JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — A Mayo Clinic team earned first place at the Berlin Quantum Hackathon 2026 after developing a quantum-powered model capable of detecting movement intention directly from brain activity — a step that could one day help restore movement control for people living with paralysis.
The achievement marks one of Mayo Clinic's first end-to-end clinical applications of quantum computing and reflects the institution's commitment to bringing advanced computational methods into clinical practice.
Over five weeks, six finalist teams built and evaluated quantum-enabled solutions to determine whether the technology could move beyond theoretical research and operate in practical settings. More than 180 teams from around the world applied to compete. Awards were presented on March 5.
The Mayo Clinic team focused on a clinical question: What happens when the brain intends to move, but the body cannot?
In people living with paralysis or other motor impairments, the brain continues to generate signals representing movement intention even when muscles cannot respond. Those signals are subtle and embedded within the brain's constant electrical activity.
The team sought to distinguish the intent to move a left hand from the right using electroencephalogram recordings, or EEGs, which measure electrical activity in the brain. Researchers built an entirely novel hybrid system combining artificial intelligence with quantum computing techniques to identify patterns associated with movement intention — leveraging the quantum systems' ability to process complex patterns beyond the limits of classical computing alone.
"One of our secrets to success was focusing on the complete solution, not just the computational challenge," says Dr. Rickey Carter , professor of biostatistics at Mayo Clinic and the team leader. "We built around patients' needs and paid close attention to the edge cases where the model struggled. That's where we concentrated our quantum efforts."
If validated in future research, such signals could one day help guide assistive technologies or prosthetics, potentially enabling more precise control of movement. Quantum computing may also hold potential for drug discovery, radiation treatment planning and complex biological data challenges.
For Dr. Charles Bruce , chief innovation officer at Mayo Clinic in Florida, the hackathon reflected a broader commitment: building bridges across disciplines and borders in a field that advances through shared expertise.
"Standing alongside leaders in this field strengthened our work and reminded us that advancement happens together," Dr. Bruce says. "We entered this challenge as underdogs. None of us had prior quantum computing experience. But progress is built collectively. You learn from one another, blending biology with data science, and the work becomes stronger because of it."
The Mayo Clinic team included Rickey Carter, Ph.D., Miko Wieczorek, Michele Dougherty, Ph.D., Feifei Li, Ph.D., and Charles Bruce, M.B., Ch.B. The work was supported by Mayo Clinic's Quantum Sensing and Computing program, which explores how quantum technologies may intersect with research and patient care.
The event was hosted by Berlin-based quantum software company Kipu Quantum and supported by the State of Berlin's Quantum Initiative and the Charité-Berlin University Medicine.
"Quantum computing is proving this year that we can design hybrid quantum-classical solutions for tackling industrial problems," says Enrique Solano, CEO of Kipu Quantum. "Medical imaging and life science will occupy a key role in the list of applications. By winning the hackathon, Mayo Clinic is making an important step towards this visionary goal."
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