Latest news with #Harwell
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Infleqtion Selected to Power the UK's Largest Quantum Computing Breakthrough
As part of a £2.2M project, Infleqtion will deliver 100x performance gains at the National Quantum Computing Centre (NQCC) advancing the UK's most promising neutral atom platform OXFORD, England, June 09, 2025--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Infleqtion, a global leader in quantum information technologies, today announced a second grant from the UK government to further accelerate the performance of its neutral atom quantum computing platform, Sqale. The project aims to increase gate execution rate by 10–100x, a major advance in the scalability and capability of quantum hardware, critical for making quantum systems commercially viable. The initiative builds upon Infleqtion's strategic presence at the NQCC in Harwell, Oxfordshire, home to one of the UK's most advanced quantum testbeds. Infleqtion's Sqale neutral atom quantum computer positions the company as a cornerstone of the UK's national quantum infrastructure. "Infleqtion's UK team is pushing the limits of what's possible in quantum computing performance," said Tom Noel, VP of Quantum Computing at Infleqtion. "By combining the unique strengths of neutral atom technology with advanced optical control and characterisation frameworks at the NQCC, we are enabling faster, deeper, and more reliable quantum circuits." The 12-month programme, named SQALE2, will be developed in collaboration with leading UK research institutions, including the Fraunhofer Centre for Applied Photonics, the National Physical Laboratory (NPL), the University of Strathclyde, and the NQCC's Quantum Software Lab at the University of Edinburgh. The funding will support the development of new optical and control technologies that allow multiple quantum operations to run at the same time. This parallel processing approach is expected to increase the effective rate of gate execution by 10–100x, a critical improvement for running complex quantum algorithms more quickly and efficiently. "Advancing gate speed is essential for unlocking the full potential of quantum computing," said Professor Elham Kashefi, Chief Scientist, NQCC. "This collaboration with Infleqtion and the Quantum Software Lab, exemplifies the UK's commitment to building world-leading quantum capabilities that are both scalable and application-ready." Infleqtion's platform manipulates individual neutral atoms, nature's ideal qubits, using laser light, eliminating the need for fabricated solid-state qubits. This approach offers superior stability, flexibility, and control, alongside a high degree of scalability. "Neutral atom systems have long demonstrated compelling architectural advantages," said Ryan Hanley, President, Infleqtion UK. "This project shows that performance and speed can scale too, thanks to the strength of the UK's collaborative innovation ecosystem." Joint Innovation and Evaluation In partnership with the Fraunhofer Centre for Applied Photonics, Infleqtion will deploy next-generation optical technologies to enable parallelised gate execution. These enhancements will accelerate circuit speeds and further improve gate fidelities, paving the way for deeper quantum workflows and broader application readiness. To ensure transparency and build trust in the results, the project includes independent verification and benchmarking through partners at NPL, the University of Strathclyde, and the Quantum Software Lab at the University of Edinburgh. These teams will validate performance improvements using both industry-standard benchmarks and new verification frameworks developed under this programme. This funding award follows a series of UK-focused initiatives by Infleqtion, including the deployment of its Sqale quantum computer at the NQCC and collaborative efforts with government and academic partners. The project reinforces the UK's growing role in shaping the future of scalable, high-performance quantum technologies. To learn more about Infleqtion's quantum computing roadmap and its work in the United Kingdom, visit About Infleqtion Infleqtion is a world-leading quantum technology company pioneering transformative solutions that enhance precision and performance across multiple essential industries. With more than 18 years of experience commercialising quantum technology with neutral atoms, Infleqtion specialises in atomic clocks, quantum software, quantum RF, and neutral-atom quantum computing. We deliver state-of-the-art solutions for positioning, navigation, and timing (PNT), compute, precision timekeeping, and optimisation. Our unparalleled expertise makes us the preferred partner for global customers seeking advanced quantum solutions for defence, enterprise, and compute applications. For more information, please visit us at View source version on Contacts Matt StubbsVoxus PRmstubbs@ Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Infleqtion Selected to Power the UK's Largest Quantum Computing Breakthrough
As part of a £2.2M project, Infleqtion will deliver 100x performance gains at the National Quantum Computing Centre (NQCC) advancing the UK's most promising neutral atom platform OXFORD, England, June 09, 2025--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Infleqtion, a global leader in quantum information technologies, today announced a second grant from the UK government to further accelerate the performance of its neutral atom quantum computing platform, Sqale. The project aims to increase gate execution rate by 10–100x, a major advance in the scalability and capability of quantum hardware, critical for making quantum systems commercially viable. The initiative builds upon Infleqtion's strategic presence at the NQCC in Harwell, Oxfordshire, home to one of the UK's most advanced quantum testbeds. Infleqtion's Sqale neutral atom quantum computer positions the company as a cornerstone of the UK's national quantum infrastructure. "Infleqtion's UK team is pushing the limits of what's possible in quantum computing performance," said Tom Noel, VP of Quantum Computing at Infleqtion. "By combining the unique strengths of neutral atom technology with advanced optical control and characterisation frameworks at the NQCC, we are enabling faster, deeper, and more reliable quantum circuits." The 12-month programme, named SQALE2, will be developed in collaboration with leading UK research institutions, including the Fraunhofer Centre for Applied Photonics, the National Physical Laboratory (NPL), the University of Strathclyde, and the NQCC's Quantum Software Lab at the University of Edinburgh. The funding will support the development of new optical and control technologies that allow multiple quantum operations to run at the same time. This parallel processing approach is expected to increase the effective rate of gate execution by 10–100x, a critical improvement for running complex quantum algorithms more quickly and efficiently. "Advancing gate speed is essential for unlocking the full potential of quantum computing," said Professor Elham Kashefi, Chief Scientist, NQCC. "This collaboration with Infleqtion and the Quantum Software Lab, exemplifies the UK's commitment to building world-leading quantum capabilities that are both scalable and application-ready." Infleqtion's platform manipulates individual neutral atoms, nature's ideal qubits, using laser light, eliminating the need for fabricated solid-state qubits. This approach offers superior stability, flexibility, and control, alongside a high degree of scalability. "Neutral atom systems have long demonstrated compelling architectural advantages," said Ryan Hanley, President, Infleqtion UK. "This project shows that performance and speed can scale too, thanks to the strength of the UK's collaborative innovation ecosystem." Joint Innovation and Evaluation In partnership with the Fraunhofer Centre for Applied Photonics, Infleqtion will deploy next-generation optical technologies to enable parallelised gate execution. These enhancements will accelerate circuit speeds and further improve gate fidelities, paving the way for deeper quantum workflows and broader application readiness. To ensure transparency and build trust in the results, the project includes independent verification and benchmarking through partners at NPL, the University of Strathclyde, and the Quantum Software Lab at the University of Edinburgh. These teams will validate performance improvements using both industry-standard benchmarks and new verification frameworks developed under this programme. This funding award follows a series of UK-focused initiatives by Infleqtion, including the deployment of its Sqale quantum computer at the NQCC and collaborative efforts with government and academic partners. The project reinforces the UK's growing role in shaping the future of scalable, high-performance quantum technologies. To learn more about Infleqtion's quantum computing roadmap and its work in the United Kingdom, visit About Infleqtion Infleqtion is a world-leading quantum technology company pioneering transformative solutions that enhance precision and performance across multiple essential industries. With more than 18 years of experience commercialising quantum technology with neutral atoms, Infleqtion specialises in atomic clocks, quantum software, quantum RF, and neutral-atom quantum computing. We deliver state-of-the-art solutions for positioning, navigation, and timing (PNT), compute, precision timekeeping, and optimisation. Our unparalleled expertise makes us the preferred partner for global customers seeking advanced quantum solutions for defence, enterprise, and compute applications. For more information, please visit us at View source version on Contacts Matt StubbsVoxus PRmstubbs@ Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
BBC News
5 days ago
- General
- BBC News
D-Day tribute sculpture unveiled at former RAF Harwell airbase
A memorial sculpture which commemorates servicemen who played a crucial role in the D-Day landings has been unveiled at a former RAF base. The sculpture was inspired by the wooden Horsa gliders, an aircraft which delivered troops and equipment behind enemy lines during World War Two. It was unveiled at the Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, the former site of RAF Harwell, where the glider unit was took off from the base on the night before D-Day as part of Operation Overlord, the Allied invasion of Nazi-occupied France on 6 June 1944. The sculpture honours the 6th Airborne Division, the No. 38 Group RAF, and the Glider Pilot Regiment. The division played a crucial role in the D-Day landings, carrying servicemen including members of the Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry to Normandy. Those forces were involved in quickly securing Pegasus Bridge, near Caen, which protected the eastern flank of the D-Day landing zone. The central form of the sculpture was designed to echo the glider's fuselage, which could hold up to 28 servicemen. It's estimated that 3,800 Horsa gliders were built during the Second World War, constructed almost entirely from 3-ply timber, mainly in furniture 6th Airborne Division remained on the front line for 82 days. They suffered 4,457 casualties - 821 killed, 2,709 wounded, and 927 missing. Sculptor Charlotte Holmes said: "Their bravery and the inevitability faced by those involved is just breathtaking."What struck me... was that because it's a glider with no engine, there is no turning back.""It was an honour to commemorate the men who took off from Harwell 81 years ago."Major James Sibbald, from the Royal British Legion, said the sculpture was a fitting tribute to the servicemen from the glider regiment. "RAF Harwell is still here in the heart of the Harwell campus," he said. [The sculpture] is vital to show the commitment that our forces had and the memory of their actions". You can follow BBC Oxfordshire on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram.
BBC News
15-05-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Moderna opens UK vaccine manufacturing lab in Harwell
Covid vaccine manufacturer Moderna has completed a new site in the UK, which it says will help prepare the the country against future Moderna Innovation and Technology Centre (MITC) in Harwell, Oxfordshire, is now fully operational and has its manufacturer's license by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory UK general manager Darius Hughes calls it an "an important pillar of our pandemic preparedness".US company Moderna became a household name during the Covid pandemic, creating successful vaccines using a new technology called mRNA. It used genetic code to create an immune response by giving the body the instructions to protect against the proved to be one of the fastest routes to developing vaccines during the pandemic, and experts believe the technology could help in other areas such as cancer, flu, and heart disease. 'Better prepared' Mr Hughes describes the new set up as an "onshore supply chain manufacturing process" that will "really enable us to scale up within 100 days to make British vaccines for the UK public".He adds: "We are working very closely with the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) and with other government agencies to make sure we are learning from the previous pandemic, and applying those learnings, and getting ourselves a little bit better prepared should another pandemic be declared." One of the key features of the facility is speed. It is set up to react quickly so manufacturing can change from one vaccine to another as the country needs Hughes says: "One week we could be making a couple of million Covid vaccines, the next week we could be making a couple of million norovirus vaccines. It's that level of flexibility."And even within a season, if the virus might change or mutate... we could get a new code, a new set of messages, and make a new vaccine within weeks."Aside from vaccine production, labs will also process samples from clinical trials working on the development of new drugs, and scientists have already starting looking at the effectiveness of new protections against norovirus. Previously a government-funded facility, known as the Vaccine Manufacturing and Innovation Centre (VMIC), was based in ended up being sold to pharmaceutical company Catalent in 2022 before it was VMIC had been set up as a not-for-profit company with the aim of combining vaccine research and manufacturing in one establishment of the MITC is part of a ten-year strategic partnership between Moderna and the government, managed by the UKHSA. The government will buy the vaccines made here as part of the first priority is a new covid vaccine for the NHS for next winter. You can follow BBC Oxfordshire on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram.
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Yahoo
Tennessee death row inmates accuse state of obtaining lethal injection drug from ‘gray market'
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — With Tennessee's first execution in years set to take place in a little over one week, some death row inmates are pushing the state to reveal its supplier of the lethal injection drug, pentobarbital. The state will use the single drug, pentobarbital, in its new death penalty protocol that was completed in December 2024. Federal public defenders for some Tennessee death row inmates have called the new protocol unconstitutional and 'too obviously untenable to stand,' the suit said. TN death row inmates want firing squad over lethal injection ahead of state's first execution in years In their latest filing, death row inmates have asked a judge not to allow the state to keep its supplier of pentobarbital a secret. They accused the state of purchasing the drug from an unauthorized source off the 'gray market,' since every manufacturer of the drug has protections in place to ensure it is not used in executions. 'Every manufacturer of pentobarbital has put in place strict distribution controls to prevent its drugs from being sold to departments of correction for use in executions,' the court filing reads. 'This means that the pentobarbital Tennessee has acquired was obtained on the gray market. Gray market drugs are inherently risky.' 'There has already been fraud and misrepresentation in the acquiring of the drug, and that is of grave concern to our clients, because once we're buying drugs from people who are not authorized to sell it, that introduces the possibility of so many ways things can go wrong,' said Amy Harwell, assistant chief of the Capital Habeas Unit for the Federal Public Defender's Office. The state has argued it has a right to keep its source a secret, claiming it is protecting the drug manufacturers' First Amendment rights. However, the inmates believe they have a right to know the state's supplier to ensure the drug, which the U.S. Dept of Justice recently abandoned over concerns it could cause unnecessary pain and suffering, hasn't been compromised. 'When a drug has come from the gray market, when we don't know what the drug dealers have done to that drug, how they've cut it, how they might have diluted it, and those are the protections that have been erased from the protocol, the checking of the drugs,' Harwell said. The inmates and their attorneys have asked Gov. Bill Lee to pause executions until the case can go to trial, which is scheduled for January 2026. Two inmates are set to be executed between now and then. Gov. Lee has previously said he has no intention of pausing executions and is confident in the TN Dept. of Correction's new protocol. ⏩ News 2 reached out to TDOC for a statement on the lawsuit, but had not heard back by the time this article was published. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
