Random numbers are essential for multiple applications, includingcryptography, financial security, digital rights management and scientificsimulations. However, producing random numbers from a finite state machine,such as a classical computer, is impossible. One option is to use conventionalquantum random number generators (QRNGs) based on the intrinsic uncertainty ofquantum measurement outcomes. The problem in this case is that privaterandomness relies on assumptions on the internal functioning of the measurementdevices. "Device-independent" QRNGs not relying on devices inner workingsassumptions can be built but are impractical. They require a detectionefficiency that, so far, has only be achieved with trapped ions and withphotons detected with transition-edge superconducting sensors. Here weintroduce a novel protocol for quantum private randomness generation that makesno assumption on the functioning of the devices and works even with very lowdetection efficiency. We implement the protocol using weak coherent states andstandard single-photon detectors. Our results pave the way towards a secondgeneration of more secure practical QRNGs.
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