Workshop Held at QCNC 2026
View the official QCNC 2026 website
QEST held a workshop at the IEEE International Conference on Quantum Communications, Networking, and Computing (QCNC 2026) in Kobe on April 8, 2026:
“Connecting the Dots: Technology, People, and Society in the Quantum Era.”
The workshop was designed not only to discuss what quantum technologies may technically achieve, but also to examine the conditions, expectations, and concerns that make quantum futures socially meaningful.
It brought together perspectives from future design, public engagement, and quantum applications to frame quantum technology as a shared societal conversation.
What We Did
The workshop explored quantum futures not only in terms of technical performance, but also through the social and institutional layers that connect ideas to meaningful use cases. Participants discussed how quantum technologies might translate into everyday-life change, using SF prototyping as a way to bridge technical possibility and social discussion.
The invited talk, “Future Design for Quantum Technologies toward Effective Public Engagement,” was given by Konomi Higo (Osaka University) and Yusuke Nagato (Osaka University). Their presentation introduced three lenses, Hype, Imaginary lock-in, and Infrastructure, for thinking critically about how quantum futures are discussed in public. In the second half, participants reflected on concrete cases and exchanged views on the conditions and challenges that shape socially meaningful quantum applications.
The organizers were Reiko Iwasaki (Keio University), Takuma Sano (Keio University), Haruka Shiina (Keio University), Sho Morishita (Osaka University), and Akihito Soeda (National Institute of Informatics). The corresponding organizer was Shota Nagayama (Keio University).
Further information is available on the workshop page and the official QCNC 2026 website.