A University of Tennessee team earned a spot in the finals of a national competition to see who can create the best inventions.
Quantum Lock, the student team from UT that entered the Collegiate Inventors Competition, is made up of the Erica Grant and her advisor, John Bruck. They created technology that improves the locks on hotel rooms, making them harder to hack into and securely connects them to front desks.
The technology uses a quantum random number generator, which creates unpredictable numbers by measuring the randomness of subatomic particles. Since the number is so random, hackers have a harder time breaking into it.
The technology also includes a customized set of communication protocols, making it harder for hackers to figure out how the locks work and harder for them to break in. Grant's invention also allows front desks to directly communicate with all locks in a hotel.
Grant's technology will be judged against inventions from other schools, which includes an augmented reality overlay for real-time video and technology to help doctors quickly treat stroke victims. Finalists will virtually present their inventions on Oct. 28 to a panel of judges.
Winners will be announced on Oct. 29.
