The Australian National University’s ANU Quantum Numbers (AQN), the world’s most popular and powerful online random number generator, has signed a deal with Amazon to make AQN available on AWS Marketplace.
AQN has been operating out of a lab at ANU for the past decade and has received more than two billion requests for random numbers from 70 countries. It uses quantum technology to generate real random numbers at high speed and in real time by measuring the quantum fluctuations of the vacuum.
dr. Syed Assad, one of the ANU researchers behind AQN, said a series of critical applications rely on random numbers.
“Random numbers are needed in IT, data science and modelling. Without random numbers, there are no reliable models for predictions and research simulations,” he said.
“But they are also used by artists to remove human bias from their creative work. In computer games and smart contracts, true random numbers are also an indispensable resource. We even got a request from a father to generate random numbers that he then used as inspiration for his daughter’s name!”
In response to the growing demand ANU launched the service on AWS Marketplace last week for more than 310,000 active AWS customers.
It allows users to make up to 100 random number requests per second, each costing US$0.005. Custom plans are also available, and during the free trial you can access up to 100 songs per month.
AQN has created numbers to assign participants to randomized clinical trials, simulate processes and events in computer games, generate secure passwords, simulate virus outbreak behavior and forecast the weather.
AQN team leader Professor Ping Koy Lam said that AQN distinguished itself through its use of quantum-level lasers.
“Quantum physics offers practically an infinite source of truly random numbers. These quantum random numbers are guaranteed by the laws of physics to be unpredictable and unbiased,” he said.
“This technology is based on the detection of vacuum. Vacuum is not an area of space that is completely empty and devoid of energy. In fact, it still contains noise at the quantum level. Through AWS Marketplace, ANU provides an incredibly powerful source of randomness that is easily accessible to customers around the world.”
ANU Vice Chancellor Professor Brian Schmidt said it was great to see basic science and research translated into new technologies and products that everyone can use.
“The random number generator is a pioneer and one of the best examples of how our researchers bring their incredible know-how and expertise to the world,” he said.
“By hosting this service on AWS, even more people have AQN at their fingertips.”