Funding boost for UK
quantum computing
Universal Quantum aims to deliver one million qubit quantum computer
7 July 2020 / www.theengineer.co.uk
A UK company intent on
building the world’s first
large-scale quantum
computer has received
£3.6m in seed-funding.
Founded by Professor Winfried
Hensinger and Dr Sebastian Weidt
in 2018, Universal Quantum, a
Sussex University spin-out, looks
set to ‘tackle the grand global issues
of our time’.
Today’s computers consists
of billions of transistors (bits),
but quantum computers encode
information in quantum bits
(qubits). A bit has a single binary
value (0 or 1), but qubits can be 0
and 1 simultaneously. The ability
for individual qubits to occupy
multiple states underlies the
potential of quantum computers.
In 2017 the team published an
industrial blueprint to construct
a large-scale quantum computing
machine in Science Advances.
The work featured a new
innovation that allows quantum
bits to be transmitted between
individual quantum computing
modules to realise a fully modular
large-scale machine with significant
computational power.
Fibre optic connections
had been proposed to connect
individual computer modules,
but Universal Quantum have
introduced connections created
by electric fields that allow
ions to be transported from one
module to another. According
to Sussex University, this new
approach allows 100,000 times
faster connection speeds between
individual quantum computing
modules compared to current fibre
link technology.
Another drawback in current
quantum computing is the
requirement to operate at extremely
cold temperatures marginally above
absolute zero. Universal Quantum’s
trapped ions carry out calculations
using microwave technology, which
reduces cooling requirements,
allowing a quantum computer to
operate at -200C.
Prof Hensinger, said that
creating practical quantum
computers is a major engineering
challenge, but Universal Quantum’s
technology and approach do not
rely on making major physics
breakthroughs.
A spokesperson for Propagator
VC said the Sussex team’s approach,
utilising microwave radiation gates,
has the potential to overcome many
of the current obstacles to building
a truly scalable quantum computer.
The UK government’s science
minister, Amanda Solloway
announced the investment at a
quantum technology industry
event held on June 15, 2020.
Quantum Tech Digital Week saw
over £70m invested into 38 UK
projects addressing global and
industrial challenges, including
the development of batteries for
electric vehicles and energy storage
systems.
JASON FORD reports
RENAULT RESTRUCTURING
Renault is to shed 14,600
positions in a bid to achieve
savings of more than €2bn over
three years. Renault believes it
can save approximately €650m
by optimising production,
€800m by improving efficiency
and reducing engineering
costs through the Alliance, and
around €700m by increasing the
efficiency of support functions.
In France, where 4,600 positions
are going, the company will focus
on electric vehicles, LCVs, the
circular economy and high valueadded
innovation.
DCO APPROVAL FOR SZC
EDF’s application to build Sizewell
C nuclear power station on
the Suffolk coast has taken a
step forward. The successful
application for a Development
Consent Order follows four
rounds of public consultation
which began in 2012. Sizewell
C managing director Humphrey
Cadoux-Hudson CBE said
the project would ‘kick start
the economy following the
Coronavirus crisis’. If built, the
station’s two reactors would help
to generate seven per cent of
Britain’s electricity.
COVID CRISIS AT MCLAREN
Around 1,200 positions are being
made redundant at McLaren due
to the ongoing impact of Covid-19
and the new Formula 1 cost cap
to be introduced in 2021. The
proposed restructuring will see
positions go across the McLaren
Group’s Applied, Automotive, and
Racing businesses, plus support
and back office functions.
The pandemic has negatively
impacted McLaren due to the
cancellation of motorsport
events, plus the suspension
of manufacturing and retail
activities globally.
Read more at
www.theengineer.co.uk
Hitachi Rail has started work on building
five new all-electric intercity trains for
East Coast Trains at its Newton Aycliffe
factory.
Despite the impact of Covid-19, the
company has prepared the factory and
is now ready to start manufacturing the
East Coast Trains.
Douglas McIlroy, Communications
Manager at Hitachi Rail, told The Engineer
that this fleet is the largest manufacturing
scope to date, with nearly all of the build
taking place at Newton Aycliffe in County
Durham.
The increased scope will see
Hitachi’s workforce create the new fleet
from empty aluminium shells.
“This marks a steady progression for
the North East train builder,” McIlroy said
via email. “The site began by installing the
interiors and fitting undercarriages for the
Intercity Express Programme trains, then
expanded to include wiring for ScotRail’s
Class 385s, and now will build the driver’s
cabs from scratch.”
Hitachi Rail is due to build more
intercity orders this year, which will
benefit from an £8.5m investment in
welding and painting.
“The skills and techniques being
utilised on these fleets is part of our
upskilling programme and important steps
as we expand our UK manufacturing
capabilities and work towards welding
and painting,” McIlroy said.
The five Class 803s will begin
carrying passengers between Edinburgh
and London from autumn 2021.
“We are delighted that these trains
will be at the cutting-edge of lowemission
rail transport, underlining the
benefits of using our rail service for travel
between the two capital cities,” said
Helen Wylde, Managing director at East
Coast Trains. JF
HITACHI STARTS WORK ON ALL-ELECTRIC
803S FOR EAST COAST TRAINS
NEWS IN BRIEF
TECHNOLOGY NEWS
image credit: Pete Linforth
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