Scientists have made a groundbreaking discovery in the field of artificial intelligence (AI) by giving AI the ability to “feel” surfaces using quantum computing. This new development has opened up a whole new realm of possibilities for the practical applications of this technology.
By combining a photon-firing scanning laser with a new AI model trained to distinguish between different surfaces, researchers were able to create a system that can “feel” surfaces by analyzing the back-scattered photons that return after the laser pulses are fired at the surface. While speckle noise in the imagery is typically considered a flaw, the researchers used AI to process these noise artifacts, allowing the system to accurately discern the topography of the object.
The study, recently published in the journal Applied Optics, details how the team used 31 variations of industrial sandpaper with different roughness levels to test the system. By firing picosecond pulses of light at the sandpaper and analyzing the back-scattered photons, the researchers were able to achieve an average error of around 8 micrometers, which improved to just 4 micrometers after working with multiple samples.
One of the interesting findings was that the system performed best with the finest-grained surfaces, such as diamond lapping film and aluminum oxide, commonly found on sandpaper for specific applications. This new method has the potential to be used in various fields, including medical contexts where it could be used to detect the thickness of moles that may indicate skin cancer.
The director of Stevens’ Center for Quantum Science and Engineering (CQSE), Yuping Huang, highlighted the potential of this technology, stating that the system could differentiate between different conditions based on tiny differences in mole roughness that are imperceptible to the human eye but measurable with the quantum system.
This groundbreaking research represents a significant advancement in the field of AI and quantum computing, showcasing the potential for these technologies to work together to solve complex problems and improve our understanding of the world around us. The marriage of AI and quantum has unlocked new possibilities for practical applications in various industries, paving the way for future innovations and discoveries.
