Quantum Magnetometry for GPS-Independent Robotic Navigation

This project aims to develop and demonstrate a GPS-independent navigation system for autonomous robots using quantum magnetometry. The motivation is the growing need for resilient navigation technologies that can continue to operate when GPS signals are unavailable, disrupted, or deliberately jammed. The project will use nitrogen-vacancy (NV) diamond quantum sensors to measure subtle variations in the Earth’s magnetic field. These measurements will be combined with advanced data-processing and machine-learning techniques to help a mobile robot determine its location without relying on satellite-based positioning. The complete sensing and navigation system will then be integrated and tested on a real-world robotic platform. Potential applications include autonomous systems operating in GPS-denied or electromagnetically contested environments, as well as critical infrastructure inspection, underground or enclosed environments, emergency response, and other situations where conventional satellite navigation may be unreliable.