The Quantum Technology Hub for Sensors and Metrology, along with three other national EPSRC Quantum Technology Hubs and the National Quantum Technologies Programme partners presented its progress towards real-world demonstrators at the second Quantum Technology Showcase event on Thursday 3 November 2016.
The Government’s Chief Scientific Adviser, Sir Mark Walport, used the showcase to launch the Blackett review ‘Quantum Age: technological opportunities’ which concludes with eleven important recommendations. The first states, ‘There is a strong case for continuing the UK National Quantum Technologies Programme to maintain our world-leading position in a promising and now globally emerging area of technology’.
The event received over 600 registrations from industry, academia and government, double the number applying for the first showcase last year. Thirty nine exhibits demonstrated the collaborative nature of the programme involving academia, industry and government partners and included demonstrators from a range of investments made as part of the National Programme including the Quantum Technology Hubs, Industry and the National Physical Laboratory.
The EPSRC Quantum Technology Hubs are already successfully working in collaboration with many industrial and government partners involved from the conception stage of the Hubs. The review recognises their impact: the UK’s world-class research in quantum technologies has been enhanced by the quantum hubs to give academics the resources, the freedom and the vision to accelerate commercialisation.