Robot-ship to seek out mysteries of the ocean; Quantum routing formulations

The Mayflower is a solar-powered robotic ship with an AI captain - and in May, it will begin its journey to cross the Atlantic Ocean. Crew-less and fully autonomous, the ship that IBM Research has helped to create will set sail from the UK to the US, bringing us closer to the era of autonomous transatlantic travel. And it won't be navigating the seas aimlessly. The ship is equipped with an AI 'tongue' - a sensitive tool consisting of a bunch of sensors that will be rapidly measuring water pollution and quality throughout the journey. Dubbed HyperTaste and developed at IBM Research in Zurich, this tool can help us better understand the marine environment and how the quality of water is impacting the growth of phytoplankton, the base of the marine food web.

The webinar's host and IBM Research Editorial Lead Katia Moskvitch will chat about Mayflower's amazing AI with the main researcher, Rosie Lickorish. Also joining us is Patrick Ruch, an electrical engineer from the Zurich lab who has been leading the HyperTaste team. He will talk about using the tool for the oceans, of course - but will also mention how it can help you, say, spot fake whisky! This nifty little tool is like a chemical lab in your hand and can determine the contents of any liquids.

And of course, there is a quantum computing element to the webinar. In the future, quantum computers could give us an edge in optimising routes for any kind of travel. Claudio Gambella from IBM Research in Dublin is a quantum expert who will tell us how and why quantum computers could be of help to the maritime industry.