Gravity Platform

该项目解决的机会是使用基于量子的重力传感器来探测埋藏的资产或结构。它结合了目前这种传感器发展所面临的三个挑战：收集真实的现场数据，开发用于在现实地形条件下收集数据的传感器平台，以及从学术界到工业界的量子技术知识转移。更大的市场机会已经确定，这需要传感器安装在一个更专业的平台上，以提供准确的倾斜对准和振动阻尼。该平台将在土木工程市场实现更快的测量时间，并在农业等复杂地形进行土壤压实测量。Reveal将土木工程市场确定为QT重力传感器的第一个可行市场。尽管QT重力仪器的功能将大大提高对地下资产和结构的可探测性，但这个市场对价格非常敏感。目前，一项调查的成本主要是人员时间而不是仪器成本，这是由每次调查的总时间决定的。该项目将通过开发专业平台减少每个测量位置的设置时间。此外，已经确定了进一步的市场，如矿井探测，运河和水库堤防，精准农业和国防应用，以扩大市场。所有这些领域都有不同的地形要求，QT重力传感器只有通过量身定制的平台才能完全打入这些市场。该项目解决的另一个需求是在实际条件下从QT重力传感器现场试验中收集的信息的关键反馈。目前，伯明翰大学和Teledyne e2v的项目受到操作仪器数量有限的限制。这些传感器是合作伙伴（如RSK，一家土木工程公司）现场试验和外部演示所迫切需要的，但与此同时，开发团队也需要继续改进以提高测量灵敏度。该项目开发的传感器和平台将结合传感器的当前发展状况，但将旨在增加现场试验、演示和展示的仪器可用性，以推动传播和市场拉动。由于QT传感器的开发是一项非常新的工业活动，在这方面的专家很少。该项目将在伯明翰大学技术转移中心共同安置两名Teledyne e2v员工。在此项目期间和之后，它将为Teledyne e2v带来急需的领域知识。

The opportunity that this project addresses is the use of quantum based gravity sensors to detect buried assets or structures. It combines three streams of challenges currently faced for the development of such sensor: Gathering of real field data, development of a sensor platform for data gathering in realistic terrain conditions and the quantum technologies knowledge transfer from academia to industry. Larger market opportunities have been identified which require the sensor to be mounted on a more specialist platform to give accurate tilt alignment and vibration damping. This platform will realise faster measurement times in the civil engineering market and operation in difficult terrain such as agricultural fields for soil compaction measurements. Reveal identified the civil engineering market as the first viable market for QT gravity sensors. Though the capabilities of a QT gravity instrument will bring a great improvement in the detectability of assets and structures in the ground, this market is very price sensitive. Currently the costs of a survey are dominated by personnel time rather than the instrument cost and this is driven by the total time of each survey. This project will reduce set-up time at each measurement location by the development of a specialist platform. Additionally further markets, such as mine shaft detection, Canal & Reservoir embankments, precision agriculture and defence applications, have been identified to expand the market. All these sectors have varying terrain requirements and a QT gravity sensor will only have the ability to fully penetrate these markets with a tailored platform.An additional need this project addresses is the crucial feedback of information gathered from on-site trials of QT gravity sensors under realistic conditions. The current programs at University of Birmingham and Teledyne e2v are currently constrained by the limited number of operational instruments. These sensors are desperately required for on-site trials and external demonstrations by partners, such as RSK, a civil engineering company, but at the same time are required by the development teams to continue improvements towards increasing the measurement sensitivity. The sensor and platform developed in this project will incorporate the current development status of the sensor, but will be aimed at increasing instrument availability for site trials, demonstrations and showcases to drive dissemination and market pull.As the QT sensor development is a very new activity for industry, experts in this field are rare. This project will co-locate up to two Teledyne e2v employees at the University of Birmingham Technology Transfer Centre. During and after this project it will bring the much required domain knowledge to Teledyne e2v.