While quantum has long been theorised, real-life use cases are now starting to present quantum potential. Last year Digital Catapult, the UK support body for digital technologies, launched the Quantum Technology Access Programme (QTAP) which brought together quantum experts from ORCA Computing, Riverlane and BT, with enterprises to test quantum computing and algorithms on a […]
While quantum has long been theorised, real-life use cases are now starting to present quantum potential.
Last year Digital Catapult, the UK support body for digital technologies, launched the Quantum Technology Access Programme (QTAP) which brought together quantum experts from ORCA Computing, Riverlane and BT, with enterprises to test quantum computing and algorithms on a use case of their choice.
Firms included major mechanical engineering company Rolls-Royce, the Port of Dover, consultancy Arup, aircraft manufacturer Airbus, and earth observation analytics firm Neptune NewSpace.
This week, TI had the opportunity to observe the results of the programme. We asked Digital Catapult’s innovation delivery manager Daniela Valenzuela why there was such a buzz around quantum right now.
“Because quantum is fantastic at specific, complex problems,” she replies. “Even more so than artificial intelligence and can get into deeper technological problems such as making nuclear reactors safer (Rolls-Royce), making digital twins of the earth (Neptune NewSpace), or untangling the complex traffic issues around a port (Port of Dover).”
Everything you need to know about quantum
While the computers are not quite ready, the programme is hoping to prepare firms for what’s to come: “We’re shaping the narrative, and we’re helping business get ahead.”
Quantum is just at the beginning, says Richard Murray, CEO and co-founder of ORCA computing: “I personally believe it’s only a matter of time now.”
Richard Murray, CEO and co-founder, ORCA computing
“Quantum is now attracting a lot of global investment, both from governments and from private sources, that is being used to create some really rapid improvements in the quality of these quantum systems and their ability to be able to process larger and larger amounts of data.”
While we’re still at the point where quantum computers aren’t yet solving “really commercially valuable problems,” Murray believes it’ll only be a few years before we start seeing it used more commonly.
“Maybe, the ChatGPT moment,” he remarks. “All of a sudden, real quantum hardware will align with real applications to provide massive value to customers, and at that point, I think the industry will change all over again.”
Rolls-Royce
During the programme, manufacturing firm Rolls-Royce used data from the Fukushima nuclear accident and a quantum machine learning model to identify potentially hazardous situations in nuclear reactors quickly and contribute to research into the machinery.
The accident happened in 2011 because of an earthquake and tsunami that led to a power loss at the Fukushima Daiichi plant in Japan. Without power, the cooling systems failed in three reactors, and their cores subsequently overheated. This resulted in a partial meltdown in the fuel rods, a fire in the storage reactor, explosions in the outer containment buildings, and the release of radiation into the air and ocean – forcing 150,000 nearby residents to evacuate their homes.
With Rolls-Royce plans to build autonomous nuclear reactors to be deployed in remote mining colonies, and even the Moon and Mars, the firm used the data from the accident to present the feasibility of a quantum machine learning model’s ability to quickly identify potentially hazardous situations.
An artist’s impression of the nuclear reactor on the moon
“This machine learning algorithm is able to predict when these parameters of pressure and temperature go outside of the normal scope and operate in unsafe conditions,” explains Daniela Valenzuela, innovation delivery manager of Digital Catapult.
“This could ensure that these reactors it is planning for the future would operate safely,” enabling engineers to shut it down, if necessary, with minimum human involvement.
Assistant chief engineer at Rolls-Royce, Jonathon Adams explains that the Novel Nuclear team at the firm is “very future focussed” and is “seeking to develop revolutionary new technologies and explore energy-efficient applications for nuclear power on Earth and in Space.”
“Quantum technologies, including quantum computing, will be an enabler for this over the next 15 years. It’s important that we develop an understanding of how and when we can adopt this technology,” he adds.
Neptune NewSpace
Neptune NewSpace is a firm dedicated to building simulations of the Earth. The firm used quantum computing algorithms in this test case to simulate extreme weather patterns and predict the effect of catastrophic events such as hurricanes, monsoons and tornadoes on critical infrastructure such as renewable energy sites.
As weather systems are notoriously complex, with numerous variables interacting simultaneously, classic computers often struggle to provide accurate simulations due to their limited processing power.
Quantum computing, however, can handle the vast number of variables more efficiently, with enhanced accuracy and speed, according to the firm’s co-founder Lanval O’Garro.
Lanval O’Garro (middle), co-founder, Neptune NewSpace
Once the weather simulations are in place, quantum can be used again to predict when weather events are likely to happen, and what damage they may cause.
Still, challenges remain as quantum computers are still nascent, and the task of implementing an algorithm and handling the data is specialised and complex.
However, adds, O’Garro, “while challenges remain, ongoing research and development in the field of quantum computing are steadily paving the way for a future where more accurate weather simulations and disaster predictions become a reality.”
“This holds the potential to save lives, protect property, and enhance our resilience in the face of nature’s fury,” he adds.
Port of Dover
Europe’s busiest port, the Port of Dover, also took on quantum to make its operations more efficient.
Statistically, the port handles £144 billion worth of trade, or 33% of the UK’s trade in goods. Peak times in the summer saw 23,000 cars on the same day, and 10,000 trucks.
While there are certain things the port can do to reduce traffic and waiting times, such as building new infrastructure, or finding ways to reduce times spent at border control, costs and post-Brexit EU laws make this difficult.
“So, there’s only one thing that we can do, which is optimise the little land space that we have, and hopefully use quantum computing to get more efficient operations,” explains strategy manager, Timothy van Vugt.
QTAP candidates at Digital Catapult’s showcase event this week
“How do I get all of these goods through my port in the most efficient way possible?” adds Murray. “All that might sound like a trivial problem, but there is a huge amount of wealth and value that passes through a port, and if you can optimise that, there are tremendous advantages to be had.”
Port of Dover’s simulation modeller specialist, Siti Fariya, explains that with the help of Orca computing’s quantum experts, the Port of Dover modelled its traffic flow through arriving, border control, check-in and embarking, and the boats themselves, and used a quantum-inspired algorithm to determine how traffic can be managed to reduce congestion.
“This is an example that crops up in many companies,” says Murray. “If you take any firm that organises large amounts of resources across large infrastructure, they will have similar issues.”
“That becomes a massively computationally challenging task to solve, and one in which quantum can really provide much better answers.”
