Air Force Research Laboratory issues 17 grants for quantum research December 28, 2020 This quantum machine holds a qubit, which is akin to the traditional binary-state bits of classical computing, except with the states held in quantum superposition. Understanding quantum information science and utilizing qubits is an important frontier in computer science. (Erik Lucero, University of California Santa Barbara [CC BY SA 3.0]) WASHINGTON The Air Force Research Laboratory issued 17 grants to scientists and engineers around the world in an attempt to accelerate innovation in quantum information science that can help the U.S. military. AFRL’s Office of Scientific Research initially solicited white papers on four focus areas: communications, computing, sensing and timing. Ultimately, the office invited 36 submissions originating from 22 different countries to compete in for funding at a three-day virtual pitch competition in September hosted at the Million Dollar Internation