103 - Precise and Stable Navigation with Quantum Accelerometer

Navigation systems that rely on Inertial Sensors are prone to drift and inaccuracies over time, affecting their accuracy, reliability, and autonomy, particularly in challenging scenarios where GNSS signals and/or external reference points availability is limited or strongly impacted.

Quantum accelerometers enable high-precision navigation with long autonomy, effective fault detection in case of sensor fusion and/or user navigation independence, with noticeably benefits in constrained environments.

Those characteristics make such a technology a viable solution to reach the stringent user performance requirements of Safety of Life (SoL) PNT applications (e.g. underwater, maritime, rail, aviation, automotive) even in challenging scenario.

For instance, in underwater applications, moving to the surface to navigate results in task interruptions and puts vehicles at increased risks. Furthermore, in case of high depth operations, the cost of repeatedly surfacing can be substantial, both in terms of time and energy. 

Similarly, in railway applications, the lack of GNSS visibility for long periods, the significant drift errors of odometer sensors along with the urgency to less rely on the current high expensive infrastructure, impose the need of new innovative technologies to improve the performance of inertial sensors and to overall enhance the Train Localisation System. 

Quantum accelerometers offer a promising solution, leveraging principles of quantum mechanics to provide unprecedented accuracy and stability. Integrating quantum accelerometers into navigation systems can significantly improve navigation capabilities, enabling more precise and reliable operations in challenging environments.  

This project can be considered a follow-up of the previous two NAVISP activities, NAVISP-EL1-013 and NAVISP-EL1-013bis. 

Both were limited to the feasibility analysis and design of first generation of quantum inertial sensors prototypes (gravimeter and accelerometer), but without fully addressing the integration of these sensors in the whole navigation system. 

The objective of this activity is to research, develop, and integrate a quantum accelerometer within traditional navigation system for different market segments: e.g. underwater, maritime, rail, aviation, automotive, tailored to meet the stringent user requirements of SoL applications.

The quantum accelerometer uses ultracold atoms to make highly accurate measurements. When cooled to extremely low temperatures the atoms start to display their ‘quantum’ nature, resulting in wave-like properties. As the atoms move through the sensor, an ‘optical ruler’ is formed by using a series of laser pulses. This allows the acceleration of the atoms to be precisely measured and with high stability. 

Unlike conventional accelerometers, quantum ones are inherently immune to drift and to external disturbances, making them ideal for applications where precise and stable measurements are critical and the availability of GNSS signals and external reference points is limited or absent.
 

To demonstrate the quantum accelerometer in an Inertial Navigation System package, an angular velocity sensor needs to be present (MEMS or other mature technology).

The tasks to be performed shall include:

• Survey of state of the art on Quantum Accelerometers
• Quantum Accelerometer Prototyping and/or Procurement
• Analysis and model characterization of non-linear noise errors of the quantum accelerometer
• Integration with an on-board Navigation System (ad-hoc data fusion algorithms: e.g. tuned Extended Kalman Filter (EKF), particle filter, etc.)
• Study to compensate possible environmental constraints, such us effect of vibrational noise, and vehicle dynamics on the sensor/navigation system performance
• Performance Evaluation and Testing in controlled scenario and in different real word operational conditions (e.g. maritime, aviation, road, rail domain)
• Analysis to overcome the HW limitations: e.g. power consumption, size, weight, cost, etc.

The main outputs of the activity will consist of:

• Proof-of-Concept (PoC) of a quantum accelerometer integrated in an on-board navigation system (TRL 5/6). The PoC shall be executed in controlled and relevant environments considering at least two different application areas (e.g., maritime and rail).
• Report on the possibility to exploit the innovation in an Element 2 activity.