Two Japanese firms embed quantum-inspired tech in a robot, enabling faster real-time tracking and smarter movement.
Japanese firms Toshiba and MIRISE Technologies have demonstrated a breakthrough in autonomous mobility . The firms have embedded Toshiba ’s Simulated Bifurcation Machine , a quantum-inspired optimization computer, directly into a mobile robot.
Installed on a MIRISE-developed autonomous platform, the SBM enables real-time processing of complex multi-object tracking tasks under strict size and power constraints. The achievement marks the first time a quantum-inspired optimization system has been integrated inside a mobile device for autonomous control. Real-time robot visionDriven by labor shortages, demand for autonomous vehicles and mobile robots is increasing across logistics and smart mobility sectors. These systems must detect and track routes and obstacles using cameras and LiDAR, while making real-time decisions within short control cycles. At the same time, they face strict constraints on size, power consumption, and cost, creating technical challenges as processing requirements grow more complex.Quantum-inspired optimization computers use algorithms derived from quantum computing to solve complex combinatorial optimization problems. Unlike quantum computers, they operate on standard hardware such as FPGAs, GPUs and ASICs, without requiring dedicated quantum hardware.Toshiba and MIRISE developed a prototype embedded platform using Toshiba’s SBM and verified it through hardware experiments. They created a multi-object tracking algorithm capable of continuously tracking individuals in crowded environments where objects frequently cross paths or become obscured.The tracking problem was formulated as a combinatorial optimization task. In addition to one-to-one matching, the algorithm enables one-to-many matching using SBM’s high-speed search capability, allowing re-tracking after occlusion. Evaluations using the Higher Order Tracking Accuracy metric showed a 4 percent improvement over standard benchmarks and a 23 percent improvement on benchmarks designed to assess object obscuration.Quantum-inspired mobilityToshiba implemented its SBM on an embedded FPGA, achieving high-speed performance under strict power and size constraints. By leveraging SBM’s high parallelism and proprietary circuit design technology, the system delivered repeated detection and multi-object tracking at 23 frames per second, exceeding the 10 FPS typically required for automated driving. This enables advanced optimization tasks, previously limited to high-performance servers, to run in real time on compact, low-power devices such as vehicle systems and robot controllers.In real-world trials with MIRISE, the FPGA equipped with the new tracking algorithm was installed on an autonomous mobile robot. The robot successfully demonstrated dynamic path planning while avoiding multiple moving objects. The system used SBM-based tracking data to analyze object position confidence and movement direction, adjust occupancy zones, and predict future positions. This reduced unnecessary avoidance maneuvers and improved navigation efficiency.“While quantum‑inspired optimization computers such as SBM have previously been developed and used for centralized control of mobile systems, this is the world’s first instance of embedding such a computer directly inside a mobile platform and applying it to autonomous control,” said Toshiba in a statement.The companies plan to expand the embedded SBM’s use to automated vehicles, multi-robot coordination, complex route optimization, real-time task allocation, and broader embedded applications across industry sectors.
Autonomous Mobility MIRISE Technologies Corporation Quantum Computer Quantum Computing Robot Robot Control Toshiba
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