英國倫敦帝國理工學院的研究人員和研究量子技術的專業公司M Squared合作，發明了一種新型定位方法。

新發明叫量子指南針，利用量子加速計測量超冷原子的移動，和以往的加速計不同，這種加速計不管過多久都能保持準確，不需要外部參照。研究人員歷時五年打造出這款指南針，長寬均為3英尺（約合0.91米），英國政府投入了3.46億美元（約2.7億英鎊）。投入商用可能尚需時日，應用在智能手機上可能也不會很快，但導航方式可能因此發生巨大變化。以下是一些原因：

超級安全

跟GPS等依靠全球衛星導航系統（GNSS）的導航方式不一樣，量子指南針不需要任何外部參照。相比當前的導航技術，新設備防篡改能力更強。例如GPS可能被黑客攻擊或者欺騙，嚴重影響軍用和商用導航系統安全。量子指南針完全獨立，不容易受到攻擊。

量子指南針不僅能免受攻擊。即使與通信衛星失去聯系，也能繼續工作不受影響。

無比精確

普通手機里的消費類GPS精確度約為15英尺（約合4.57米），軍用GPS的精確度在幾厘米以內。但精確度很容易受到外界干擾，比如高聳的建筑物。而量子指南針能非常精確地測量細微的變化。

性價比高

如果說花數億美元做指南針很劃算，可能比較難理解。但換個角度看，假如失去通信衛星聯絡，給英國造成的損失一天就接近13億美元（約合10億英鎊）。英國退出歐盟在即，脫離歐盟以后，英國能否繼續使用與歐盟的伽利略衛星定位系統還不確定。比起用不了伽利略系統陷入被動，投入幾億美元自行研發可能更加保險。（財富中文網）

譯者：Pessy

審校：夏林

British researchers at the Imperial College in London and quantum technology specialist M Squared have come up with a new way to figure out where in the world you are.

Their so-called quantum compass measures the movements of supercooled atoms using a quantum accelerometer which, unlike previous accelerometers, remains accurate over time and doesn’t require external references. Built over five years with $346 million (￡270m) funding from the U.K. government, you probably won’t find the three-foot wide, three-foot tall compass under the Christmas tree or in your smartphone any time soon, but it has the potential to dramatically change how we navigate the world. Here’s how:

It’s ultra secure

Unlike GPS and other methods of navigation that rely on a global navigation satellite system (GNSS), the quantum compass doesn’t rely on any external reference. That makes the device much more tamper-proof than current navigation technology. GPS, for instance, can be hacked or spoofed with major implications for both military and commercial navigation. Since the quantum compass is completely self-contained, it’s not vulnerable to such attacks.

But it’s not only malicious threats the compass protects against. It’ll also keep working if, for whatever reason, we can’t make contact with our satellites.

It’s incredibly accurate

Consumer GPS like the one in your phone is accurate to about 15 feet. Military-grade GPS is accurate to within a few centimeters. But even that level of accuracy can be easily interrupted by something as simple as a tall building. The quantum compass is able to measure even minute changes very accurately.

It’s surprisingly cost-effective

It’s counter-intuitive to say that a compass that cost hundreds of millions of dollars to build was a bargain, but that is in fact the case when you consider that a single day without access to satellites would cost the U.K. nearly $1.3 billion (￡1 billion). With Brexit on the horizon and uncertainty surrounding the U.K.’s access to the E.U.’s Galileo system, costs for such a hypothetical regarding satellite access may be looking a bit more real.