QED - Quantum Enabled Detector

英国铁路网中有大约32,000公里的轨道，其平均维护维修成本为GB 154K/公里(OfficeOfail AndRoad)，其中60%用于轨道更新。DFT和NetworkRail指出，轨道更新需要挖掘现有的道碴，这可能会损坏埋在道碴下或道碴内的管道、电缆和资产。带有隐藏障碍物的意外影响(公用事业公司罢工)可能会导致重大延误，从而导致续订活动的额外成本过高。用我们最终用户的话说，一些轨道已经停用了50年，没有人知道“下面是什么”。虽然铁路行业无法进行100%准确挖掘的成本节约分析，但我们之前曾得到公用事业公司的建议，每年1 GB。节约是可能的。地下测绘的主要解决方案包括依赖于高地面传导性(不适合沙子/混凝土)的电磁感应测量，以及容易在潮湿土壤中吸收/散射效应且无法穿透金属的探地雷达(GPR)。QED将开发一个原型系统，该系统利用基于原子自旋(Quantum 2.0)的微型射频量子磁强计。这项技术是NPL 10年来研发的结果，他们拥有广泛的验证能力和可工作的桌面系统，并拥有多项射频磁测架构专利。

There are ~32,000km of tracks in the UK rail network, which have an average maintenance repair cost of £154k/km (OfficeOfRailAndRoad), with \>60% accounting for track renewal. DfT and NetworkRail have noted that track renewals require excavation of existing ballast, which can damage pipes, cables and assets buried under or within the ballast. Accidental impact (utility strikes) with hidden obstructions can cause significant delays, resulting in excessive additional costs to the renewal activity. In the words of our end users, some tracks have been down for \> 50yrs and no one knows "what lies beneath".Whilst cost saving analysis for 100% accurate excavations is not available for the railway industry, we have previously been advised by utility company that a \>£1Mp.a. saving is possible.Primary solutions for underground mapping include electromagnetic induction measurements that rely on high ground conductivity (unsuitable for sand/concrete) and ground penetrating radar (GPR) that is prone to absorption/scattering effects in wet soils and unable to penetrate through metals.QED will develop a prototype system that utilises a miniaturised RF quantum magnetometer, that is based on atomic spin (quantum 2.0). The technology is a result of \>10years R&D at NPL, who have extensive validation capabilities and a working desktop system, as well as several patents on RF magnetometry architectures.