Quantum Garden started as a citizen science project where everyone could contribute to solve a quantum physics research problem of crucial importance for the outbreak of quantum technologies. It has since developed to exploring other research questions and to better demonstrating quantum phenomena. The project is a collaboration between the University of Turku, the School of Science and the School of Arts, Design and Architecture at Aalto University and it is sponsored by the Centre for Quantum Engineering (CQE).

Realised by London-based game artist Robin Baumgarten in collaboration with a team of quantum physicists headed by Prof. Sabrina Maniscalco (Aalto University and University of Turku), and curated by Dr. Annakaisa Kultima of the Media Department (Aalto University), the piece is an interactive light installation which started as a part of Lux Helsinki Light Challenge (#valohaaste).

Quantum Garden, however, is much more than an artistic piece. To start it was connected to Quantum Black Box, a sophisticated software device developed by quantum physicists of the Turku Quantum Technologies group and the Centre for Quantum Engineering of Aalto University under the project QPlay . The Quantum Black Box simulates a complex time-dependent optimal control problem which is one of the key ingredients for realising a quantum logic gate – the building block of a quantum computer.

We are entering a new technological era, where the power of quantum devices and effects is channelled into technological applications, such as the quantum computer. Quantum technologies can revolutionise our society providing computational power with  tremendous impact on artificial intelligence, robotics, cryptography, sensing, and all communication protocols.

By playing Quantum Garden everyone can be part of this revolution and help us building the quantum computer!