Type: PIB

Researchers from Raman Research Institute (RRI), an autonomous institution under the Dept. of Science & Technology, have devised a new test for fairness of quantum coin or ‘qubit’ using entanglement theory. The Qubit is the basic unit of information in a quantum computer.

Entanglement Theory

• It is a special type of correlation that exists in the quantum world with no classical counterpart.
• The researchers from RRI made use of this quantum resource to arrive at a test for fairness of a quantum coin (a qubit).
• Their strategy, which makes use of entanglement, enables better discrimination between quantum states. Such advantage is valuable in quantum sensors.
• This work is a significant contribution to the domain of quantum state discrimination, which is an essential aspect of quantum information science.
• It brings out the crucial role of entanglement in improving our ability to discriminate quantum states.
• In this work the researchers concretely implemented the theoretical idea on the simulation facility of the IBM quantum computer.

Quantum coins

• By repeated trials, one can determine the fairness of a classical coin with a confidence which grows with the number of trials.
• A quantum coin can be in a superposition of heads and tails.
• Given a string of qubits representing a series of trials, one can measure them individually and determine the state with a certain confidence.
• The team has shown that there is an improved strategy which measures the qubits after entangling them, which leads to a greater confidence.

Significance

• This is a significant contribution to quantum state discrimination, an essential aspect of quantum information science which is expected to influence quantum sensing.
• The domain of Quantum Information and Quantum Computing Technology is a growing area of research which is expected to influence Data Processing, which in turn, plays a central role in our lives in this Information Age.
• For instance, bank transactions, online shopping and so on crucially depend on the efficiency of information transfer.
• Thus the recent work on quantum state discrimination is expected to be valuable in people’s lives in the current era.

Scientists at International Advanced Research for Powder Metallurgy & New Materials (ARCI), Hyderabad have developed Polymer Electrolyte Membrane fuel cells (PEMFC).

Polymer Electrolyte Membrane Fuel Cells

• Proton-exchange membrane fuel cells, also known as polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM) fuel cells (PEMFC) are a type of fuel cell being developed mainly for transport applications, as well as for stationary fuel-cell applications and portable fuel-cell applications.
• Their distinguishing features include lower temperature/pressure ranges (50 to 100 °C) and a special proton-conducting polymer electrolyte membrane.
• PEMFCs generate electricity and operate on the opposite principle to PEM electrolysis, which consumes electricity.
• They are a leading candidate to replace the aging alkaline fuel-cell technology, which was used in the Space Shuttle.

Working

• The PEMFC uses a water-based, acidic polymer membrane as its electrolyte, with platinum-based electrodes.
• The protons pass through the membrane to the cathode side of the cell while the electrons travel in an external circuit, generating the electrical output of the cell.

Applications in disaster management

• Emergency Operation Centres (EOC) backed with 10 kW systems is being planned as a natural disaster management measure.
• Tamil Nadu is generally affected by five to six cyclones every year, of which two to three are severe and is followed by frequent power cuts.
• ARCI is now planning to set up a PEMFC system for Tamil Nadu to operate the systems like early warning systems, VHF set, IP phone, BSNL Ethernet and office equipment like scanner, computers, printers, phone, FAX and normal requirements like lighting and fan.

The Sree Chitra Thirunal Institute of Medical Science and Tech. Thiruvanthapuram an Institute of National Importance under the Department of Science and Technology has developed an innovative intracranial flow diverter stent for the treatment of aneurysms of the blood  vessels of the brain.

What is Aneurysms?

• Intracranial aneurysm is a localized ballooning, bulging or dilation of arteries in the brain caused by progressive weakening of the inner muscles of the wall of the blood vessels.
• Spontaneous rupture of the aneurysm can result in bleeding into the space around the brain resulting condition called a subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) which can lead to paralysis, coma or death.
• Most often a ruptured brain aneurysm occurs in the space between the brain and the thin tissues covering the brain.

How to avert risks of Brain Aneurysms?

• Flow diverters stents when deployed in the artery in the brain bearing the aneurysms, diverts blood flow away from the aneurysm.
• This reduces the chances of its rupture from the pressure of blood flow.
• The Surgical treatment of an aneurysm involves opening the skull and a clip on the neck of aneurysm, so that it is cut off from the path of blood flow.
• There are three non surgical, minimally invasive endovascular treatments of aneurysms of the brain.
• In two of these procedures, the aneurismal sacis filled with platinum coils or occluded using high viscosity liquid polymer which solidifies when released into the sac thus sealing the sac.
• All these techniques have some limitation or the other.

Why are flow diverter stent preferable?

• A more attractive third minimally invasive option is deploying a flow diverter stent to bypass the segment of the blood vessel which has the aneurysm.
• Flow diverters have the advantages of being flexible and adaptable to the shape and course of the vessel.
• Also flow diverters promote healing of the vessel wall by removing the constant stress of blood flow on it.

What is CHITRA flow diverter?

• The Chitra flow diverter is designed to have better grip on the walls of arteries of complex shapes in order to reduce the risk of migration of the device.
• The unique design is in its weave also makes this stent resistant to kinking or twisting, when it is placed in tortuous arteries and those with complex shapes. Even a 180 degrees bend does not occlude the lumen of the stent.
• Portion of the wires is made radio opaque for better visibility in X –Rays and fluoroscopy thus aiding accurate delivery of the diverter in the blood vessel.
• Nitinol, a super elastic alloy with shape memory was acquired from National Aero Space Laboratories, Bengaluru (CSIR-NAL).
• When the device is deployed at the site, it is released from its crimped locked position and assumes the desired and originally designed shape because of the shape memory property of Nitinol.

Benefits of CHITRA

• The imported Flow diverter stents costs Rs 7-8 lakhs and is not manufactured in India.
• With the availability of the indigenous CHITRA, a well established industry would be able to manufacture and sell at a much lower price.