Emerging Tech Series: Quantum 101:

8 min readJun 17, 2021

Welcome to your mini crash course in emerging tech. We’ll start with quantum computing.

If you’re wondering what quantum is and why it’s important, you’re not alone. It can be confusing sometimes when we read about physicists and the language they use to talk about something that seems complicated and not at all relatable. It is, however, important to understand the fundamental concepts of quantum technology, their applications in our everyday lives, and the innovations in this field that will shape the 21st century. Before talking about the significance of quantum, you need to know what quantum technology is in the first place. Here’s a quick primer on the basics and how it impacts you.

Quantum technology can be defined as a type of technology that works by harnessing and exploiting the laws of quantum mechanics (the physics of subatomic particles). Quantum theory zooms in atoms and subatomic particles that comprise matter. When talking about quantum technology, there are two important things you need to know and they are:

1. Superposition

The concept of superposition seems impossible because we can’t see it. When we say it’s hard to see, we aren’t kidding. We can’t even observe it in physical observations and it’s not even something that can be proven. It’s kind of like gravity, which we know is there, (when an apple falls for example), but not something we can see. The concept of superposition only arises in the world of subatomic particles. Here’s the interesting part: In the world of subatomic particles, the laws of classical physics seem to stop working entirely.

According to the principle of quantum superposition:

“A quantum particle can exist in distinct locations at the same time.” According to this theory, a quantum particle can exist simultaneously in multiple states. That seems to go against a lot of what we understand about particles. This is super confusing we know, but stick with us.

2. Entanglement

The second important thing you need to know is called “entanglement.” In terms of quantum theory, entanglement is a mechanical phenomenon in which the quantum states of two or more strongly connected objects have to be described with reference to each other, even though great distances may separate the individual objects. This basically means that if the properties of one of them get changed, the entangled counter particle changes instantaneously, too. They are entangled, if you will.

So far, the above-stated two quantum principles are responsible for the biggest developments in quantum technology. These characteristics may seem strange according to the standards of everyday physics, but, rest assured, quantum physics is not magic as much as people make it out to be!

So why is it important? Some everyday technologies owe their existence to our understanding of quantum physics. A small (but mighty) list includes the following:

Lasers: Nowadays, lasers are the solution for countless problems in medicine, science, and many other everyday technologies. The development of lasers was based on Einstein’s quantum theory of radiation.
Atomic Clocks: Atomic clocks show the network time. Their electronic transition from one state to another acts as their ‘pendulum’ that produces an extremely stable and repeatable “tick.”
Nuclear Power: Quantum theory helps us understand the nuclear structure. There is a strong force of nuclear attraction among the constituent particles (protons and neutrons) of the nucleus. The collision among these particles results in the generation of nuclear energy.
Semiconductors: Semiconductivity can be thought of as a quantum mechanical phenomenon according to which the electrical conductivity value of the semiconductor material falls between that of the conductor like copper and an insulator like glass. Some of the semiconductors are silicon and germanium that are used in transistors and integrated circuits.
Television: A flat-panel quantum dot television has an LED display that uses an energy-efficient light source known as a light-emitting diode.
MRIs: Whenever we have a serious injury, we take an MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) scan to understand how much damage is caused. This is possible due to the quantum theory of “spin” angular momentum and the developments in nuclear magnetic resonance.

Don’t you feel smarter already?

Quantum in our future:

From public health to military defense, Quantum technology is important because certain promises of quantum theory will completely transform the world through innovations and future developments. So, let’s look at some of the innovations that are going to change the world:

Quantum computers: While the information in an ordinary computer handles digital bits of 0s and 1s, quantum computers work using quantum bits or qubits that can take any value between 0 and 1. This makes it so these types of computers can solve problems that regular computers cannot. Quantum computers have an incredible potential in terms of speed and efficiency compared to home computers, or even “supercomputers.” They can do more in a shorter amount of time with more data. So, that’s why quantum computing is currently the hottest topic among investors and businesses. However, a lot of work is needed to be done before quantum computers are available for the average person. Right now they’re being used in everything from vaccine research to rocket development.
Quantum simulators: A famous physicist Richard Feynman proposed a simulation of quantum systems in 1982. According to him, quantum systems simulation will help us understand the interactions between atoms and molecules. The quantum computers will allow us to study quantum physics itself in a way that wasn’t possible before. For example, it may be used to design novel materials for more efficient batteries or model the drug molecule behavior.
Cybersecurity: A great way of improving cybersecurity is by entangling the quantum particles. See, there’s that word again. We can enhance the telecommunication security with quantum-protected cipher keys if the entangled atoms can detect whether something is interfering with data transmission or not. A regular computer can’t calculate factors of large numbers efficiently. It would take so long that the problem would no longer be relevant.
Quantum teleportation: This is really cool. Quantum teleportation can be defined as “transferring information from one particle to its entangled counter particle.” The connected, entangled pairs of particles need a small amount of entanglement to perform quantum teleportation successfully. This means signals can get passed from one location to another almost instantly. In some cases this could be faster than the speed of light. Science fiction just got a little more real.

Almost all developing nations and many companies are investing in quantum technology. Especially when it comes to quantum computing, no one wants to be left behind. Again, this is the technology that will change the world.

But why do YOU need quantum computing? You need it more than you think. For instance, you log into our account, believing that only your bank and you can access your financial information. Your password is strong (it has letters and numbers even), and you are even using two-factor authentication as well. You may also take comfort in knowing that your bank has solid security measures of its own. So, you are probably confident that no one else can see or change your sensitive data or steal your paycheck.

But, this feeling of data security may not hold up in the next 10 or 20 years. Without robust cybersecurity that is dependent on quantum technology, it may be possible that “Future You” logs into your account, and your life savings are transferred elsewhere, never to be seen again. How could this be possible? What happened to your passwords and the security measures that protected your account?

This is what happens when hackers use quantum and your bank does not. This is what a quantum computer could be doing with all of your accounts and information. This reality isn’t that far off. According to the US National Institute of Standards and Technology, it could soon crack our common security systems in seconds — such as 128-bit AES encryption by 2029. Today’s best supercomputers would take millions of years to do the same job.

Importance of Quantum in Industry:

Quantum technology already has positive applications in the field of aviation as well. It aids in the scheduling and routing aircraft, which has enormous commercial benefits concerning time and costs. Global companies are actively researching and investing in the space to take advantage of the optimization potential and the computing power of the technology.

NASA is also looking at using quantum computing for doing better research, adopting safer methods of space travel, and analyzing the vast amount of data they collect about the universe.

Volkswagen is currently finding ways to use quantum computing for informing drivers of traffic conditions 45 minutes in advance. Today’s computers can’t match the traffic patterns and predict the behaviour of complex modern-day traffic, but quantum technology will make it an easy task.

Large car companies like Tesla and big tech companies like Apple and Google are actively developing driverless cars. They want to use quantum to improve standards of living, reduce congestion, and cut pollution.

How about driverless cars? You guessed it. Quantum is also making that happen. Currently, Google and VW are developing batteries, transportation, and self-driving technology using quantum computers. Volkswagen has already optimized the traffic flow for 10,000 taxis in Beijing and is on the way to more improvements with quantum computing.

Wrapping up our quantum lesson remember this:

This technology will change how you live your life forever. That’s pretty powerful.

Although we can never correctly imagine what quantum technology can achieve in the next 10 years, we know it will shape our future in dramatic ways. Quantum finds answers to problems that are too hard for regular computers. Many fields such as machine learning, information security, and cryptography will be undergoing a drastic change due to the advancements in quantum computing. The entire concept of computing might change in the coming years, and while it presents some challenges, it also presents some exciting opportunities for researchers and organizations like The Inc Lab.

At TIL we are experts in Quantum and also specialize in Human Centered Interactive Innovation. We develop use User Centered Design techniques for fast prototyping, experiential testing, and development leading emerging technologies in our fields of expertise. Our team’s broad set of disciplines allows us to deliver unique solutions to even the toughest challenges. Our love for collaboration helps organizations innovate, engage with their customers, and unlock possibilities.

Visit us at theinclab.com to learn more.

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Emerging Tech Series: Quantum 101:

Written by TheIncLab