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Quantum Next Generation 2021 (QNG 2021)
Quantum technologies exploit the fundamental laws of nature to reach the ultimate limits of sensing, imaging, communications and computing; in short, enabling leaps in the precision, accuracy and speed of technology. They are diverse, complex, and generally early in technical readiness and demand new ways of thinking about the employment and exploitation of technology. Their true capabilities, limitations and most disruptive applications are still being discovered. Future Land Warfare Branch is progressing quantum technology concept development as an emerging technology area which has the potential to provide an advantage to the joint force in the future operating environment.
Line of Effort (LoE) 1 and LoE 2 of the Army Quantum Technology Roadmap (AQTR) aim to establish a sovereign quantum innovation ecosystem focussed on the land domain and to rapidly identify the most disruptive and advantageous applications of quantum technologies in the land domain, respectively. Execution of both of these LoEs requires Army to engage directly with the Australian quantum technology community in order to build awareness of Army’s interests and intentions, build networks, workshop ideas and proposals, challenge the community to test technologies and identify applications, and stimulate the growth of a sovereign quantum industry.
Quantum Next Generation 2021 (QNG 2021) aims to orientate the next generation to Army’s needs and equip them with experience and networks to deliver the future sovereign quantum industry, whilst also scoping solutions to an important quantum technology challenge.
Army aims to leverage Australia’s national strength in quantum technology research to gain and retain an early quantum advantage. The AQTR provides the framework to achieve this through partnering with broader Defence, Australia’s academia and emerging quantum industry, and aligned nations.
A key initiative of the Roadmap is a regular series of Quantum Technology Challenges that aim to rapidly identify the most disruptive and advantageous applications of quantum technologies for the land domain. Army conducted the inaugural Challenge (QTC21) in Brisbane in April 2021. QTC21 saw teams of Australia’s world-leading quantum scientists and engineers compete to show how quantum technologies could image subterranean structures and materiel, optimise last-mile resupply logistics and deny quantum secure communications.
QNG 2021 The Challenge
Enemy forces are using unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) equipped with high-precision quantum magnetometers to image the locations of friendly forces via their magnetic signatures. The friendly forces are otherwise concealed. Your challenge is to design and demonstrate a technology that conceals the friendly forces from the quantum magnetometers. Your demonstration can be via simulation or a combination of simulation and simple proof-of-principle experiments.
In devising your solution, you should specifically target one or more quantum magnetometer technologies. Examples include atomic vapour cells and diamond nitrogen-vacancy centres. You should clearly explain how your solution targets your chosen quantum magnetometer(s).
Solutions that reduce the apparent (as detected by the magnetometer) magnetic signatures of the friendly forces to the level of the apparent geomagnetic background will be preferred over solutions that seek to conceal the forces by adding larger or decoy magnetic sources. Non-destructive interference with the enemy magnetometers is permissible. Size, weight and power considerations are important: how practical will your solution be for a dismounted and/ or a vehicle-mounted force to deploy and power?
Consider a range of environments and force types and sizes. Environments can range from electromagnetically simple rural environments to electromagnetically complex urban environments. Friendly forces can range from dismounted units with small magnetic objects (e.g. small arms, munitions etc) to mounted units with large magnetic objectives (e.g. armoured vehicles, artillery etc). The smallest relevant force will occupy an area of at least 150x150 m and contain at least four elements. Your solution does not need to address all environments and force types and sizes. Rather, you should clearly describe what range of combinations your solution can address.
QNG 2021 The delivery
You are to:
a. Deliver a solution report of up to 3000 words by 0800 (AEDT) on 6 Dec 21. The report is to contain the following information:
(1) your specific interpretation of the challenge (i.e. any assumptions you have made)
(2) the rationale for choosing your approach to solving the Challenge
(3) technical description of your solution: the workflow, concepts, methods and techniques
(4) description of your experiments/ simulations that demonstrate your solution and a critical discussion of their limitations
(5) Analysis of the results and other outcomes of your demonstration and their implications for the performance of your solutions and its feasibility.
b. Pitch your solution at the QNG 2021 Pitchfest on 9 Dec 21 at the AIP Summer Meeting. Pitches are to be up to 10 min, with three minutes of questions from the panel, and may make use of live demonstrations and slides. Pitches are to summarise the key points of your solution report and the particular features, advantages and benefits of your solution. Pitches will be video recorded and posted publicly by Army (see examples from QTC21).
Pitches and reports will be evaluated by a Defence panel and the top-ranked team(s) will be announced on the day of the Pitchfest at the AIP Summer Meeting.
The reward
All teams selected to participate in QNG 2021 will receive up to four coaching sessions with Army personnel as well as registration to the AIP Summer Meeting and Army events at the Meeting. The coaching sessions and Summer Meeting will be an excellent opportunity to understand Army and build networks.
Your pitch at the Pitchfest and the public posting of its video will help your team build recognition of your capabilities and creativity. A great way of demonstrating what you can do to your future employers, funding agencies and investors.
The top-ranked team(s) by the Defence panel will:
a. receive a special invitation and admission to the Army Robotics Expo 2022, Quantum Technology Challenge 2022 and the Army Innovation Day 2022 (subject to security and admission policies) to be held mid-2022. These are closed events with select guests from across Defence industry and government. It is a significant privilege and opportunity to be invited.
b. be invited to submit a proposal to Army to be awarded funding to further develop their solution and demonstrate it as a special entrant into the Quantum Technology Challenge 2022.
QNG 2021 Application proposal
As described above, you need to submit a two page proposal as part of your application to participate in QNG 2021. The proposal is to be not more than two A4 pages of 12 point Times New Roman font text and figures. Your proposal is to contain only the following section headings:
a. Solution title. Provide a title that identifies your solution in 10 words or less.
b. Team name. Provide a name that identifies your team.
c. Team details. Detail the title, name, affiliation (i.e. Australian university or company), status (i.e. postgraduate student/ early career researcher (including level) / start-up employee) and team role of each team member. Provide the Australian Business Number (ABN) of each affiliation and, for the case of start-ups, evidence that they are pre-seed funding.
d. Team summary. Describe how the experience, expertise and structure of your team combine to give confidence that you can execute your plan and deliver in QNG 2021.
e. Challenge solution and demonstration summary. Briefly describe your interpretation of the Challenge problem and your solution, including key concepts, techniques and methods. Describe what experiments and/ or simulations you will perform to demonstrate your simulation and you will approach analysing their results.
f. Project plan. Briefly describe how you plan to further develop your solution, execute your demonstration and prepare the deliverables within the Challenge period.
Conditions of entry and participation
Teams must meet the following conditions (for the duration of QNG 2021) to participate in QNG 2021:
a. all team members are Australian citizens and either
(1) a student currently enrolled in a postgraduate program at an Australian university, or
(2) an early career researcher (defined as academic level A or B) currently employed at an Australian university, or
(3) an employee of an Australian start-up company that is pre-seed funding
b. all team members have written support from their supervisor or relevant program convenor to participate in QNG 2021
c. contain two to four team members.
Your solution report will be treated as confidential by Defence. Defence is not seeking any rights over the intellectual property you generate whilst participating in QNG 2021.
Selection process
Your team must be selected to participate in QNG 2021. The selection process is:
a. submit an application via AusTender by 1200 (AEST) on 16 August 2021. The application is to only contain (see detailed instructions at AusTender):
(1) a two page proposal detailing your team, your solution idea and what you plan to achieve during the Challenge (see details below)
(2) a letter from your supervisor (for postgraduate research students, early career researchers or start-up employees) or program convenor (for postgraduate coursework students) on the official letterhead of your organisation in support of your participation in QNG 2021.
b. a Defence panel will evaluate the proposals using the criteria above and down select teams for interview
c. interviews will be conducted via video teleconferencing on 25 August 2021 (make sure you are available), which will be an opportunity for the panel to confirm their understanding of your team’s proposal and details of your participation (be ready to briefly pitch your solution and plan)
d. the defence panel may further down select to obtain the final set of teams invited to participate in QNG 2021
e. selected and unsuccessful teams will be notified by 4 Sep 21.
Evaluation criteria
Pitches and reports will be evaluated by a Defence panel and the top-ranked team(s) will be announced on the day of the Pitchfest at the AIP Summer Meeting.
The evaluation criteria are:
a. suitability – the extent to which your solution solves the Challenge and can be practically employed by Army
b. feasibility – the feasibility of developing the technology required for your solution and for it to perform as you predict
c. technical depth and quality – the technical accuracy and completeness of your solution, demonstration and analysis
d. timeliness – how likely it is that your solution will be ready for Army to employ when it is needed (in this case, the next 3-5 years)
e. team performance – the amount and quality of work completed by the team, your project management and the presentation of your report and pitches.
Potential Applicants are encouraged to not respond to this CFS if their technology does not have the potential for Defence applications, or cannot be sufficiently communicated to Defence audiences through visualisations (electronic media) or practical demonstrations.
An alternative for Potential Applications, is to consider an innovation submission through the Defence Innovation Hub (DIH) portal as an unsolicited innovation proposal - Priority Innovation Notice at the following link: https://www.innovationhub.defence.gov.au/call-for-submissions/. Proposals submitted through this method at the DIH are less time constrained than time sensitive DRIX 2021 submissions.
Teams must meet the following conditions (for the duration of QNG 2021) to participate in QNG 2021:
a. all team members are Australian citizens and either
(1) a student currently enrolled in a postgraduate program at an Australian university, or
(2) an early career researcher (defined as academic level A or B) currently employed at an Australian university, or
(3) an employee of an Australian start-up company that is pre-seed funding
b. all team members have written support from their supervisor or relevant program convenor to participate in QNG 2021
c. contain two to four team members.
Your solution report will be treated as confidential by Defence. Defence is not seeking any rights over the intellectual property you generate whilst participating in QNG 2021.
Presentation of concept or capability demonstration must be on 9 Dec 21 at the AIP Summer Meeting.