How Bosch and IBM plan to replace rare metals in electronic components


Alexander Boero

November 15, 2022 at 6:30 p.m.

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rare metal earth mine © Shutterstock

© Shutterstock

Bosch and IBM have decided to join forces to find alternatives to precious metals and rare earths. Quantum computer simulation of materials is one of the preferred substitutes.

Some resources are not inexhaustible, Bosch and IBM are aware of this. The German and American giants will therefore seek substitutes for the precious metals now present in electric vehicles, and more particularly engines, fuel cells intended for hydrogen or carbon-neutral powertrains.

A partnership to save time on the search for new materials

IBM and Bosch are giving themselves 10 years to achieve their goals and find alternatives through quantum computer simulation of materials. So how do the two companies intend to collaborate? Bosch, for its part, will use its know-how in the simulation of materials important for industrial applications. The technological behemoth IBM, for its part, will provide the project with more than 20 computers of advanced quantum technology which will be available in the Cloud of the group.

Thanks to future generations of quantum computers, Bosch will be able to calculate the properties of new materials, a task much longer and more complex to do on conventional machines. Over the months and years, it should be possible to obtain precise information on the properties of new materials. ” The goal is to take quantum simulation to the next level and gain an international competitive advantage ”, explains Stefan Hartung, president of the director of Bosch.

But the German firm is not only interested in new materials for fuel cells, it is also looking into new magnets for electric motors, deemed to be lighter, more efficient, more compact and more readily available. The materials favored by Bosch and IBM promise to be more environmentally friendly than rare earths, the extraction of which poses serious environmental and geopolitical problems.

Betting on quantum sensors and computing to also gain precision

Europe is betting heavily on quantum technology, which Bosch believes essential to technological sovereignty of the Old Continent. Today, the company from across the Rhine has around thirty experts in sensor technology and quantum computing among its ranks. A start-up from the Bosch incubator is also working specifically on the marketing of quantum sensors.

These sensors offer remarkable accuracy compared to traditional MEMS (micro-electromechanical systems). ” They will make it possible in the near future to achieve 1,000 times greater measurement accuracy. “says the company. She takes the example of medicine, where sensors help to diagnose in a simpler and more detailed way the neurological disorders caused by Alzheimer’s disease.

They will also be able to detect nerve impulses, allow thought control directly in virtual reality and move medical prostheses. A remarkable potential at the service of tech for life », as Stefan Hartung points out.

Source : Bosch



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