Australian tech firm Quantum Brilliance has landed a significant contract to build the world’s first mobile quantum computer for the German government.
Quantum Brilliance, an Australian-German company using synthetic diamonds to produce smaller quantum chips able to operate at room temperature, will share in contracts worth $58 million (€35 million) from Germany’s cyber agency, Cyberagentur.
Cyberagentur is a German-government owned agency funding key technologies and innovations to support the country’s internal and external security.
Quantum Brilliance will be partnering with Austrian quantum architecture firm ParityQC to develop a mobile quantum computer able to be operated from anywhere, rather than just a data centre, for defence, security and civilian applications.
“We’re excited to work with our partners at ParityQC and we thank the Cyberagentur for its commitment to innovation,” Quantum Brilliance co-founder and CEO Mark Luo said in a statement.
“The potential of a quantum mobile computer is enormous for defence and cyber security in Germany and allied nations, and we believe our technology is the perfect fit for fulfilling the goals of this project.”
Miniaturised quantum
Founded in 2019, Quantum Brilliance focuses on diamond quantum accelerators, backed by a full stack of software and application tools.
It is aiming to facilitate the mass deployment of these quantum accelerators to assist a range of industries to harness the benefits of quantum computing.
Its core technologies include precise qubit positioning and electrical readout, which enables compatibility of these chips with traditional semiconductors.
Quantum Brilliance’s partner on this project, ParityQC, is developing a quantum architecture and operating system for scalable NV-centre quantum computers.
These organisations will now partner to develop a mobile quantum computer, which will be able to perform the highly complex simulations that quantum computing facilitates in the field rather than in data centres or via cloud access.
This will allow for the use of these technologies in remote areas, and for defence and national security.
It could be used to optimise troop movements, analyse battlefield scenarios and simulate chemical or biological agents in real-time.
“Mobile quantum technology will enable powerful computations in environments not possible with classical computers,” Quantum Brilliance chief revenue officer Mark Wattingley-Scott said in a statement.
“The technology will not only enhance defence and cyber security but will eventually benefit applications in scientific research, supply chain management, finance and more.”
Cyberagentur head of quantum technologies Dr Roman Bansen said mobile quantum computing also has significant civilian applications.
“Mobile systems are particularly important for security and defence scenarios because they can operate independently of a data connection to stationary data centres,” Bansen said.
“This is essential, especially in crisis or defence situations.
“At the same time, mobile quantum computers potentially offer significant advantages for civilian applications as well.”
The growing Australian quantum sector
Quantum Brilliance is a key player and pioneer in the burgeoning Australian quantum computing sector.
In 2021 the company installed a world-first room temperature quantum computer at the Pawsey Supercomputing Centre in Western Australia.
The following year, it partnered with La Trobe University and RMIT University to develop new ways of fabricating quantum computers using its synthetic diamond technology.
The federal government is aiming to foster the growth of the local quantum sector, and unveiled the country’s first National Quantum Strategy in early 2023.
This was on the back of forecasts that quantum could create 19,400 jobs by 2045.
