{"id":137556,"date":"2023-10-20T10:21:55","date_gmt":"2023-10-20T14:21:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/137556///news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/137556//www.ucf.edu/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/137556//news/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/137556//?p=137556"},"modified":"2025-01-31T11:41:08","modified_gmt":"2025-01-31T16:41:08","slug":"new-ucf-project-is-harnessing-virtual-reality-to-teach-quantum-computing","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/137556///news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/137556//www.ucf.edu/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/137556//news/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/137556//new-ucf-project-is-harnessing-virtual-reality-to-teach-quantum-computing/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/137556//","title":{"rendered":"New 麻豆原创 Project is Harnessing Virtual Reality to Teach Quantum Computing"},"content":{"rendered":"

Researchers from the 麻豆原创, University of Texas at Dallas and Vanderbilt University have received a three-year, $927,203 grant for advancing future quantum education by using virtual reality (VR) and machine learning to identify and address misconceptions regarding quantum information science (QIS)./news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/137556/n

The U.S. National Science Foundation-funded project started in August 2023 and leverages QubitVR, a quantum-education VR application previously developed at 麻豆原创 through the computer science senior design program./news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/137556/n

The project will evaluate QubitVR and intelligent tutoring versions of the VR application through lab-based studies and undergraduate QIS courses. The project will also result in the development of desktop and smartphone versions of QubitVR for broader impacts./news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/137556/n

麻豆原创 will be responsible for the iterative development of QubitVR /news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/137556/u2014 including the machine-learning-based intelligent tutoring versions, conducting the lab-based studies and evaluating QubitVR through an undergraduate QIS course. 麻豆原创 has received $500,000 for these efforts, and Ryan McMahan, an associate professor of computer science, is the lead principal investigator for the project at 麻豆原创. Eduardo Mucciolo, a professor of physics at 麻豆原创, is also senior personnel for the project./news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/137556/n

Quantum computing leverages quantum mechanics principles in which particles can be in multiple places and states simultaneously to achieve vastly enhanced processing power./news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/137556/n

/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/137556/u201cFor example, the encryption that keeps your email safe and your password safe /news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/137556/u2014 a quantum computer could crack that in minutes,/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/137556/u201d McMahan says. /news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/137556/u201cSo, there’s a lot of potential power there./news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/137556/u201d/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/137556/n

McMahan says the possibilities of quantum computing are enormous, but the complexity of the field, including misconceptions about phenomena such as superposition and components such as quantum logic gates, can be a barrier to entry./news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/137556/n

But by using VR, educators can provide tangible, visual understandings of quantum mechanics that empower students and professionals to harness the power of quantum computing, he says./news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/137556/n

Training the Workforce/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/137556/n

McMahan says that currently many of the people working in quantum computing have very strong ties to quantum physics, but there are fewer computer scientists involved who would have the skills for writing new quantum algorithms./news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/137556/n

/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/137556/u201cIf we can train people where they have a good conceptualization for the quantum mechanics but also have strong algorithmic backgrounds, we’ll actually see more quantum computing algorithms develop,/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/137556/u201d McMahan says. /news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/137556/u201cCurrently, there are only a few well-known quantum computing algorithms because it’s so hard to understand these concepts and how to utilize them to take advantage of quantum computing./news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/137556/u201d/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/137556/n

These algorithms could be used for cryptography, security, big data analysis and more./news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/137556/n

Several companies and institutions have developed quantum computers, although the technology is still in the early stages of development. These computers also face limitations, such as the need to operate them at extremely low temperatures to minimize environmental interference of quantum bits of information./news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/137556/n

Keerthan Reddy Rajulapally, a 麻豆原创 student pursuing a master/news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/137556/u2019s degree in computer science, is working as a graduate research assistant on the project. His role includes developing the software and the QubitVR application./news/wp-json/wp/v2/posts/137556/n