`Accelerating applications for humanity`

OQI Quantum Applications Framework

At OQI, we are exploring how quantum computing can accelerate the achievements of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), through the development of real-world use cases. Keep reading to explore a selection of use cases currently being developed.

`What is an OQI use case?`

An OQI use case, or application, highlights a problem with a societal impact that could be tackled using quantum computing in a real-world context.

As one of our main pillars of work, OQI is supporting the development of quantum computing use cases that address real-world problems with a societal impact and could accelerate the achievement of the SDGs. Since the start of OQI, a total of 19 use cases have been supported at different stages in their development, with interdisciplinary collaboration between researchers, developers, entrepreneurs, UN and NGOs. These use cases explore the impact of quantum computing on SDG 2, 3, 6, 7, 12 and 13.

OQI’s use case pipeline has five phases:

Our use cases incorporate four different approaches to developing quantum computing algorithms. These are:

`Quantum simulation`

Used for modelling the quantum nature of systems, such as molecules, atoms or materials, at nanoscale level or lower, where the rules of quantum mechanics apply.

Example of quantum simulation: Calculating energies of molecular structures and using this information to better understand how drugs are metabolised in the body.

`Machine Learning`

Used to analyse patterns from small and complex datasets and make predictions of outcomes or generate new data.

Example of machine learning: Predicting health conditions through earlier identification of unusual patterns in medical data.

`Optimisation`

Used to minimise or maximise a quantity in order to approach the best possible outcomes, while taking into account a large and complex set of options and constraints.

Example of optimisation: the travelling salesman problem – which tries to find the most efficient route through a set of locations, using the shortest route that visits each place once before returning to the starting point. In this example, the quantity would be the total distance travelled in between each point visited.

`Linear Systems of Equations and Partial Differential Equations (PDEs)`

Used to understand how the dynamics of systems evolve over time and space.

Example of linear systems of equations and PDEs: modelling fluid dynamics to improve weather forecasting or modelling air turbulence for planes, to reduce air friction as much as possible.

`Find out more about the use cases we are working on...`

OQI has established a pipeline to support use cases through different phases of development. To date, 19 use cases have been supported by OQI, exploring the impact of quantum computing on SDG 2, 3, 6, 7, 12 and 13.

`SDG use case white papers`

Discover the latest SDG-focused quantum computing applications that OQI has been exploring in our white papers!

`OQI use case portfolio`

Discover examples of applications currently being explored by OQI teams and like-minded organisations!