In this article, we propose hybrid deep quantum-transformer networks (QTNs) to predict the optimal beam in integrated sensing and communication (ISAC) systems employing millimeter-wave (mmWave) band. In mobile applications, vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I) communications at high frequency require large antenna arrays and narrow beams, which is associated with high-beam training overhead. In such a scenario, selecting an optimal beam to maximize the signal power at the receiver can be learned from the sensory data collected at the base station and guided by the position-based data provided by the user equipment. Such multimodal sensory data can be utilized by deep learning frameworks to create situational awareness for intelligently predicting optimal beams. We evaluate the proposed learning models in real-world V2I scenarios provided by the multimodal deepsense sixth generation data set and compare them with the existing works. The experimental results show a distance-based accuracy (DBA) score of 0.9124 for multimodal and 0.8832 for position-based data, respectively. Moreover, the hybrid QTN achieve the best DBA scores and the highest accuracy compared to other models on zero-shot testing. These QTN models exhibit low complexity and high performance, demonstrating their potential to address the challenges of beam management in mmWave ISAC systems.

The quantum internet is envisaged to connect quantum systems at a global scale to provide diverse applications unimaginable with the classical internet. However, the technological shortcomings and practical challenges of noisy intermediate-scale quantum (NISQ) devices impose several constraints on the vision of a truly global quantum internet. Recent experimental developments for quantum networks are laying the pathway from small-scale to intermediate-scale noisy quantum networks dedicated to specific operational tasks. Although these networks are not at the global scale, they are capable of providing a clear quantum advantage in their dedicated tasks. We explore the cardinal features of these NISQ networks, discuss their design constraints, and explore the possible applications they provide. We also outline some technical challenges that need to be addressed for the practical implementation of these networks and eventually lead toward a truly global, fully functional quantum internet.

Quantum cybersecurity is the study of all facets regarding the security of communication and computation in a distributed network. Significant developments in quantum technologies have outclassed their classical counterparts, thus envisioning the realization of a quantum internet. However, such quantum resources, in the hands of an adversary, can jeopardize network security. In this paper, we study two secure network connectivity concerns, namely, privacy and anonymity , in quantum information retrieval systems. To this end, we propose a state-of-the-art single-server multi-user quantum anonymous private information retrieval (QAPIR) protocol. To actualize this, we utilize anonymous entanglement as a quantum resource. We show that the QAPIR protocol not only provides privacy but also introduces anonymity as an added layer of security in quantum networks. Furthermore, we also detail a comparative security analysis that establishes the desirable properties of our proposal.

The emergence of deep vision models such as convolutional neural networks and vision transformers has revolutionized computer vision, enabling significant advancements in image classification, object detection, and segmentation. In parallel, the rapid development of quantum computing has spurred interest in quantum machine learning (QML), which integrates the strengths of quantum computation with the representational power of deep learning. In QML, parameterized quantum circuits offer the potential to capture complex image features, define complex decision boundaries, and provide other computational advantages. This paper investigates hybrid quantum-classical vision architectures, with a focus on hybrid quantum-classical convolutional neural networks and hybrid quantum-classical vision transformers. These hybrid models explore both quantum pre-processing and post-processing of data, respectively, where quantum circuits are strategically integrated into the data pipeline to enhance model performance. Our results suggest that these hybrid models can enhance accuracy and computational efficiency in vision-related tasks, even with the constraints of current noisy intermediate-scale quantum devices.

Computing-intensive semantic communication emphasizes context, enabling the extraction of task-specific semantics from the source data and the reconstruction of the intended meaning at the destination. In industrial cyber-physical systems (CPSs), this approach can optimize automation processes while minimizing communication overhead with efficient bandwidth use in environments where machines, sensors, and controllers must communicate frequently. By integrating quantum communication with computing-empowered semantic methods, we can achieve unprecedented efficiency and security in task-oriented data transmission, effectively safeguarding against eavesdropping and other attacks. This paper presents a controlled quantum semantic communication (QSC) framework that leverages semantic extraction for anomaly detection in industrial CPS networks and employs controlled quantum communication to send the data securely with high semantic fidelity. A machine learning model extracts semantic information from images as the hull point data representing defective regions as pixel points. This data is then transmitted with high fidelity using quantum communication with controlled quantum state preparation. We use discrete- and continuous-variable states to simulate quantum binary phase-shift keying (BPSK) and $M$-ary pulse position modulation ($M$-PPM), respectively. At the receiver, these quantum states are measured using optimal quantum decision-making and converted back into the hull point data, thereby generating the anomaly map. This map is overlaid on a template image to highlight defect positions, which can be used for industrial quality control. Furthermore, we simulate the controlled QSC framework (BPSK and $M$-PPM) across a diverse set of anomaly detection examples and evaluate the QSC performance in industrial CPS networks.