable devices that can function indoors, underground, and in all weather conditions, ultimately enhancing national security and offering new industrial applications.

The Integrated Quantum Networks (IQN) hub at Heriot-Watt University in Glasgow is dedicated to developing technologies for a future UK-wide quantum internet with a focus on cybersecurity and distributed quantum computing. Professor Gerald Buller, the Director of the IQN Hub, highlighted the potential impact of establishing a widescale quantum internet on various sectors, emphasizing future-proof security for data communications and the integration of quantum computers and sensors for applications in healthcare, materials research, artificial intelligence, and more.

The Sensing, Imaging, and Timing (QuSIT) hub at the University of Birmingham will concentrate on advancing quantum sensing for practical applications such as brain scanners for dementia, cancer diagnostics, and enhanced security and infrastructure monitoring. This hub will involve collaboration with researchers from institutions including Glasgow, Bristol, Durham, Heriot-Watt, Imperial, Nottingham, Southampton, Strathclyde, the British Geological Survey, and NPL.

At the University of Oxford, the Hub for Quantum Computing via Integrated and Interconnected Implementations is working on developing technologies for building quantum computers encompassing both hardware and software. The university has already spawned several quantum startups like Oxford Ionics and Oxford Quantum Circuits (OQC), while UK quantum computer pioneer Rigetti has installed a quantum computer system near the city.

The fifth hub, the Quantum Biomedical Sensing Research Hub at University College London and the University of Cambridge, is focused on utilizing quantum sensors for ultra-sensitive disease diagnosis, including rapid blood tests, and biomedical scanners for early detection and treatment of diseases like cancer and Alzheimer’s.

These hubs aim to bridge the gap between innovative ideas and practical solutions, transforming sectors such as healthcare and security while fostering a culture of accelerated innovation to boost the economy, as stated by the new UK Secretary of State for Science, Innovation, and Technology, Peter Kyle.

Managed by the UKRI Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC), the hubs will receive a £106 million investment from EPSRC, the UKRI Biotechnology and Biological Research Council, UKRI Medical Research Council, and the National Institute for Health and Care Research to drive innovation and growth in the field of quantum technology.

EPSRC Executive Chair Professor Charlotte Deane expressed optimism about the potential of the five Quantum Technology Hubs to leverage the UK's expertise, foster innovation, support growth, and capitalize on the transformative opportunities presented by quantum technology.

Source: www.gov.uk