News › Quantum technologies · scientific gimmick or economically relevant?
Lively exchange at the 15th Erfurt Technology Dialog at COMCENTER Brühl in Erfurt/ Guest lecture by Prof. Andreas Tünnermann (IOF Jena) provides impetus for discussion
It is a technology that is expected to have many uses, for example in the use of future robots in industry, in the improvement of medicines and cancer therapies, or in tap-proof, encrypted data transmission: According to experts, quantum technologies have manifold potentials that need to be transferred from basic to applied research in the coming years. »Quantum Technologies – Scientific Gimmick or Economically Relevant?« – the guest lecture with this title was given today, Monday, April 24, by Prof. Dr. Andreas Tünnermann, director of the Fraunhofer Institute for Applied Optics and Precision Engineering (IOF), as part of the 15th Erfurt Technology Dialog. »The recently opened possibility of controlling individual quanta has multiplied the utilization options once again,« the researcher said at the conference. »As a result, modern economies are now facing a situation comparable to that in the 1960s when the digital revolution began – we are on the threshold of a new technological revolution!«
It has long been known that quantum technology holds a great deal of potential – experts described the difference between conventional high-performance computers and quantum computers as »the difference between a supersonic jet and a zeppelin« years ago. And development in this field is progressing rapidly. It is therefore no coincidence that the topic of quantum technologies was chosen for this year’s Erfurt TechnologyDialog, as this event format aims to provide a platform for the discussion of current, forward-looking research fields and innovations. »Quantum technologies are a key to the future. By controlling and harnessing quanta, technological developments can be taken to a new level, for example in the fields of medicine and IT. But this will only succeed if research results can also be transferred into concrete applications. The Erfurt Technology Dialog is an excellent, tried-and-tested forum for this, enabling a mutual exchange,« said Dr. Katja Böhler, State Secretary for Research, Innovation and Economic Development at the Thuringian Ministry of Economics, in her welcoming address at the start of the conference. Erfurt’s mayor Andreas Bausewein also addressed the guests at COMCENTER Brühl with a greeting. »The potentials of quantum technologies in the fields of communication, computing, sensor technology and imaging dominate the technological debates about the future and provide opportunities for medium-sized companies to conquer new markets, make them viable and economically relevant – the future brings us enormous opportunities,« he elaborated.
Prof. Andreas Tünnermann’s lecture provided the visitors with a wide range of stimuli and ideas for an extensive discussion at the evening get-together. For LEG Managing Director Sabine Wosche, this cooperation is a prerequisite for the continued successful economic development of the Free State: »Thuringia has a high level of growth and innovation – if we want to maintain and expand this, it can only be done together! The TechnologyDialog could not take place as a presence event for several years due to corona, and it is all the nicer that now there was again the opportunity for a personal discussion. The event series will continue to be an important platform for entrepreneurs and researchers in the future!«
Background Erfurt Technology Dialog
The theme evenings are organized by Forschungs- und Industriezentrum Erfurt e.V. (FIZ). The state capital of Erfurt, together with the Thuringian Ministry of Economics, Science and Digital Society (TMWWDG) and LEG Thüringen, is a supporter of the annual Erfurt Technology Dialogs. Researchers and business leaders take advantage of the opportunity to exchange ideas on current topics. Based on keynote speeches by renowned experts, the lecture series enables all interested participants to learn about new developments and engage in conversation about them.