QuSIT to boost UK quantum sensing and imaging projects with £774k grant

University College London is leading a project to improve epilepsy diagnostics for a significantly underserved population: autistic children with epilepsy, a demographic where the incidence of autism ranges between 26-40%. The project, funded by a £774k grant from the QuSIT Accelerating Capability Fund, will utilize optically pumped magnetometer magnetoencephalography (OPM-MEG) brain sensing technology. By adapting the system and employing personalized AI analyses, researchers aim to bridge the gap between research and clinic, bolstering the clinical applicability of OPM-MEG for paediatric patients. £774k QuSIT ACF Fuels National Quantum Strategy Missions The QuSIT Accelerating Capability Fund is directing resources toward practical healthcare applications, with an initial project focused on improving gastrointestinal cancer diagnosis. This initiative, enabled by funding from the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council, intends to use advances in sensing and machine learning to enhance clinical imaging and surveillance of difficult-to-examine areas. Researchers aim to identify disease earlier and more reliably in at-risk individuals, potentially improving both monitoring and patient outcomes. The fund’s structure emphasizes collaboration as a key driver of progress toward the UK National Quantum Strategy Missions, fostering partnerships between academia, industry, and charitable organizations. According to QuSIT, “Partnerships and the collective efforts of the community are central to our mission of enabling quantum technologies to drive societal benefits and foster economic growth.” This project directly supports the NQS by moving quantum-enabled sensing technologies closer to routine use within the National Health Service. QuSIT views this funding model as integral to accelerating the delivery of outcomes outlined in the National Quantum Strategy, representing a wider investment strategy designed to translate research into tangible benefits. The organization anticipates close collaboration with other Quantum Technology Hubs and broader communities to maximize the societal impact of these emerging technologies, stating, Further announcements regarding ACF-funded projects are available on the QuSIT news page. We are delighted to open the QuSIT Accelerating Capability Fund, made possible by funding from EPSRC-UKRI as part of the recent UK Government investment in quantum technologies.

Professor Michael Holynski, Principal Investigator for QuSIT OPM-MEG Diagnostics Aid Epilepsy Assessments for Autistic Children An estimated 26 to 40 percent of children already diagnosed with epilepsy also exhibit autism spectrum disorder, a comorbidity presenting unique challenges for accurate and timely diagnosis, particularly within healthcare systems. The project partners include Young Epilepsy, Cerca Magnetics Ltd, and ANT Neuro, forging a collaboration between academic research, clinical expertise, and private sector innovation. This initiative aims to refine the OPM-MEG system specifically for use with young patients on the autism spectrum, integrating personalized artificial intelligence analyses. Extensive prior research and clinical experience underpin the project’s focus on bolstering the clinical applicability of OPM-MEG, a non-invasive neuroimaging technique offering high sensitivity and temporal resolution. Strengthening industry partnerships is a key component, ensuring the technology’s potential for wider adoption. The project’s completion by March 30, 2027, will help to position the UK to achieve its 2035 ambition of widespread adoption of quantum-enabled technologies that deliver economic and societal benefits through advances in communications, transport, and healthcare, QuSIT says. By improving diagnostic accuracy and accessibility, this work seeks to address a critical need within a vulnerable patient group and advance the field of neuroimaging. Drone-Based Quantum Magnetometry Advances Area Monitoring Capabilities Portable quantum sensors are now closer to reality thanks to developments at the University of Strathclyde, where optically pumped magnetometers offer both high sensitivity and stability in measuring Earth’s magnetic field. Their compact size facilitates integration into versatile platforms, a key step toward wider deployment, and recent drone trials are building on this foundation. BAE Systems’ expertise in platform integration is being used to realize large-area, high-precision magnetic sensing, promising cheaper, faster, and safer measurements for diverse applications. Mapping subtle variations in the Earth’s magnetic field reveals subsurface features, and planned trials aim to advance capabilities in geology, archaeology, and renewable energy infrastructure development. This approach enables a non-destructive method for identifying buried structures or resources, potentially reducing the need for invasive exploration techniques.

Quantum Timing Integration Improves Radar Performance with Tiqker Clocks Portable quantum clocks from Infleqtion are now undergoing further testing as part of the Quantum Enabled Radar Integration (QERI) project, led by University of Birmingham and supported by BAE Systems. Initial out-of-laboratory trials successfully integrated these Tiqker clocks with the ADRAN radar testbed, demonstrating measurable improvements in radar performance, according to the QuSIT announcement. These trials pinpointed existing limitations in radar hardware that currently prevent realizing the full potential of quantum-enhanced radar systems. QERI will focus on developing an improved radar receiver to overcome these hardware constraints and facilitate wider adoption of quantum timing technologies in practical applications. The ultimate goal is to accelerate the adoption of portable quantum clocks within future distributed radar systems, building on previous QuSIT and DSTL-funded trials. This work signifies a step toward realizing the benefits of quantum sensing beyond laboratory settings and into real-world deployments. Source: https://qusit.org/qusit-acf-grant-funds-projects-to-help-deliver-national-quantum-strategy-missions/ More like thisQuantum ApplicationsMobile Brain Scanner to Study Blast Exposure EffectsQuantum Research NewsQ-BIOMED Secures £902K to Expand Healthcare Quantum SensingQuantum SensorsTop Quantum Sensing Companies and Quantum Sensor Modalities GuideQuantum Research NewsUCLA: $1M Grant Advances Quantum TechnologyStay currentSee today’s quantum computing news on Quantum Zeitgeist for the latest breakthroughs in qubits, hardware, algorithms, and industry deals. Tags: