Cover storyTechnology / 15 Sept 2026

Quantum Computing Inc. Pushes Photonic Quantum Research Into a New Experimental Program

Quantum Computing Inc. is expanding its work beyond traditional quantum optimization as the company develops room-temperature photonic systems designed for practical applications in AI, sensing and complex decision making. In one experimental research program, scientists are exploring how quantum-assisted optimization can interact with rapidly changing biological environments. The project uses laboratory mice navigating dynamically changing mazes, including one mouse that has become an unlikely symbol of the experiment: QUMIS, now jokingly known among researchers as “The Quantum Mouse.”