Tell us about Zero Point Motion and the work you’re doing

At Zero Point Motion, we are redefining the limits of motion sensing to transform positioning and navigation. One of the most pressing issues in autonomous or indoor navigation is the overreliance on external reference signals from GPS, cameras and lidar - all these signals can be weakened or spoofed which reduces safety, and their data rates are too slow to track fast-moving platforms like drones. Only inertial sensors can strengthen external references, as they measure acceleration and rotation of the object directly, and work anywhere anytime – however, there are some big challenges. High-performance sensors which have low noise and low drift are too expensive and big for consumer devices, whereas low-cost chipscale sensors inside your phone and car are not precise enough and their errors worsen over time, which is a consequence of using a noisy electrical readout.

We solve the noise issue by replacing the electrical readout with an optical one. We use chipscale optical structures that trap laser light, creating the resonance condition that is exquisitely sensitive to any mechanical motion, even if the motion is smaller than the size of an atom. Our method exploits the existing sensor supply chain and combines it with the maturing silicon photonics supply chain to ensure high volume and low cost. Our technology can also be pushed to quantum limits, although this is a longer-term vision.

Tell us more about the Digibeat project

Zero Point Motion has teamed up with the University of the West of England (UWE) to explore the use of inertial sensors that measure motion for virtual reality (VR). The collaboration, called Digibeat, has been awarded a £144k grant from MyWorld to demonstrate sensors that can simultaneously monitor the wearer’s finger motion and forces from each heartbeat – a unique capability not yet explored in the creative sector. The technology could prove transformative not only in VR, but also elsewhere in the entertainment industry, and potentially even in healthcare.

Digibeat will be an important proof of concept that a single inertial sensor can simultaneously perform two functions: high-precision fingertip motion tracking and heart rate measurement through ballistocardiography – detection of the forces pushing blood around the body. Content creators will be able to use the real-time physiological data, synchronised to finger-tracked responses to visual stimuli, to determine how a participant is interacting with content, and their level of immersion. This will guide them in further shaping and refining their creative immersive experiences.

What attracted you to QTIC, and what have you most enjoyed about working here and with the University of Bristol?

After taking part in the University of Bristol’s QTEC incubator, I got to know many Bristol-based startups working on similar deep tech as Zero Point Motion. Our incubator courses were held in what would become the Quantum Technologies Innovation Centre (QTIC), so I already knew what the University was offering in terms of space – the most important part was knowing they would support photonics companies in setting up lab spaces. We love being surrounded by both academic research groups and other startups, it’s a very collaborative and supportive environment. We’ve hosted two University interns, and we continue to work with the University to allow more students exposure to a startup journey.

Why did you pick Bristol as the city to build Zero Point Motion?

I grew up in Bristol and also worked here in industry, so I know it’s a great city for work, play, family and business. There is also a huge density of silicon photonics (and quantum) startups in Bristol – in my opinion, the largest number in any UK city, which makes the area unique. The universities provide a great talent pipeline as well as expertise and facilities – we’ve got collaborations and grants with UWE as well as the University of Bristol.

What investment have you raised and what have you learnt from this process?

We raised around £2.6m in our seed round from lead investor Foresight-Williams, and u-blox and Verve Ventures. The process of meeting investors, keeping conversations going and then closing takes a long time – avoid trying to close near Christmas is my advice! I also recommend being patient, not moving too fast and making sure you have other founders to speak to about their experience.

What’s next for Zero Point Motion and what are you most looking forward to?

I’m so excited for the team as we’re now heading into some prototype demos and we’ve got some more cycles of prototype iterations ahead of us; this means we’ll start refining and optimising sensor performance through initial end-user testing. To me, this feedback from end users is the most important part of product development.

How is quantum sensing going to help with the world’s most pressing problems?

Sensing provides us the ability to uncover more insight into ourselves, the machines we use and the world around us. But our current sensors do not come close to the true limits of sensing, which are governed by quantum physics. Our aim is to enable more users to obtain highly precise motion detection than ever before. Even without including quantum features, we can help with some societal challenges:

• Motion capture for healthcare at home, or remote healthcare
• Automation of collaborative robots, including increased safety
• Aiding navigation in inhospitable or dangerous regions

If you could offer one piece of advice to other founders, what would it be?

Try to spend time understanding yourself and who you are! Things move so fast once you’ve raised funding and you’re suddenly surrounded by many different voices. As you start building a team, you realise that the initial culture, the processes and the communication stems from your leadership and it can be easy to doubt yourself unless you’ve built that strong image of who you are and what you stand for.