In doing so, quantum sensing will solve one of the universe\u2019s most profound mysteries.\u00a0 But not all its applications are confined to the outer fringes of theoretical study. \u00a0In fact, quantum sensing is a technology that will come to enhance many facets of ordinary life: Travel, medicine, safety, research, commerce and industry.\u00a0 It is a tool that, along with AI<\/a>, has the potential to exert a profound influence on unleashing human potential, including in key use cases such as:<\/p>\n With such potential at our fingertips, the growth forecast for quantum sensing technologies is sizable.\u00a0 The sector is tipped to reach a market value up to US$ 1 billion by 2030, growing at a CAGR of 10% to 15%, and up to US$ 6 billion by 2040 as it comes to displace conventional sensor technologies.[2]<\/sup><\/a><\/p>\n So, what exactly is quantum sensing and how could a technology of the infinitesimally small have such enormous real-world impacts?<\/p>\n Quantum sensing is one member of the emerging family of quantum technologies<\/a>.\u00a0 Quantum sensing uses the unique properties of quantum physics \u2013 tiny magnetic fields, gravitational variations, subtle shifts of time and motion \u2013 to measure minute changes in the world.\u00a0 Together, these technologies turn delicate quantum systems into measuring devices of extraordinary precision.<\/p>\n At the core of any quantum sensor is some form of controllable quantum system \u2013 individual atoms, perhaps, or ions, or photons \u2013 that behave according to the laws of physics.\u00a0 They can exist in precisely defined energy states, or in superpositions of several states simultaneously.\u00a0 To generate a meaningful reading, engineers first prepare the system in a known quantum state, then allow it to interact with whatever physical quantity they want to measure \u2013 a magnetic field, maybe, or a gravitational gradient \u2013 and finally analyze how the quantum state has changed.<\/p>\n Quantum technologies surpass traditional alternatives because quantum states respond extremely sensitively to their environment, with even minute disturbances leaving a measurable signature.<\/p>\n Several quantum concepts amplify this sensitivity.\u00a0 One is \u2018quantum coherence\u2019, where a particle maintains a stable relationship between multiple states long enough to accumulate information about its surroundings.\u00a0 Another is \u2018quantum entanglement\u2019, in which multiple particles share correlated states so that measurements from one reveal information about the others.\u00a0 When used in sensors, these effects can help reduce measurement noise and increase the signal, enhancing precision way beyond classical devices.<\/p>\n Some quantum sensors already exist in everyday technology.\u00a0 Think of atomic clocks, the timekeeping backbone of GPS systems, exploiting the extremely stable quantum energy levels of atoms.\u00a0 Other examples of quantum sensors are at different stages along the development journey.\u00a0 Newer devices use ultra-cold atoms, superconducting circuits, or diamond defects known as nitrogen-vacancy centers to detect even weaker signals.\u00a0 These sensors are starting to unlock capabilities that until recently, would have been the domain of science fiction: Navigation systems that work without satellites; ultra-sensitive medical imaging; or instruments able to map underground structures just by measuring tiny variations in Earth\u2019s gravity.<\/p>\n Specialist research hubs are emerging to explore some of these concepts, such as the Advanced Quantum Technologies Group<\/a> at MIT\u2019s Lincoln Laboratory<\/a>.\u00a0 Engineers at the Lincoln Laboratory are pushing the boundaries of the quantum universe by designing a range of devices with stunning potential: Ion-based computing testbeds, precision clocks, magnetometers and quantum microscopy<\/a> for microelectronic diagnostics.<\/p>\n The Advanced Quantum Technologies Group has already developed new measurement methods using ultrasensitive nanoscale detectors<\/a>, capable of sensing a far wider range of frequencies than existing technologies. \u00a0In March 2026 the group announced the successful capture of ions using in-vacuum cryoelectronics<\/a> for reduced thermal noise and improved sensitivity, a pivotal step toward building scalable quantum computing systems.<\/p>\n Quantum sensor insights will help turbocharge performance across a range of sectors: Aircraft manufacture, climatology, healthcare, cybersecurity, geology and engineering, insurance, mineral extraction, environmental management, shipping, space exploration, power grid harmonization and more.<\/p>\n Unless we work in the field many of us find it difficult to comprehend the practicalities, potential and parameters of quantum sensing.\u00a0 It can be instructive to study in detail quantum sensing\u2019s application across select disciplines, such as disaster detection and subterranean scrutiny.<\/p>\n The Indian Ocean tsunami of December 2004 killed almost a quarter of a million people and left countless more injured, homeless and destitute.\u00a0 What if systems had been in place to provide advance warning of the earthquake that triggered it, allowing people time to flee to the safety of higher ground?<\/p>\n Perhaps in the future more accurate predictions of natural disasters will become standard, and if so, we may have quantum sensing to thank.<\/p>\n The UK has recently invested almost US$ 1 million in its International Science Partnerships Fund with New Zealand to develop quantum systems technology at the UK\u2019s National Physical Laboratory (NPL) in London.[3]<\/sup><\/a>\u00a0 Its work focuses on the deployment of quantum optical interferometry across existing fiber-optic telecommunication cables on the seabed, to identify early indicators of earthquakes and irregular ocean currents.<\/p>\n Elsewhere in the UK, researchers at the University of Birmingham\u2019s Quantum Technology Hub for Sensors and Timing\u00a0are developing sensors to detect subtle changes in the gravitational field caused by the sudden shifting of mass synonymous with earthquakes.\u00a0 These highly-evolved next-generation sensors hinge on the quantum behavior of cold atoms \u2013 atoms cooled to absolute zero by lasers and magnetic fields, which cease their typical motion and instead exhibit wave-like properties.[4]<\/sup><\/a><\/p>\n Telltale shifts in localized gravity will also help deliver advance warning of volcanic eruptions, which continue to claim lives due to the limitations of traditional seismic sensors.\u00a0 Guatemala\u2019s Volc\u00e1n de Fuego erupted in June 2018, producing pyroclastic flows that consumed local villages and killed more than 150 people, with hundreds more reported missing.\u00a0 The following year an unexpected phreatic (steam-driven) explosion on Whakaari Island, New Zealand, killed 22 people and injured 25 others.\u00a0 Two years later, Mount Semeru in Indonesia erupted, with heavy ashfall and volcanic mudflows claiming at least 50 lives.<\/p>\n Tenerife, in the Canary Islands, is the current testbed for a new quantum sensing technology that could, in future, sound the alarm in advance of such devastating events.[5]<\/sup><\/a>\u00a0 Tenerife is home to Mount Teide, Europe\u2019s highest volcano, which over the past decade has shown increasing signs of instability.\u00a0 It is now the site of three Absolute Quantum Gravimeters (AQGs) developed by French technology company Exail.\u00a0 These AQGs work by cooling and trapping a cloud of rubidium atoms using lasers, then subjecting it to a matter-wave interferometry sequence to measure its acceleration while freefalling under gravity.\u00a0 This analysis can detect changes in the local gravitational field triggered by the shifting of subterranean magma and gas.\u00a0 Exail now has more than 25 AQGs in operation across Europe, the USA, Japan, China and Greenland[6]<\/a>.<\/p>\n It is not just imminent disasters that quantum sensors can help identify.\u00a0 Increasingly, we may come to rely on them for diagnosing the long-term symptoms of an even more existential threat: Climate change<\/a>.<\/p>\n Space-based quantum accelerometers, such as those being developed under the EU\u2019s new \u20ac17 million CARIOQA-PMP project[7]<\/a>, will help orbital sensors generate a high-res gravitational map of the Earth and equip scientists with environmental data of unprecedented accuracy.[8]<\/sup><\/a><\/p>\n When launched into space on a future mission, these quantum sensors will track precise changes in Earth\u2019s atmosphere and ecosystems such as glacier melt, and sea level rises.\u00a0 By predicting future climate patterns, they could guide attempts to mitigate global warming.\u00a0 The project, a partnership between the European Commission and Quantum Flagship, aims to overcome the longstanding problems of gravitational detection from space.\u00a0 Conventional gravimeters struggle with weak gravitational signals from Earth when measuring subtle variations across regions.\u00a0 The new breed of quantum accelerometers will allow for calculations that accommodate a satellite\u2019s trajectory and speed, strengthening the end signal.\u00a0 The Team is hoping to \u201ctransform satellite-based Earth science\u201d and are targeting an orbital launch by no later than 2030.[9]<\/sup><\/a><\/p>\n The subterranean world is one usually closed off to human eyes.\u00a0 Arthur C. Clarke’s famous quote: “Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.”[10]<\/a> Seems to fit the quantum sensing promise \u2013 something akin to magic: The ability to \u2018see\u2019 underground.<\/p>\n Quantum sensing will allow engineers to detect underground voids, overcoming the limitations of traditional ground penetrating radar, and avoiding costly \u2013 and risky \u2013 invasive drilling.\u00a0 Using quantum gravimeters, we can expect far more detailed subterranean mapping at a high spatial resolution.<\/p>\n Among its many applications, underground quantum sensing will enable surveyors to monitor aging infrastructure and ensure its safety.\u00a0 Transport and utility tunnels, for example, can develop cracks and internal stress points that weaken over time.\u00a0 None can be easily or cheaply assessed at present, sometimes resulting in disastrous failures. \u00a0In November 2023, a two-lane highway tunnel in northern India suffered a partial collapse, trapping 41 workers underground who were later rescued.\u00a0 The failure was blamed on unforeseen weak rock mass composed of meta-siltstone and phyllites.[11]<\/sup><\/a>\u00a0 In July 2025, a section of the wastewater\u00a0Clearwater Tunnel in Wilmington, Los Angeles collapsed during upgrade, leaving 31 workers needing rescue.\u00a0 The collapse was blamed on unexpected geostatic pressure exerting stress on the tunnel causing inward deformation.[12]<\/sup><\/a>\u00a0 Quantum gravimeters can also detect cavities beneath proposed roads and buildings, helping planners avoid natural sinkholes and ensure subsurface suitability prior to approval.<\/p>\n Different forms of quantum sensors can aid the quest to locate valuable resources buried underground: Minerals, oil, or even water.\u00a0 Neutral-atom sensing technologies, like atomic vapor magnetometers and gradiometers, are capable of measuring extremely faint vector magnetic fields and subtle gravitational variations, boosting the accuracy of subterranean maps. \u00a0These allow for detailed 3D mapping of structures underground, meaning more efficient drilling, reduced exploration costs, and a reduced environmental impact.\u00a0 Diamond-based quantum magnetometers can detect the presence of valuable minerals such as lithium, copper, cobalt, platinum, nickel and other rare earth<\/a> elements, many essential for powering the transition to green energy<\/a>. \u00a0In 2025, quantum gravimeters at Glencore\u2019s Raglan nickel mine in northern Quebec, Canada, for example, created a 3D map of ore deposits that was deemed nine times more precise than traditional magnetic field maps.[13]<\/sup><\/a><\/p>\n Another application is Superconducting Quantum Interference Devices, or SQUIDs, which are already being used in portable exploration tools developed by Australia\u2019s national science agency, CSIRO.\u00a0 SQUIDs use quantum sensors to read magnetic fields 100 millionth the size of Earth\u2019s and have been credited with discovering more than US$ 4 billion of deposits in Australia alone.[14]<\/sup><\/a><\/p>\n With public safety and economic benefits soundly established, the lure of quantum sensing is evident.\u00a0 So, who is leading the quantum charge worldwide, and what support is still needed to encourage this flourishing sector?<\/p>\n Investments and acquisitions suggest a healthy, maturing market for advanced quantum sensing industries, with players from a range of backgrounds: Technology stalwarts, defense contractors and startups. \u00a0Established giants betting big on quantum sensors include SandboxAQ (a division of Google\u2019s parent company Alphabet), Honeywell, Lockheed Martin and IonQ.<\/p>\n As well as the big names, many startup specialists are also acting as disruptors in the sector.\u00a0 In the USA, California-based AOSense is constructing atom interferometers for navigation and gravimetry, with wide applications for geophysical surveys.\u00a0 Infleqtion, headquartered in Colorado, is developing cold-atom technology for magnetometers and gyroscopes, with its devices already being tested by government agencies.\u00a0 In Asia, Singapore\u2019s Atomionics is making portable quantum gravimeters using atom interferometry for detecting subsurface resources.\u00a0 While in Australia, Q-CTRL is creating software to improve the stability of quantum sensors, particularly for use in navigation, and in the UK, Aquark Technologies is developing laser-cooled atom technology for compact quantum sensors, targeting the defense industry.<\/p>\n The public sector is equally active. \u00a0The USA\u2019s Department of Energy Quantum Leadership Act of 2025 outlines US$ 2.5 billion of quantum funding between now and the end of the decade[15]<\/a>.\u00a0 Similarly, the UK\u2019s National Quantum Technologies Programme[16]<\/a> is bankrolling research into gravimeters for monitoring infrastructure, and portable magnetometers for healthcare.\u00a0 China, meanwhile, hosts a network of national laboratories undertaking quantum sensing programs for fundamental research and military applications.<\/p>\n This investment is crucial given the challenges still facing the sector.\u00a0 Like any new technology, quantum sensors come with a steep price tag.\u00a0 Lasers and high-fidelity optical components are expensive, and the industry is presently too small for economies of scale to have any impact on materials or manufacturing.<\/p>\n The technology underpinning quantum sensing remains prone to corruption due to external electromagnetic interference, mechanical vibrations and temperature variations.\u00a0 Hope is on the horizon, however, thanks to artificial intelligence, with AI-based error suppression programs set to filter out environmental disturbances and improve quantum coherence.<\/p>\n For quantum sensors to go truly mainstream we need to somehow shrink the technology.\u00a0 Many systems still rely on large vacuum setups and bulky magnetic shielding.\u00a0 Progress is being made towards making kit more compact, with some magnetometers now roughly the size of a portable toolbox.\u00a0 If this initiative can be rolled out to other devices, quantum sensing could take another step towards mass market adoption.<\/p>\n In addition, quantum sensors will need to connect with existing systems and hardware, requiring significant efforts in software engineering and standardization.\u00a0 Consistent benchmarks and regulatory rulebooks will also be necessary for the technology to achieve widespread adoption across borders and industrial sectors.<\/p>\n If we can overcome these hurdles, I\u2019m confident quantum sensing will reshape industries and help us lead safer lives.\u00a0 It could protect our vital infrastructure, locate vital resources, support a new wave of self-navigating vehicles, and even monitor the long-term effects of climate change on our precious ecosystem<\/p>\n Quantum sensing, like that other transformative technology, AI, generates a unique sort of excitement \u2013 the kind of feeling you get when you know the future is here<\/em>.\u00a0 It may operate in the realm of the tiny, but its impacts are destined to be outsized in every sense. \u00a0\u00a0Personally, I cannot wait to see what unsuspected opportunities it delivers for humankind as we continue our bold explorations into the quantum world.<\/p>\n Q: Is quantum sensing already used in everyday applications?<\/strong><\/p>\n A: Yes \u2013 look no further than atomic clocks, the timekeeping component of GPS systems.<\/p>\n Q: Could quantum sensing have life-saving potential?<\/strong><\/p>\n A: Absolute Quantum Gravimeters (AQGs) are currently monitoring suspect seismic activity at Mount Teide in Tenerife, Europe\u2019s highest volcano, enabling it to offer earlier warnings of dangerous volcanic activity.<\/p>\n Q: How might quantum sensing help us tackle climate change?<\/strong><\/p>\n A: The EU\u2019s new \u20ac17 million CARIOQA-PMP project will help future orbital sensors create a high-res gravitational map of the Earth and track precise changes in the planet\u2019s atmosphere and ecosystems.<\/p>\n Q: Could quantum sensing help us locate more rare earth elements underground?<\/strong><\/p>\n A: SQUIDs \u2013 Superconducting Quantum Interference Devices \u2013 use quantum sensors to read magnetic fields 100 millionth the size of Earth\u2019s, and have already discovered more than US$ 4 billion of ore deposits in Australia alone.<\/p>\n Q: Does quantum sensing have a promising financial future?<\/strong><\/p>\n A: The sector could be worth US$ 1 billion by 2030 and up to US$ 6 billion by 2040.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n [1]<\/a> https:\/\/phys.org\/news\/2026-02-quantum-sensor-advances-pursuit-dark.html<\/a><\/p>\n [2]<\/a> https:\/\/www.mckinsey.com\/capabilities\/tech-and-ai\/our-insights\/tech-forward\/quantum-sensing-poised-to-realize-immense-potential-in-many-sectors<\/a><\/p>\n [3]<\/a> https:\/\/www.innovationnewsnetwork.com\/uk-research-advances-tsunami-warning-systems-and-quantum-tech\/46720\/<\/a><\/p>\n [4]<\/a> https:\/\/www.birmingham.ac.uk\/news\/2023\/how-can-quantum-technology-improve-earthquake-detection<\/a><\/p>\n [5]<\/a> https:\/\/spie.org\/news\/photonics-focus\/marchapril-2026\/detecting-volcano-eruptions<\/a><\/p>\n [6]<\/a> https:\/\/spie.org\/news\/photonics-focus\/marchapril-2026\/detecting-volcano-eruptions<\/a><\/p>\n [7]<\/a> https:\/\/carioqa-quantumpathfinder.eu\/<\/a><\/p>\n [8]<\/a> https:\/\/thequantuminsider.com\/2024\/09\/26\/european-scientists-quantum-space-sensor-could-help-monitor-climate\/<\/a><\/p>\n [9]<\/a> https:\/\/thequantuminsider.com\/2024\/09\/26\/european-scientists-quantum-space-sensor-could-help-monitor-climate\/<\/a><\/p>\n [10]<\/a> This is known as Clarke’s Third Law, published in his 1962 essay “Hazards of Prophecy” and Profiles of the Future, implying that highly sophisticated technology seems miraculous to those who do not understand it.<\/p>\n [11]<\/a> https:\/\/www.theisrm.org\/failure-of-foresight\/<\/a><\/p>\n [12]<\/a> https:\/\/www.geoengineer.org\/news\/the-los-angeles-clearwater-collapse-insights-on-the-causes-and-technical-response<\/a><\/p>\n [13]<\/a> https:\/\/www.kearney.com\/service\/digital-analytics\/article\/quantum-sensing-unprecedented-precision<\/a><\/p>\n [14]<\/a> https:\/\/www.csiro.au\/en\/news\/All\/Articles\/2023\/May\/Quantum-computing-and-mining<\/a><\/p>\n [15]<\/a> https:\/\/thequantuminsider.com\/2025\/02\/14\/senators-introduce-2-5-billion-bill-to-expand-u-s-quantum-research\/<\/a><\/p>\n [16]<\/a> https:\/\/uknqt.ukri.org\/<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":126909,"template":"","tags":[],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n\n
How does quantum sensing work?<\/h2>\n
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<\/p>\nHow far are we along the quantum sensing pathway?<\/h2>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/media.alj.com\/app\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Lincoln-Laboratory.png\")
<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/media.alj.com\/app\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Quantum-sensing-v3_1-scaled.jpg\")
<\/p>\nA new way to safeguard our future?<\/h2>\n
Can quantum sensors enrich our society?<\/h2>\n
Is investment momentum growing behind quantum tech?<\/h2>\n
Quantum Sensing: Five fast facts<\/h2>\n