Manipal starts quantum hub with 25-qubit system
What's the story
Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE) has inaugurated a state-of-the-art quantum computing facility at its Bengaluru campus. The new center, dubbed the Manipal House of Quantum or Quantum-Hub@MAHE, was launched on October 14 with a 25-qubit system. The facility aims to train 100 engineers in quantum technology by December as part of India's push toward self-sufficiency in this emerging field.
Facility features
Platform for hardware experimentation, engineering education
Located at the Manipal Institute of Technology (MIT), Bengaluru, Quantum-Hub@MAHE will be a platform for hardware experimentation, engineering education, and indigenous technology development.
It will support students, researchers, start-ups, and industry partners with access to quantum computing infrastructure such as quantum hardware, cryogenic systems, and quantum control technologies.
The facility will also aid in hardware testing/application development/start-up incubation/research, translating academic work into practical applications.
Growth strategy
Plans to expand to industrial-grade systems
The 25-qubit system at Quantum-Hub@MAHE employs an open-architecture dilution refrigeration setup, specifically designed for training and experimentation.
MAHE has also laid out a phased expansion plan, starting from systems with less than 50 qubits to 150-qubit proof-of-concept platforms.
Eventually, the goal is to build industrial-grade quantum product systems with over 1,000 qubits.
Training program
Training at Delft University of Technology
Ahead of the launch, MAHE's faculty and students from its Bengaluru and Manipal campuses were specially trained at the Bengaluru campus and QuantrolOx lab at QuTech, Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands.
The training included dilution refrigerator assembly, cryogenic systems, quantum control technologies, quantum processing unit measurements, as well as superconducting quantum hardware.
Outreach initiatives
Initiatives for school students in rural India
Along with training technical professionals, Quantum-Hub@MAHE will also conduct summer/winter camps for Class 10 and Class 12 students across rural India.
MAHE said this initiative would bridge education, research, and innovation while giving students/researchers hands-on exposure to quantum systems/engineering environments.
The facility was inaugurated by Zoho Corp co-founder and chief scientist Sridhar Vembu in the presence of representatives from MAHE and its industry partners.