Inertial Sensing

product accuracy

Cold Atom Sensors Reduce Inertial Drift

Cold atom interferometers reference identical, unchanging atoms, reducing the bias drift that compounds in conventional inertial sensors over long missions.

Infleqtion's continuous-beam architecture has demonstrated more than 100 Hz bandwidth with no measurement dead time.

Delivering PNT Without GNSS

  • Acceleration and rotation for independent navigation.

  • Gravity and gravity gradients for mapping and exploration.

  • Absolute atomic references reduce recalibration needs.

  • Continuous output supports dynamic applications.

measure what matters

Roadmap Highlights

Product Evolution

Infleqtion is advancing from field-tested sensors toward integrated navigation and mapping systems. Future capabilities are targets and subject to change.

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Today Current

Prototype

  • Air, road, and maritime trials
  • BEC operation in flight
  • Continuous-beam inertial sensing
  • 100+ Hz demonstrated bandwidth
Target Next

Deployable

  • Multi-axis measurement
  • Quantum-classical sensor fusion
  • Navigation-unit integration
  • Toward 6 DoF
Future Planned

PIC-Enabled

  • Reduced SWaP through photonics
  • New standards in ruggedness and deployability
  • Autonomous platform deployment
  • Mission-scale system

The Quantum Advantage

Superior Stability to Classical Sensors

Atoms provide an absolute reference that does not age or drift like mechanical components.

  • Minimize Drift

    Quantum measurements correct the accumulating bias errors that limit unaided inertial navigation.

  • Continuous Measurement

    A continuous atom beam removes dead time and raises bandwidth for moving, vibrating platforms.

  • Hybrid Performance

    Quantum stability can correct classical sensors while classical channels cover rapid motion and large dynamic ranges.

  • One Sensing Platform

    Vacuum, photonics, controls, software, and atom expertise combine in a deployable system architecture.

CAPABILITIES

Built for Dynamic Measurement

Quantum stability and bandwidth beyond the lab.

  • 100+ Hz bandwidth

    Continuous-beam sensing provides high-rate output without gaps between measurements.

  • High Dynamic Range

    Hybrid quantum-classical sensing tracks rapid platform motion while preserving long-term stability.

  • Absolute Reference

    Atomic properties support stable measurements and reduce repeated calibration requirements.

  • Multiple Observables

    Measure acceleration, rotation, gravity, and gravity gradients from a shared technology base.

Field Progress

Quantum Sensing in Motion

Demonstrations across air, road, sea, and space programs.

  • Operated a Bose-Einstein condensate system during flight trials.
  • Measured acceleration and rotation during road and maritime trials.
  • NASA collaboration advances cold atom science and space-based gravity sensing: Cold Atom Lab and Quantum Gravity Gradiometer Pathfinder (QGGPf) mission.
  • UK programs advance quantum navigation for maritime and aerospace platforms.
Explore QGGPf
  • NASA
  • Royal Navy

Applications

Independent Measurement for Critical Missions

Navigate, map, and monitor without vulnerable external signals.

Browse Case Studies
  • National Security

    Provide stable inertial measurements for ships, aircraft, autonomous platforms, and GPS-denied operations.

  • Space and Frontier

    Map gravity from orbit, support planetary exploration, and enable precise aerospace measurements.

  • Energy and Resources

    Detect gravity anomalies for subsurface mapping, infrastructure monitoring, mining, and resource exploration.

Frequently Asked Questions

Quantum inertial sensing uses atoms as stable test masses to measure acceleration, rotation, or gravity. In an atom interferometer, laser pulses split and recombine atomic matter waves, and their interference pattern reveals the motion or gravitational field experienced by the atoms. Because atoms of the same isotope are identical, they provide an absolute reference with very low long-term drift.

A quantum inertial sensor can measure a platform’s motion without relying on an external satellite signal. Those measurements can correct the accumulating bias and drift of conventional inertial sensors, extending accurate navigation when GPS or GNSS is unavailable, jammed, or spoofed. Infleqtion is developing high-bandwidth cold atom sensors for integration with classical navigation systems in dynamic environments.

Both use atom interferometry, but they answer different questions. Inertial navigation measures acceleration and rotation to estimate how a platform is moving, while gravimetry or gravity gradiometry measures gravitational acceleration or differences in gravity across space. Gravity measurements can reveal changes in subsurface or planetary mass, while inertial measurements support positioning and navigation.

Potential applications include navigation for ships, submarines, aircraft, spacecraft, autonomous vehicles, and other platforms operating without reliable GPS. Gravity-sensing applications include Earth observation, planetary science, underground-resource assessment, infrastructure monitoring, and geophysical mapping. The sensor design and performance requirements differ by mission.

Infleqtion has demonstrated cold atom inertial technology in laboratory, road, maritime, and flight-related programs and is advancing systems with partners including NASA and the UK Royal Navy. Productization, miniaturization, multi-axis capability, and integration into operational navigation units remain active development areas. Organizations should contact Infleqtion to discuss trials, partnerships, and program-specific availability.

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