Researchers at Australia National University have teamed up with blockchain oracle provider AP13 to launch the first Quantum Random Number Generator (QRNG).

The joint effort will allow Web3 entities to access a completely unpredictable random number generation system that is highly secure and free to use.

Random number generators are not new, but the QRNG system is the first of its kind to generate a random number using quantum mechanics. This provides the first genuinely random number mechanism beyond the pseudo-mathematical systems currently used that may be biased or repeated.

There are several traditional applications for random numbers, such as gambling and lotteries, sports and competitions, and sampling and statistics. As more organizations look to embrace the world of Web3, a tamper-proof, true random number generator not reliant on third parties will be required.

API3’s QRNG measures random quantum fluctuations in phase and amplitude of an electromagnetic field in a vacuum to guarantee unpredictable randomness and generate the numbers. Dr. Aaron Tranter from the ANU Research School of Physics explained the process to Cointelegraph:

“Quantum mechanics predicts that a vacuum, generally regarded as the absence of ‘things’, actually contains particles popping in and out of existence. This is the origin of the term vacuum noise. This noise is fundamentally random and can actually be measured using a laser, optics, and some fast electronics. We measure these fluctuations and convert them into random numbers which are then served to the AWS cloud for distribution via…