A startup called Diffraqtion, spun out of MIT and the University of Maryland, has just raised $4.2 million (approximately £3.4 million / AU$6.3 million) to develop a revolutionary quantum camera.
Unlike traditional cameras, which simply record light that hits a sensor, quantum cameras count individual photons and use AI to extract up to 96% more information from every ray of light. In practical terms, it's like giving a camera superhuman vision – enabling it to capture detail that would normally require enormous, heavy lenses.
This quantum camera is developed for satellites and space applications, and is planned to be active in space by 2030.
Breaking the limit
Current satellites and telescopes are constrained by the "diffraction limit," which dictates how much detail a lens can capture.
Smaller lenses see less: to resolve tiny objects, conventional optics require ever-larger mirrors. Diffraqtion's quantum cameras bypass this limit by combining photon-level detection with advanced AI, producing super-sharp, high-resolution images even in low-light conditions.
Real-time processing in orbit
The cameras also process data on board, tracking objects in real time and reducing the need to wait for raw data to be downloaded to Earth.
This capability is being tested with the US Space Force for tracking objects in orbit and evaluating for next-generation space telescopes, including successors to the James Webb Observatory.
Johannes Galatsanos, co-founder and CEO of Diffraqtion, says, "Our goal is to change how we see and understand space by moving beyond the constraints of classical photography.
"By combining quantum mechanics with advanced AI at the orbital edge, we are providing the high-resolution 'answers' that operators need, rather than just raw images that require hours of ground-side processing."
While it's still cutting-edge, the technology hints at a future where every photon counts – and cameras capture far more than we thought possible.
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