QubitVR

Quantum computing applies the principles of quantum theory to perform computations, and is complicated and unintuitive for most students. Unfortunately, there is a severe lack of simulation and visualization tools for quantum computing that are designed with intuitive learning in mind.

QubitVR will be the first educational simulation and visualization of quantum computing principles designed specifically for learning. It is also the first interactive virtual reality simulation of quantum computing.

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Overview

The framework of QubitVR focuses on

Virtual Reality

QubitVR provides a way to personally apply complex concepts and visually identify the resulting quantum phenomena.

Learning Modules

This prototype has one module that is made up of two sections. These sections teach multiple concepts and each concept has one or more tutorials and assessments.

Qubit

The fundamental unit of a quantum computer is the quantum bit, or qubit. Inside the qubit is a vector that indicates its state.

My Roles

1 / Project Manager

Coordinated team workflow and all project deadlines, including 6 presentations and 3 project milestones,
Directed weekly team meetings and organized biweekly meetings with project sponsors,
Pitched project to 2 highly regarded UCF professors and secured 4 total members of grading committee,
Co-authored detailed technical documentation that contained a full breakdown of the project, including specifications, research data, system design, testing, and final implementation details..

2 / VR Developer

Implemented a system that dynamically rotates the vector in a scientifically accurate path for each state change,
Established a novel VR toolbelt design that moves and rotates with the user,
Created a method for the vector to highlight its own trajectory by forming a plane in the 3D space as it rotates,
Developed in-game tool functionality,
Created assessments with multiple choice and object selection functionality.

3 / UI and UX Developer

Refined the final qubit design,
Optimized laser pointer operation,
Planned user flow of learning modules,
Utilized Unity animations to enhance user understanding in tutorial.

4 / Communications Liaison

Coordinated meetings and contact with the project sponsors and professors,
Set up and maintained team communication.

Features developed by me

All of the following features were fully developed by me.

Toolbelt Movement

The toolbelt is a collection of quantum tools around the users waist. Unlike most designs that appear with a button press and are stationary in world space, this toolbelt design moves and rotates with the user, while each tool label always faces the user.

Toolbelt

Each tool has an outline and label when the user hovers it on the toolbelt. Then when the user pulls it from the toolbelt, there is a placeholder shape left to indicate where the tool automatically returns to when released.

Flashlight

Users can experience the quantum concept of measuring a qubit's state firsthand with a flashlight on their toolbelt. They can toggle the flashlight on-and-off while holding it, and shine the light on a qubit to measure it.

Vector Rotation

Holding a quantum gate inside a qubit shows a preview of how the gate affects the vector state. If the user pulls the gate out of the qubit, the vector will return to its original position. The state change will be applied if the user releases the gate inside the qubit.

Unitary Operators

Users can manipulate the state of a qubit with various quantum tools, including gates and the flashlight. There is a sandbox available to users where they can practice applying different combinations of gates and the flashlight to see the resulting changes in the qubit's state.

Animations

The tutorial takes advantage of unity's animation system to convey how quantum tools entering qubits shows a vector rotation preview for that tool (refer to "Vector Rotation"). The animations above also indicate that a gate can be applied to the qubit.

Shaded Vector Path

A useful feature for tutorials is the ability to shade in the path of the vector as it changes states. This takes advantage of the 3D format to more clearly show that the vector rotates in a circular arc. A variation of the animation, also shown above, demonstrates that a gate can be removed without applying a state change.

Qubit Selection

Users can select qubits in "select all that apply" style questions in the assessments. The current implementation focuses on using the 3D format of VR to teach the user the effect of quantum phenomena on a qubit's state, in accordance with the sponsors' request. In future prototypes, assessments will also be more interactive, so users can select qubits by hand using the baseline code I developed.