The Quantum Revolution is coming!

Based on esoteric principles of quantum mechanics such as superposition, entanglement and tunnelling, quantum technology promises to increase computational power by many orders of magnitude, perhaps enabling signal processing algorithms impossible with today’s technology, rendering our best encryption methods useless while yet creating new methods that are provably unbreakable, making tiny atomic clocks many orders of magnitude more precise and allowing methods for sensing and accurate positioning. At its farthest shores, quantum technology may allow new ways to communicate error-free, impossible with classical systems.

This one-day conference, on 14^th September 2016 at the University of Cambridge Computer Lab, is aimed at senior technologists, innovative entrepreneurs, young engineers and physicists.  Speakers already lined up for the conference include Neil Stansfield, Head, Knowledge, Innovation and Futures Enterprise at DSTL; Dr. Paul Martin, CTO at Plextek Consulting; Colin Williams, Director of Business Development and Strategic Partnerships at D-Wave; and Dr Trevor Cross, CTO, e2v and chair of the Innovate UK's Special Interest Group in Quantum Technologies. 

“Today's wireless industry is enabled by silicon VLSI technology that depends on the quantum physics of electrons, atoms and crystals, dating from the first half of the 20^th century,” said Prof. John Haine, CW Board member and chair of the organising committee. “But Quantum 2.0 takes us on a fascinating journey to a new generation of devices which actively create, manipulate and read quantum states of matter for applications ranging from quantum computing, sensing and cryptography to signal processing at speeds well beyond what is possible today.  For example, quantum computers will be able to calculate certain algorithms many times faster than even the most powerful conventional computers.  Researchers have already developed algorithms to crack the best current public key cryptography, which could undermine confidentiality on the Internet once the hardware is available.  Experience tells us that the real impact of Quantum 2.0 will only emerge when new generations of engineers start to harness the technology to create products that we can't imagine today.  But as well as presenting exciting new opportunities, Quantum 2.0 also threatens traditional technologies and businesses as it begins to emerge and transition to mainstream.  Now is the time for technology leaders to begin to understand its implications, and engineers and scientists starting their careers to understand the technologies they could be applying in five to ten years.”