Massive Analytic and the National Physical Laboratory collaborate in quantum with successful first project

Massive Analytic, a London based artificial intelligence pioneer, and the National Physical Laboratory (NPL), the UK's National Measurement Institute, have now completed their joint InnovateUK Analysis for Innovators project, the “Metrological comparison between a generalised N-dimensional classical and quantum point cloud”. The results of this project have opened avenues for both further R&D into quantum as well as ways to enhance Massive Analytic’s AI platforms.

The project set out to break new ground in quantum by proving that point clouds, created by fusing multi-modal sensor data, could be represented and processed on quantum computers as quantum point clouds. As a result of the project, teams at NPL and Massive Analytic have been successful in simulating transposing point cloud sensor data from an autonomous car onto quantum computers.

Ivan Rungger, senior research scientist at NPL said, “Autonomous cars and other advancing technologies rely on the fast acquisition and analysis of sensor data, combining visual data with information such as temperature or humidity distributions. Using Massive Analytic’s data, we have produced a new method to represent these multi-modal inputs as general point cloud data on quantum computers. Our method simulates how the data can be ported to near term noisy intermediate-scale quantum (NISQ) computers – opening the doors for the commercialisation of these technologies in future.”

Thanks to the collaboration Massive Analytic has developed a classical-quantum computing hybrid approach, where outputs from classical sensor technologies are modified to enable early applications on current state-of-the-art quantum computers of the order of tens of qubits. Massive Analytic intends to augment its patented AI, Artificial Precognition, with outputs from a quantum processor to further improve prediction accuracy across all its product lines to deliver even more value to its customers. This breakthrough also creates a host of new possibilities for processing IoT data and applying AI and machine learning to it.

The company was supported to participate in the Analysis for Innovators (A4I) scheme by Innovate UK. Funding from the Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy enabled Massive Analytic to access the cutting-edge R&D, expertise and facilities at the National Physical Laboratory, to help overcome the company’s unique measurement challenges.

Jonathan Mitchener, from Innovate UK said, “It’s great that our A4I programme can support key UK technology areas such as Quantum, and in conjunction with world class scientific partners, such as NPL, that A4I brings companies together with, support a growing and ambitious company to be more competitive in the new quantum computing space.”

Following the success of the A4I project, NPL and Massive Analytic are in discussion to establish a long term collaboration to develop quantum technologies for data science applications, ranging from sensing to cyber security to precision medicine.

George Frangou, CEO and Founder of Massive Analytic said, “Massive Analytic and the National Physical Laboratory in partnership are realising the benefits signposted by the Fourth Industrial revolution; linking Tech City to world class laboratories. With the Government now committed to being the leading European economy in Artificial Intelligence and Quantum Computing, we have the opportunity to create a partnership, which will be regarded as pre-eminent in our chosen domains.”