Driving industry R&D and commercialisation of quantum sensors.
Quantum Innovation and Discovery Science (QUIDS)
The opportunity
Join a team of world-leading quantum technology experts across Australia to support the bid for an ARC Centre of Excellence in Quantum Innovation and Discovery Science (QUIDS).
QUIDS will engage industry partners to identify and exploit useful outcomes from the massive pool of Australia’s untapped quantum breakthroughs.
The Centre will prototype and manufacture new quantum sensors, advance scientific knowledge, and deliver tangible value to the Australian industry. It will be headquartered in Perth, Western Australia, with major hubs across the nation.
Watch our industry briefing
Learn about different sensors, applications across various industries, and find out how your organisation can secure a competitive advantage in this cutting-edge field.
Benefits for industry partners
Position your organisation for competitive advantage as an early adopter of quantum technology.
Influence and inform the research agenda to align focus and solutions with unmet needs and priorities.
Leverage financial contributions from the ARC (up to $35m) and other sources to subsidise your R&D budget.
Mitigate risks associated with R&D investment through the rigorous ARC grant assessment and management process.
Benefit from access to a global network of experts to better identify and exploit future opportunities.
Access state-of-the-art facilities and infrastructure and conduct experiments, tests, and research that may not be feasible within your own organisation.
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Resources and Energy
Quantum sensors improve the detection and extraction of natural resources such as oil, gas, and minerals by providing highly sensitive measurements of underground deposits. Additionally, they enhance the efficiency and safety of energy production and distribution.
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Defence and Security
Quantum sensors enhance capabilities in detecting submarines, underground bunkers, and other hidden threats by measuring minute variations in gravitational fields or magnetic anomalies, significantly improving defense strategies.
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Healthcare
Range of medical applications. For example, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) machines equipped with quantum sensors can detect minute changes in magnetic fields, leading to earlier and more accurate diagnoses of conditions like cancer and neurological disorders.
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Navigation
Inertial navigation systems, which are crucial for submarines and spacecraft, benefit from quantum sensors by providing highly precise measurements without reliance on GPS.
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Environmental Monitoring
Sensors can measure gravitational fields, atmospheric gases, and other parameters with high sensitivity, aiding in climate research and natural resource management.
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Fundamental Science
Quantum sensors enable breakthroughs in fundamental physics by allowing precise measurements of fundamental constants, testing theories of quantum mechanics, and exploring phenomena like gravitational waves.
FAQs
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Quantum sensors offer unprecedented levels of sensitivity and accuracy in measuring various physical quantities, leading to breakthroughs in navigation, exploration, measurement and healthcare. They work by harnessing unique behaviours of matter that only occur at a subatomic scale (eg: entanglement, superposition, and coherence). Different types of quantum sensors include:
Atomic clocks – Use vibrations of atoms to measure time
Magnetic field sensors (eg: SQUIDS, OPMs, TMRs) – Detect and measure magnetic fields with high sensitivity
Gravimeters - Measure variations in gravitational force
Gyroscopes – Measure angular momentum
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Quantum sensors offer near-term commercial benefits because they are already transitioning from research to practical applications, unlike other quantum technologies still in developmental stages. Additionally, existing infrastructure can integrate quantum sensors more easily.
Use cases include improving the precision and sensitivity of measurements for advanced medical diagnostics and imaging technologies which can lead to earlier and more accurate disease detection.
In industrial settings, high sensitivity enhances navigation systems and environmental monitoring, providing reliable data even in challenging conditions, such as deep underground or underwater environments.
Additionally, the defence and security sectors can leverage quantum sensors to detect hidden threats with unprecedented accuracy, enhancing national security and safety.
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Examples include:
Co-design programs and projects
Identify key research topics and industry use cases
Assist research teams with data collection and analysis
Test preliminary findings in your organisation
Provide end-user feedback to inform further research
Help disseminate research outputs to wider industry and community
Provide in-kind and/or cash contributions to support research activities
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QUIDS will ensure that there is clean and clear ownership of IP to maximise its chance of promotion, dissemination and use. This will include exclusive arrangements for commercial exploitation.
The QUIDS team has a track record of systematically facilitating the translation and commercialisation of discoveries, breakthroughs and inventions.
The team has developed a comprehensive Research Translation Prorgam to de-risk quantum products and deliver immediate or near-term commercial benefits.
A 2022 CSIRO report estimated that, by 2045, Australia’s quantum industry could generate A$5.9 billion in revenue and 19,400 jobs (similar to the number employed in the oil and gas industry). The sector is predicted to grow 33% over the next five years
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We are currently collaborating with with researchers, government and industry to submit an EOI proposal which is due in September. The key dates related to the bid are below:
EOI period: August-Sept 2024
EOI rejoinder: Quarter 4, 2024
Full application period: Quarter 1, 2025
Rejoinder period: Mid 2025
Anticipated announcement: Late 2025
Join us
Register your expression of interest. We will get in touch with updates and let you know how your organisation can engage with us.