The US Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) seeks to develop quantum sensors for moving military platforms.
Quantum sensors use quantum mechanics to sense minute variances in motion and electric and magnetic fields, achieving greater accuracy than conventional sensors.
In technical terms, they extract information from individual atoms rather than from a collection of atoms and are less vulnerable to signal jamming and other electromagnetic interference that traditional light- and sound-based data sensors are vulnerable to.
Possible applications include computing, encryption, communications, and navigation. They could also be used as an alternative to GPS in GPS-denied environments.
That being said, transitioning quantum sensors from the laboratory to moving platforms is a challenge, as it degrades their performance “due to electrical and magnetic fields, field gradients, and system vibrations,” DARPA explained.
Robust Quantum Sensors Program
The Pentagon agency seeks to overcome the challenge through innovative physics approaches under the forthcoming Robust Quantum Sensors (RoQS) program.
“The forthcoming RoQS program aims to develop and demonstrate quantum sensors that inherently resist performance degradation from platform interferers and demonstrate them on a government-provided platform,” DARPA said.
In the first phase of the two-pronged program, industry platform makers will be engaged in identifying US military platforms for quantum sensor integration.
Thereafter, government platform owners and stakeholders, requirements, and program of record platforms will be identified for integration and testing.
The last date to respond to the notice is January 24.