Quantum computing can be a complicated area of study. “The building blocks of computing machines, especially future machines like quantum computers, are frequently not particularly intuitive,” said Stefan Krastanov, assistant professor in the Manning College of Information and Computer Sciences at UMass Amherst. 

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“Understanding linear algebra, probability theory and quantum mechanics is necessary to gain mastery over nature and create these technologies,” he continued, “but that understanding – learning the language of math – takes a lot of time.”

To help kick-start the quantum computing learning process, and to make it more fun, Krastanov and Carlos Errando Herranz, a professor at Delft University of Technology, have created the Qbead.

The Qbead “is a small luminous ball meant to mimic the behavior of a quantum bit (a qubit) at a scale at which a kid can engage with it,” Krastanov explained. 

While classical computers process information using binary bits, quantum computers use qubits, which harness the laws of quantum mechanics. Standard binary bits can exist as either 1 or 0; qubits can be 1, 0 or a combination of the two. Using qubits could make quantum computers more efficient than classical computers. 

The toy provides a hands-on look at sophisticated quantum processes such as quantum state teleportation or quantum key distribution without requiring years of math study or costly multimillion-dollar experiments, Krastanov said. It’s not exactly the same as working with real qubits – it is a toy, after all, so it merely simulates the quantum mechanical effects. But that simulation is what makes it so useful for learning. 
 

The Qbead is powered by a lithium polymer battery and housed in a custom 3-D printed shell including an inner shell that holds the board and the battery, and an outer transparent shell that protects the device. The hardware includes a USB port, Bluetooth, an inertial measurement unit and a Seeed XIAO nRF52840 Sense Arduino board with a microprocessor. The Qbead website offers qubit lessons to guide students in their learning. 

It may be a toy, but the Qbead is directly related to the research Krastanov conducts at UMass as part of the NSF Center for Quantum Networks. “A lot of the research work we do builds upon the simpler concepts we teach through the Qbead,” he said.

Unfortunately, the Qbead is not yet available for consumers to purchase – but hopefully someday it will be. “We are planning to use it in museum installations, hands-on outreach activities and lectures in the classroom, whether in K-12 or in college or grad school,” Krastanov said.