Technology and society are intertwined. Self-driving cars and facial recognition technologies are no longer science fiction, and data and efficiency are harbingers of this new world.

But these new technologies are only the beginning. In the coming decades, further advances in artificial intelligence and the dawn of quantum computing are poised to change lives in both discernible and inconspicuous ways.

Even everyday technology, like a smartphone app, affects people in significant ways that they might not realize, said Fermilab scientist Daniel Bowring. If there are concerns about something as familiar as an app, then we need to take more opaque and complicated technology, like AI, very seriously.

A two-day workshop took place from Oct. 31-Nov.1 at the University of Chicago to raise awareness and generate strategies for the ethical development and implementation of AI and quantum computing. The workshop was organized by the Chicago Quantum Exchange, a Chicago-based intellectual hub and community of researchers whose aim is to promote the exploration of quantum information technologies, and funded by the Kavli Foundation and the Center for Data and Computing, a University of Chicago center for research driven by data science and AI approaches.

Members of the Chicago Quantum Exchange engage in conversation at a workshop at the University of Chicago. Photo: Anne Ryan, University of Chicago

At the workshop, industry experts, physicists, sociologists, journalists and more gathered to learn, share insights and identify next steps as AI and quantum computing advance.

AI and quantum computing are developing tools that will affect everyone, said Bowring, a member of the workshop organizing team. It was important to us to get as many stakeholders in the room as possible.

Workshop participants listened to presentations that framed concerns such as power asymmetries, algorithmic bias and privacy before breaking out into small groups to deliberate these topics and develop actionable strategies. Groups reported to all attendees after each breakout session. On the last day of the workshop, participants considered how they would nurture the dialogue.

At one of the breakout sessions, participants discussed the balance between collaborative quantum computing research and national security. Today, the results of quantum computing research are dispersed in a wide variety of academic journals, and a lot of code is accessible and open source. However, because of its potential implications for cybersecurity and encryption, quantum computing is also of interest to national security, so it may be subject to intelligence and export controls. What endeavors, if any, should be open source or private? Are these outcomes realizable? What level of control should be maintained? How should these technologies be regulated?

Were already behind on setting ground rules for these technologies, which, if left to progress on their own, could increase power asymmetries in society, said Brian Nord, Fermilab and University of Chicago scientist and member of the workshop organizing team. Our research programs, for example, need to be crafted in a way that does not reinforce or exacerbate these asymmetries.

Workshop participants will continue the dialogue through online and in-person meetings to address key ethical and societal issues in the quantum and AI space. Potential future activities include writing proposals for joint research projects that consider ethical and societal implications, white papers addressed to academic audiences, and media editorials and developing community action plans.

Organizers are planning to hold a panel next spring to engage the public, as well.

The spring event will help us continue to spread awareness and engage a variety of groups on issues of ethics in AI and quantum computing, Nord said.

The workshop was sponsored by the Kavli Foundation in partnership with the Center for Data and Computing at the University of Chicago. Artificial intelligence and quantum information science are two of six initiatives identified as special priority by the Department of Energy Office of Science.

The Kavli Foundation is dedicated to advancing science for the benefit of humanity, promoting public understanding of scientific research, and supporting scientists and their work. The foundations mission is implemented through an international program of research institutes, initiatives and symposia in the fields of astrophysics, nanoscience, neuroscience, and theoretical physics, as well as the Kavli Prize and a program in public engagement with science. Visitkavlifoundation.org.

The Chicago Quantum Exchange catalyzes research activity across disciplines and member institutions. It is anchored by the University of Chicago, Argonne National Laboratory, Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory, and the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and includes the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Northwestern University and industry partners. Visit chicagoquantum.org.

Go here to read the rest:

Shaping the technology transforming our society - Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory

Quantum Computing Market report covers the worldwide top manufacturers like (D-Wave Systems, Google, IBM, Intel, Microsoft, 1QB Information Technologies, Anyon Systems, Cambridge Quantum Computing, ID Quantique, IonQ, QbitLogic, QC Ware, Quantum Circuits, Qubitekk, QxBranch, Rigetti Computing) which including information such as: Capacity, Production, Price, Revenue, Cost, Shipment,Gross, Gross Profit, Interview Record, Business Distribution etc., these data help the consumer know about the competitors better. This Quantum Computing Marketreport includes (6 Year Forecast 2020-2026)Overview, Classification, Industry Value, Price, Cost and Gross Profit.This Quantum Computing industry report also covers all the regions and countries of the world, which shows a regional development status, including market size, volume and value, as well as price data.

Get Free Sample PDF (including full TOC, Tables and Figures)of Quantum Computing[emailprotected]https://www.researchmoz.us/enquiry.php?type=S&repid=2040997

Target Audience of the Global Quantum Computing Market in Market Study: Key Consulting Companies & Advisors, Large, medium-sized, and small enterprises, Venture capitalists, Value-Added Resellers (VARs), Manufacturers, Third-party knowledge providers, Equipment Suppliers/ Buyers, Industry Investors/Investment Bankers, Research Professionals, Emerging Companies, Service Providers.

Scope of Quantum Computing Market: Quantum computing is a technology that applies the laws of quantum mechanics to computational ability. It includes three states, namely 1, 0 as well as the superposition of 1 and 0. Superposition indicates that two states exist at the same time. These bits are known as quantum bits or qubits. The global quantum computing market consists of the hardware that is required to develop quantum computers and its peripherals.

North America accounted for the largest share of the overall quantum computing market in 2017. On the other hand, Asia Pacific (APAC) would be the fastest growing region for quantum computing during the forecast period. This growth can be attributed to the increasing demand for quantum technology to solve the most tedious and complex problems in the defense and banking & finance industry.

On the basis of product type, this report displays the shipments, revenue (Million USD), price, and market share and growth rate of each type.

Hardware Software Services

On the basis on the end users/applications,this report focuses on the status and outlook for major applications/end users, shipments, revenue (Million USD), price, and market share and growth rate foreach application.

Defense Healthcare & pharmaceuticals Chemicals Banking & finance Energy & power

Do You Have Any Query Or Specific Requirement? Ask to Our Industry[emailprotected]https://www.researchmoz.us/enquiry.php?type=E&repid=2040997

Geographically, the report includes the research on production, consumption, revenue, Quantum Computing market share and growth rate, and forecast (2020-2026) of the following regions:

Important Key Questions Answered In Quantum Computing Market Report:

Contact:

ResearchMozMr. NachiketGhumare,Tel: +1-518-621-2074USA-Canada Toll Free: 866-997-4948Email:[emailprotected]

Browse More Reports Visit @https://www.mytradeinsight.blogspot.com/

Read the original post:
Quantum Computing Market Increase In Analysis & Development Activities Is More Boosting Demands - Daily Science

(Shutterstock.com)

Why would you be thinking about quantum computing? Yes, it may be two years or more before quantum computing will be widely available, but there are already quite a few organizations that are pressing ahead. I'll get into those use cases, but first - Lets start with the basics:

Classical computers require built-in fans and other ways to dissipate heat, and quantum computers are no different. Instead of working with bits of information that can be either 0 or 1, as in a classical machine, a quantum computer relies on "qubits," which can be in both states simultaneously called a superposition thanks to the quirks of quantum mechanics. Those qubits must be shielded from all external noise, since the slightest interference will destroy the superposition, resulting in calculation errors. Well-isolated qubits heat up quickly, so keeping them cool is a challenge.

The current operating temperature of quantum computers is 0.015 Kelvin or -273C or -460F. That is the only way to slow down the movement of atoms, so a "qubit" can hold a value.

There have been some creative solutions proposed for this problem, such as the nanofridge," which builds a circuit with an energy gap dividing two channels: a superconducting fast lane, where electrons can zip along with zero resistance, and a slow resistive (non-superconducting) lane. Only electrons with sufficient energy to jump across that gap can get to the superconductor highway; the rest are stuck in the slow lane. This has a cooling effect.

Just one problem though: The inventor, MikkoMttnen, is confident enough in the eventual success that he has applied for a patent for the device. However, "Maybe in 10 to 15 years, this might be commercially useful, he said. Its going to take some time, but Im pretty sure well get there."

Ten to fifteen years? It may be two years or more before quantum computing will be widely available, but there are already quite a few organizations that are pressing ahead in the following sectors:

An excellent, detailed report on the quantum computing ecosystem is: The Next Decade in Quantum Computingand How to Play.

But the cooling problem must get sorted. It may be diamonds that finally solve some of the commercial and operational/cost issues in quantum computing: synthetic, also known as lab-grown diamonds.

The first synthetic diamond was grown by GE in 1954. It was an ugly little brown thing. By the '70s, GE and others were growing up to 1-carat off-color diamonds for industrial use. By the '90s, a company called Gemesis (renamed Pure Grown Diamonds) successfully created one-carat flawless diamonds graded ILA, meaning perfect. Today designer diamonds come in all sizes and colors: adding Boron to make them pink or nitrogen to make them yellow.

Diamonds have unique properties. They have high thermal conductivity (meaning they don't melt like silicon). The thermal conductivity of a pure diamond is the highest of any known solid. They are also an excellent electrical insulator. In its center, it has an impurity called an N-V center, where a carbon atom is replaced by a nitrogen atom leaving a gap where an unpaired electron circles the nitrogen gap and can be excited or polarized by a laser. When excited, the electron gives off a single photon leaving it in a reduced energy state. Somehow, and I admit I dont completely understand this, the particle is placed into a quantum superposition. In quantum-speak, that means it can be two things, two values, two places at once, where it has both spin up and spin down. That is the essence of quantum computing, the creation of a "qubit," something that can be both 0 and 1 at the same time.

If that isnt weird enough, there is the issue of entanglement. A microwave pulse can be directed at a pair of qubits, placing them both in the same state. But you can "entangle" them so that they are always in the same state. In other words, if you change the state of one of them, the other also changes, even if great distances separate them, a phenomenon Einstein dubbed, spooky action at a distance. Entangled photons don't need bulky equipment to keep them in their quantum state, and they can transmit quantum information across long distances.

At least in the theory of the predictive nature of entanglement, adding qubits explodes a quantum computer's computing power. In telecommunications, for example, entangled photons that span the traditional telecommunications spectrum have enormous potential for multi-channel quantum communication.

News Flash: Physicists have just demonstrated a 3-particle entanglement. This increases the capacity of quantum computing geometrically.

The cooling of qubits is the stumbling block. Diamonds seem to offer a solution, one that could quantum computing into the mainstream. The impurities in synthetic diamonds can be manipulated, and the state of od qubit can held at room temperature, unlike other potential quantum computing systems, and NV-center qubits (described above) are long-lived. There are still many issues to unravel to make quantum computers feasible, but today, unless you have a refrigerator at home that can operate at near absolute-zero, hang on to that laptop.

But doesnt diamonds in computers sound expensive, flagrant, excessive? It begs the question, What is anything worth? Synthetic diamonds for jewelry are not as expensive as mined gems, but the price one pays at retail s burdened by the effect of monopoly, and so many intermediaries, distributors, jewelry companies, and retailers.

A recent book explored the value of fine things and explains the perceived value which only has a psychological basis.In the 1930s, De Beers, which had a monopoly on the world diamond market and too many for the weak demand, engaged the N. W. Ayers advertising agency realizing that diamonds were only sold to the very rich, while everyone else was buying cars and appliances. They created a market for diamond engagement rings and introduced the idea that a man should spend at least three months salary on a diamond for his betrothed.

And in classic selling of an idea, not a brand, they used their earworm taglines like diamonds are forever. These four iconic words have appeared in every single De Beers advertisement since 1948, and AdAge named it the #1 slogan of the century in 1999. Incidentally, diamonds arent forever. That diamond on your finger is slowly evaporating.

The worldwide outrage over the Blood Diamond scandal is increasing supply and demand for fine jewelry applications of synthetic diamonds. If quantum computers take off, and a diamond-based architecture becomes a standard, it will spawn a synthetic diamond production boom, increasing supply and drastically lowering the cost, making it feasible.

Many thanks to my daughter, Aja Raden, an author, jeweler, and behavioral economist for her insights about the diamond trade.

See the original post here:
Quantum computing is right around the corner, but cooling is a problem. What are the options? - Diginomica

AI is one of the most happening domains in the world right now. It would take a lifetime to skim through all the machine learning research papers released till date. As the AI keeps itself in the news through new releases of frameworks, regulations and breakthroughs, we can only hope to get the best of the lot.

So, here we have a compiled a list of top exciting AI announcements released over the past one week:

Late last year, Google locked horns with IBM in their race for quantum supremacy. Though the news has been around how good their quantum computers are, not much has been said about the implementation. Today, Google brings two of their most powerful frameworks Tensorflow and CIRQ together and releases TensorFlow Quantum, an open-source library for the rapid prototyping of quantum ML models.

Google AI team has joined hands with the University of Waterloo, X, and Volkswagen, announced the release of TensorFlow Quantum (TFQ).

TFQ is designed to provide the developers with the tools necessary for assisting the quantum computing and machine learning research communities to control and model quantum systems.

The team at Google have also released a TFQ white paper with a review of quantum applications. And, each example can be run in-browser via Colab from this research repository.

A key feature of TensorFlow Quantum is the ability to simultaneously train and execute many quantum circuits. This is achieved by TensorFlows ability to parallelise computation across a cluster of computers, and the ability to simulate relatively large quantum circuits on multi-core computers.

As the devastating news of COVID-19 keeps rising at an alarming rate, the AI researchers have given something to smile about. DeepMind, one of the premier AI research labs in the world, announced last week, that they are releasing structure predictions of several proteins that can promote research into the ongoing research around COVID-19. They have used the latest version of AlphaFold system to find these structures. AlphaFold is one of the biggest innovations to have come from the labs of DeepMind, and after a couple of years, it is exhilarating to see its application in something very critical.

As the pursuit to achieve human-level intelligence in machines fortifies, language modeling will keep on surfacing till the very end. One, human language is innately sophisticated, and two, training language models from scratch is exhaustive.

The last couple of years has witnessed a flurry of mega releases from the likes of NVIDIA, Microsoft and especially Google. As BERT topped the charts through many of its variants, Google now announces ELECTRA.

ELECTRA has the benefits of BERT but more efficient learning. They also claim that this novel pre-training method outperforms existing techniques given the same compute budget.

The gains are particularly strong for small models; for example, a model trained on one GPU for four days outperformed GPT (trained using 30x more compute) on the GLUE natural language understanding benchmark.

China has been the worst-hit nation of all the COVID-19 victims. However, two of the biggest AI breakthroughs have come from the Chinese soil. Last month, Baidu announced how its toolkit brings down the prediction time. Last week, another Chinese giant, Alibaba announced that its new AI system has an accuracy of 96% in detecting the coronavirus from the CT scan of the patients. Alibabas founder Jack Ma has fueled the vaccine development efforts of his team with a $2.15 M donation.

Facebook AI has released its in-house feature of converting a two-dimensional photo into a video byte that gives the feel of having a more realistic view of the object in the picture. This system infers the 3D structure of any image, whether it is a new shot just taken on an Android or iOS device with a standard single camera, or a decades-old image recently uploaded to a phone or laptop.

The feature has been only available on high-end phones through the dual-lens portrait mode. But, now it will be available on every mobile device even with a single, rear-facing camera. To bring this new visual format to more people, the researchers at Facebook used state-of-the-art ML techniques to produce 3D photos from virtually any standard 2D picture.

One significant implication of this feature can be an improved understanding of 3D scenes that can help robots navigate and interact with the physical world.

As the whole world focused on the race to quantum supremacy between Google and IBM, Honeywell silently has been building, as it claims, the most powerful quantum computer yet. And, it plans to release this by the middle of 2020.

Thanks to a breakthrough in technology, were on track to release a quantum computer with a quantum volume of at least 64, twice that of the next alternative in the industry. There are a number of industries that will be profoundly impacted by the advancement and ultimate application of at-scale quantum computing, said Tony Uttley, President of Honeywell Quantum Solutions in the official press release.

The outbreak of COVID-19 has created a panic globally and rightfully so. Many flagship conferences have been either cancelled or have been moved to a virtual environment.

Nvidias flagship GPU Technology Conference (GTC), which was supposed to take place in San Francisco in the last week of March was cancelled due to fears of the COVID-19 coronavirus.

Whereas, Google Cloud also has cancelled its upcoming event, Google Cloud Next 20, which was slated to take place on April 6-8 at the Moscone Center in San Francisco. Due to the growing concern around the coronavirus (COVID-19), and in alignment with the best practices laid out by the CDC, WHO and other relevant entities, Google Cloud has decided to reimagine Google Cloud Next 20, the company stated on its website.

One of the popular conferences for ML researchers, ICLR2020 too, has announced that they are cancelling its physical conference this year due to growing concerns about COVID-19. They are shifting this event to a fully virtual conference.

ICLR authorities also issued a statement saying that all accepted papers at the virtual conference will be presented using a pre-recorded video.

comments

View original post here:
Top AI Announcements Of The Week: TensorFlow Quantum And More - Analytics India Magazine

Hulu's Devsepisode 4 made a bombshell revelation - the Multiverse exists in this universe, and it has the power to radically change everything they know about the projectthey're working on. Devs is an eight-part miniseriesdirected by veteran sci-fi filmmaker Alex Garland, and produced as part of the new FX on Hulu banner. The story follows computer engineer Lilly Chan as she dives into the seedy underbelly of the quantum computing company Amaya, a corporation which she believes is responsible for the mysterious death of her boyfriend.

In Devs episode 1, audiences are slowly keyed into the fact that Amaya is working on some kind of mysterious project, one that revolves around the deterministic De Brogile-Bohm theory of quantum mechanics. Throughout episodes 2 and 3, however, the project becomes clearer: the Devs team has created a quantum computer capable of projecting the past and predicting the future. Despite the major ethical and existential questions posed by the existence of the software, it hasn't been perfected just yet, and that's precisely what Forest, the CEO of Amaya, wants.But inDevsepisode 4, the team takes a huge step towards perfecting the projection project, while also inadvertently making a massive discovery about the nature of their reality. And not only does their discovery change the nature of their work with the projection project, but it also might become distinctly important to Forest andhis reasoning behind creating Amayain the first place.

Related: Hulu's Devs Cast & Character Guide

So far, the projection project has simply been an abstract visual rendering of code, which occasionally coalesces to provide an image of a historical event, such as the crucifixion of Christ in the second episode, or a night of love-making betweenMarilyn Monroe and Arthur Miller. All the visuals are in black-and-white and presented like a matrix of binary code. This is because the basis of the program is modeled after the De Brogile-Bohm theory, a quantum mechanics theory that postulates our universe, and the sequence of events that take place within it, are entirely pre-determined as a result of cause and effect. Free will is a myth, and the reason the projection project can predict the future is because it's simply a matter of data.

This theory is preferred by Forest, and it's responsible for the progress that the Devs team has already made. However, Lyndon, an audio engineer for the project, decides to experiment around and develop a new algorithm for sound waves, replacing the single-universe De Brogile-Bohm theory with Hugh Everett's many-worlds theory, which assumes that all possible outcomes of quantum measurements are physically realized in some world. This immediately creates tangible results, and Lyndon produces crisp and clear audio of Jesus Christ of Nazareth praying on the cross.

While it seems as if everyone would be ecstatic about this breakthrough, Forest is furious. In his opinion, swapping out for the many-worlds theory is cheating, because while the audio is clear and Jesus, indeed, can be heard, it's not the Jesus who died on the cross in their universe, thus making it invalid. When Lyndon tries to argue his point, Forest retaliates by firing him. It's clear that whatever Forest plans on using the projection project for, he doesn't want to cut any corners.

Devsepisode 4 also continues dropping subtle hints at Forest's trauma and his reasoning for creating Amaya. When Katie, his closest confidant, accosts him for firing Lyndon, he fires back by telling her that an alternate universe means it "won't be his Amaya," referring to the deceased daughter he mentioned to Lilly back in episode 2. Katie then tells Forest that she's swapped the many-worlds algorithm into the project's light waves as well, and uses it to project a crystal clear image of Forest's daughter that leaves him in tears.

While all but confirmed at this point, it seems as if the projection project represents a crucial step in Forest's journey to get some closure regarding his daughter. And if the ending of the episode is any indication at all, we might see Forest compromise for an alternate universe version of his daughter. Devs has already been a uniquely mind-bending experience, but the introduction of the multiverse might take it even further.

More: 25 Best Movies On Hulu Right Now

Walking Dead Reveals What Happened To Rick After Andrew Lincoln's Exit

Chrishaun Baker is a Feature Writer for Screen Rant, with a host of interests ranging from horror movies to video games to superhero films. A soon-to-be graduate of Western Carolina University, he spends his time reading comic books and genre fiction, directing short films, writing screenplays, and getting increasingly frustrated at the state of film discourse in 2020. You can find him discussing movies on Letterboxd or working up a migraine over American politics on Twitter.

Read more from the original source:
Hulu's Devs Just Confirmed The [SPOILER] Exists - Here's Why It Matters - Screen Rant

The concept of time crystals comes from the realm of counterintuitive mind-melding physics ideas that may actually turn out to have real-world applications. Now comes news that a paper proposes merging time crystals with topological superconductors for applications in error-free quantum computing, extremely precise timekeeping and more.

Time crystals were first proposed as hypothetical structures by the Nobel-Prize winning theoretical physicist Frank Wilczek and MIT physicists in 2012. The remarkable feature of time crystals is that they would would move without using energy. As such they would appear to break the fundamental physics law of time-translation symmetry. They would move while staying in their ground states, when they are at their lowest energy, appearing to be in a kind of perpetual motion. Wilczek offered mathematical proof that showed how atoms of crystallizing matter could regularly form repeating lattices in time, while not consuming or producing any energy.

Time crystals have since been experimentally created in various labs.

Now researchers at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) and the Weizmann Institute in Israel found that theoretically you can create a system that combines time crystals with so-called topological superconductors.

The field of topology looks at the properties of objects that are unchangeable (or "invariant') despite deformations like stretching, twisting, or bending. In a topological insulator, the properties linked to the electron wave function would be considered topologically invariant.

As the scientists themselves explain, "Time crystals form when arbitrary physical states of a periodically driven system spontaneously break discrete time-translation symmetry." What the researchers noticed is that when they introduced "one-dimensional time-crystalline topological superconductors" they found a fascinating interaction where "time-translation symmetry breaking and topological physics intertwineyielding anomalous Floquet Majorana modes that are not possible in free-fermion systems."

Majorana fermions are particles that have their own anti-particles.

"Physicists Gil Refael and Jason Alicea explain the unique properties of electrons constrained to a 2 Dimensional world, and how they can be used to make noise-proof Quantum Computers."

The research was led by Jason Alicea and Aaron Chew from CalTech, as well as David Mross from the Weizmann Institute in Israel.

While studying Majorana fermions, the team observed that it is possible to enhance topological superconductors by coupling them to magnetic degrees of freedom that could be controlled. "Then we realized that by turning those magnetic degrees of freedom into a time crystal, topological superconductivity responds in remarkable ways," shared Alicea.

Aaron Chew (left) and David Mross (right).

Credit: Jason Alicea

One way the phenomen noticed by the scientists could be potentially exploited is to create more stable qubits - the bit of quantum information in quantum computing. The race to create qubits is at the threshold of bringing on a true quantum technology revolution, as writes Popular Mechanics.

"It's tempting to imagine generating some useful quantum operations by controlling the magnetic degrees of freedom that intertwine with the topological physics. Or perhaps certain noise channels can be suppressed by exploiting time crystals," said Alicea.

Check out their new paper in Physical Review Letters.

From Your Site Articles

Related Articles Around the Web

The rest is here:
Scientists discover how to use time crystals to power superconductors - Big Think

According to Moore's law, since the introduction of the first semiconductors, the number of transistors on an integrated circuit has doubled approximately once every 18 months.

However, now that transistors are starting to reach near-atomic sizes, their reduction is becoming increasingly problematic, and as such, this doubling effect is beginning to plateau.

One technology research institute, CEA-Leti, is developing techniques to increase the power of semiconductors.

But what are these new technologies and how will they affect modern electronics?

Developers are increasingly searching for efficient ways toreplace portable power sources that require charging or replacement.

However, such a feat is only possible if power can be extracted from the local environment, like in the instance of a device from the University of Massachusetts Amherst that powers small electronics from moisture in the air.

A more conventionalmethod for energy extraction is using the Peltier effect, which requires a heat differential (such as cold air on a warm wrist), but these are often cumbersome and require heat sinks.

Another method is the use of vibration energy from motion, whereby a cantilever vibrates a piezo element, converting the mechanical energy to electrical energy.

Butthese systems are problematic because they are often tuned for one frequency of vibration. This means that their efficiency is only maximized when external mechanical energy is of the same frequency.

This is where CEA-Letis energy harvesting system comes in.

The energy harvesting systemconverts mechanical energy into electrical energy to power an IC. While similar to a cantilever system, which converts mechanical motion into electrical energy using a piezo effect, the cantilever is electrically tunable, allowingit to match its resonant frequency to the peak frequency of the external mechanical force.

Using an adjustable resonant system increases the harvesting bandwidth by 446%from typical cantilever systems and increases energy efficiency by 94%. The energy needed to control the system is two orders of magnitude lower than what the system harvests; the system requires around 1 W while the energy harvested is between 100 W and 1 mW.

While quantum computing will bring some major changes to the field of computation, they are far from becoming commercialized.

Many hurdles, such as low-temperature requirements, make them difficult to put into everyday applications. But one area, in particular, that is problematic is their integration into standard circuitry.

In a study on energy-efficient quantum computing, researchers explain thatqubits, which are bits in superposition states,must be kept well away from external sources of energy. This is becauseany exposure to external energy puts the qubits at risk ofcollapsing their wavefunction. Such sources of energy can include magnetic field fluctuations, electromagnetic energy, and heat (mechanical vibration).

To make things more complicated, quantum computer circuitry is at some point required to interface with traditional electronic circuitry, such as analog and digital circuits. If these circuits are external to the quantum circuitry, then the issue of space and speed become an issue; remote circuitry takes more room, and the distance reduces the speed at which information can be accessed.

To address these issues, CEA-Leti hasdeveloped a quantum computing technology that combines qubits with traditional digital and analog circuitry on the same piece of silicon using standard manufacturing techniques.

The 28 nm FD-SOI process combines nA current-sensing analog circuitry, buffers, multiplexers, oscillators, and signal amplifiers with an on-chip double quantum dot whose operation is not affectedeven when using the traditional circuitry at digital frequencies up to 7 GHz and analog frequencies up to 3 GHz.

The IC, which operates at 110 mK, is able to provide nA current-sensing while operating on a power budget to prevent interference with the quantum dots, which is 40 times lower than competing technologies.

As the number of transistors on a chip increases, the chances of one failing also increases, thusdecreasingthe yield of wafers. One workaround is to make chips smaller and include fewer transistorswhile also connecting multiple chips together, thus increasingthe overall transistor count.

However, PCBs have issues with connecting multiple dies together. These issues may involve limited bandwidth and the inability to integrate other active circuitry required by the dies, such as power regulation.

CEA-Leti hasmade a breakthrough in IC technology with its active interposer layer and 3D stacked chips.

Namely, the team has developed a 96-core processor on six chiplets, 3D stacked on an active interposer.

Just like the PCB topology, CEA-Leti uses a layer with metal interconnects that connect different dies on a single base. Butunlike a PCB, the interconnection layer is a piece of semiconductor only 100 m thick.

What makes the interposer more impressive is that it isactive. It alsohas integrated circuitry, including transistors. Therefore, the interposer can integrate power regulators, multiplexers, and digital processors, meaningthat the diesdirectly attached to the imposers operate at high-speeds. They alsohave all their needed handling circuitry next to them.

The use of the active imposer also means that smaller ICs with reduced transistor counts can be combined to produce complex circuitry.This improves wafer yields, reduces their overall cost, and expands their capabilities.

These three technologies coming out of CEA-Leti give us a glimpse intoa future where ICs may generate their own power oreven be able to integrate quantum circuitry.

The energy harvesting technology may struggle to find its way into modern designs because most portable applications require relatively large amounts of power (compared to 1 mW) and these devices are often stationary.

The use of quantum circuitry with traditional construction techniques means that quantum security (which may become essential) can be integrated into everyday devicessuch as smartphones, tablets, and computers. Until quantum computing becomes commercial, though, this technology will likely remain niche.

Technologies such as the active imposer may be the first technology of the three discussed here to become widespread as it easily solves modern transistor reduction-related issues.

Is there a specific functionality you can't seem to find in an IC? What limitations do you feel are keeping researchers from making your "dream" IC breakthrough? Share your thoughts in the comments below.

See the article here:
IC Breakthroughs: Energy Harvesting, Quantum Computing, and a 96-Core Processor in Six Chiplets - News - All About Circuits

US research on artificial intelligence (AI) and quantum computing would see dramatic boosts in funding for 2021, under a proposed budget released by the White House on 10 February. Thebudget requestissued by President Donald Trump makes cuts across most science agencies for the 2021 fiscal year, which begins on 1 October 2020. Although Congress has repeatedly rebuffed such requests for cutsand has, in fact, increased science spending in the enacted budgetsthe 132-page document from the White House offers a view into the administrations priorities and ambitions leading up to the November election.

Among US agencies that fund and conduct research, NASA would see big gains. The National Science Foundation (NSF), National Institutes of Health (NIH) and Department of Energy (DOE), among others, are slated for budget reductions.

Trump is being Trump, says Michael Lubell, a physicist at the City College of New York who tracks federal science-policy issues. All of Trumps budgets have sought to slash funding for the US research enterprise, but he has yet to convince lawmakers on Capitol Hill, Lubell says. He can ask for what he wants, but it doesnt mean its going to happen.

Under the presidents request, NASA would get US$25.2 billion for fiscal year 2021, a jump of nearly 12% over funding enacted by Congress for the current year. The money is meant to jump-start the administrations plans to send astronauts to the Moon by the end of 2024. The request includes $3.4 billion to develop lunar landers that could carry humans. Last year, lawmakers granted $600 million towards developing such landersless than half of what the White House asked for.

Under the banner of a Moon-to-Mars strategy, the presidents request also includes $529 million for robotic exploration of Mars. That would include bringing back a set of rock samples that will be collected by a rover slated to launch in July, and developing an ice-mapping mission to gather information for future landing sites.

NASAs Science Mission Directorate, which funds external research projects and partners, would receive $6.3 billion, which is the same amount proposed by the White House last year but would be a nearly 12% decrease from what Congress allocated. As in previous years, the presidents request aims to cancel NASAs next flagship space telescope, the Wide Field Infrared Survey Telescope, as well as the planned Plankton, Aerosol, Cloud, ocean Ecosystem (PACE) and Climate Absolute Radiance and Refractivity Observatory (CLARREO) Pathfinder Earth-science missions. Also on the proposed chopping block is the Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA), a telescope that flies aboard a jumbo jet. Congress has rejected those requested cuts in past years.

The presidents budget proposes $38.7 billion for the NIH, about a 7% cut on the current level of $41.7 billion. The proposal is consistent with past White House budget requests; last year, the administration requested a $5-billion cut. As in the past 2 years, the budget proposes creating a new $335-million NIH institute, the National Institute for Research on Safety and Quality, to replace the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality at the Department of Health and Human Services. Also, as part of the administrations broader push to use and develop AI across sectors, the White House allocates $50 million of its proposed NIH budget for the study of chronic diseases using AI.

The White House proposal seeks a total of $7.7 billion for the NSF for fiscal year 2021, a decrease of more than $500 million from the enacted 2020 budget. This includes a 6% decrease in funding for research and development.

The presidents request includes reductions to six of the NSFs seven research directorates, including cuts of more than $100 million each for biological sciences and engineering. Computer and information science and engineering would be the only major research area to see an increase in its funding, consistent with the administrations plans to prioritize AI and quantum computing. These two areas will receive a combined $1 billion of the NSF budget under the presidents proposal. The NSF budget also includes $50 million for workforce development, with a focus on community colleges, historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) and other minority-serving institutions. But the budget calls for deep cuts to other diversity-focused initiatives, such as the HBCU Excellence in Research programme

Proposed cuts of more than 10% would slash the budgets for geoscience research, the Office of International Science and Engineering and the Office of Polar Programs, which maintains the US research presence in the Arctic and Antarctic.

Tim Clancy, the president of Arch Street, a consulting company in Alexandria, Virginia, with a focus on federal science policy, says that although Congress has typically rejected Trumps proposed cuts to science funding, strict budget caps this year might mean that legislators will have to make difficult decisions about cutting programmes in order to free up money for the presidents AI and quantum initiatives.

The budget would provide $5.8 billion for the DOEs Office of Science, a drop of nearly 17% from 2020 levels. The office would see sharp decreases across its portfolio, which spans biological and environmental research, fusion and high-energy physics. Only the advanced scientific computing programme, with roughly level funding of $988 million, would escape the cuts.

The White House once again proposed slashing funding for clean-energy research. The popular Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E)which received a record $425 million last yearwould be eliminated, and the office of energy efficiency and renewable energy would see its budget slashed by roughly 74%. Funding for fossil-fuel research and development would drop by less than 3%, to $731 million.

The proposal faces long odds on Capitol Hill, where lawmakers have balked at such cuts. Last year, for instance, the administration sought to cut the Office of Sciences budget by nearly 16%; Congress responded by nudging the total up 6%, to a record $7 billion.

The White House is once again seeking to drastically cut funding for the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), which would see its budget drop by roughly 26%, to $6.7 billion. The budget would provide just $478 million for science and technology, a decrease of 33%. But Congress has repeatedly rejected the administrations attempts to cut funding for the EPA, whose budget has increased since Trump entered the White House.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) would receive more than $4.6 billion, a drop of 14%. The core science budget in the Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research would fall by more than 40% to $327 million, although Congress rejected a similar cut last year. The administration has once again proposed eliminating the National Sea Grant College Program, which promotes research into the conservation and sustainable development of marine resources, and which Congress has thus far maintained. The budget would provide $188 million for sea-floor mapping and exploration efforts along the US coasts.

This article is reproduced with permission and was first published on February 10 2020.

Read the rest here:
NASA Soars and Others Plummet in Trump's Budget Proposal - Scientific American

With a huge focus on Internet of things (IoT), machine learning (ML), artificial intelligence (AI) and analytics, India Inc believes that the budget will provide a boost to the countrys digital economy

We present below some industry reactions from different firms:

Ashwin Kumar, Director, Data Centre and Cloud Operations, Linode IndiaWith a focus on technology and innovation, Budget 2020 sets the foundation for Indias future. The allocation of INR 3000 crore for skills development will help bridge a sizable technological skills gap in the country and enhance the global competitiveness of small and mid-size businesses throughout the country, which today employ 40 percent of Indias total workforce and contribute nearly 30 percent to the Indias economy. We welcome all efforts that positively drive the key levers of modern business innovation, growth and efficiency.

Sunil Sharma, managing director sales, Sophos India & SAARCThe Governments Union Budget 2020 is built on the bedrock of emerging technologies including Artifical Intelligence (AI), Machine Learning (ML), Internet of Things (IoT) and more. Initiatives such as building data center parks across India aiming to safeguard data, the most critical asset of organisations along with the digitisation of 100,000 Gram panchayat through its Bharatnet initiative will strengthen the digital fabric of the country. However, increased digital penetration brings along with it cybersecurity risks. As per a recent report, Indian IT managers detected 39% of threats on servers, 35% on the network, 8% on endpoints and 18% on mobile. Additionally, 90% of IT managers believe cybersecurity awareness and education among employees is a major challenge for organisations. That said, while we welcome the Governments proposed steps in strengthening the MSMEs that provide employment to millions of people, we need more impetus on building skilled cybersecurity professionals in the country. The governments allocation of Rs. 3,000 crore towards skill development is a step in the right direction towards building Indias youth and economy. Sunil Sharma, managing director sales, Sophos India & SAARC

Hemal Gathani, Co-founder of Zeux InnovationTwo messages stand out from todays Union Budget address for companies like us. One, the commitment being demonstrated by the Government to emerging technologies and initiatives being taken to improve the ecosystem be it in terms of setting knowledge or technology clusters or announcing a National Mission on Quantum Technologies. Having relocated from US to start a company here, we are thrilled with the governments resolve on this issue. Two, trying to do their bit in creating more stable start-ups by resolving issues such as tax relaxation on ESOPs. Although much more is still to be done jumpstart the economy, but steps such as these will surely help stem the fall and lay new ground for growth.

Government is walking the talk to make India a leading startup hub in the world. Government has announced numerous benefits for all the key stakeholders in the startup space Employees, Investors & Promoters etc. This will go a long way to make India the preferred destination for startups.

Sandeep Bhambure, Vice President and Managing Director, India & SAARC, VeeamThe governments announcement of setting up a policy to build data centre parks throughout India for digital connectivity and the allocation of Rs 6,000 crores for BharatNet is a big step towards a successful Digital India initiative. This will increase the adoption of technologies such as IoT, Analytics and AI; leading to an unprecedented amount of data generation. Data management and protection will play a key role to safeguard the citizens data from cyber-breaches. Additionally, the implementation of intelligent data management platforms will help achieve positive outcomes from the data.

Yadvendra Tyagi, Co-Founder of EnKashBudget 2020-21 has been extremely startup-friendly on various accounts, including the fact that turnover limit for a company to qualify as a Startup and enjoy special tax benefits has been generously raised to 100 Crores, from the previous 25 crores. The budget has also met the expectations of Startups with respect to the lowered corporate tax rate of 22% being maintained. This has a direct bearing on a business like ours, as it will restore the spending/purchasing capacity of businesses, especially the MSMEs to some extent, which is one of our key value propositions at EnKash (We offer Corporate Cards designed especially for Startups, called Freedom Card). For growth stage startups that are currently in the process of raising funds or in talks with foreign investors, the governments proposition to eliminate Dividend Distribution Tax (DDT) will be an impetus for investment and the consequent scale-up. Additionally, the audit threshold for MSMEs that has been raised to Rs. 5 Crores from Rs. 1Cr is also going to be a huge enablement for young businesses, and we welcome this move with open arms.

Relief in personal income tax rate across the board too is a historic step towards the revival of Indias economy at a time when the whole country, i.e. both businesses and individuals have been facing financial strain. Other initiatives such as deferring ESOP taxation to 5 years is also going enable young business to continue offering stock options to deserving team members without them having to worry about selling the shares immediately. Finally, streamlining GST infrastructure and introducing automated processes as promised, will help ensure tax compliances for companies that operate with limited resources.

Naveen Chava, CEO, IDSignWith todays union budget themed around three strong aspects- Aspirational India, Economic Development and Caring Society, the Government of India has reassured its promise in promoting the Indian startup ecosystem for a vibrant and inclusive economy. The proposals aimed at bringing fundamental structural reforms and digital governance such as setting up investment advisory cell online to help young entrepreneurs with faster clearance and launch of seed fund to support early-stage startups come as a major booster for the sector. The decision to relax much-awaited Esops is a laudable move which will now help startups to attract new talent pool. Additionally, the allocation of 3000 crore for development of skill India programme testifies the governments urge to embrace the proliferation of future-readying technologies- Analytics, IoT, AI Quantum Computing and so on among rural youths to make them part of digital India. Also, the governments step to mandate aadhaar-based verification on indirect taxes would certainly widen lucrative business opportunities for companies like us operating in the area of digital signing and verification management

Leon Yu, Regional Head, India & South Asia, Asus

At Asus, we believe that the Union Budget 2020 announcement has covered several pressing issues faced by the economy and is going to bring growth opportunities. All eyes would be on the manufacturing sector, with the FM proposing a scheme to encourage mobile phones, semiconductor packaging, and electronic equipment. The new scheme, Nirvik, is also going to offer respite for exporters, promising to settle refunds for electricity and VAT previously levied. Furthermore, the provision to bring digital connectivity to all public institutions at Gram Panchayat and allocation of INR 6,000Cr to bring fibre to home through BharatNet linking 100,000 Gram Panchayats in FY21 are also welcomed moves.

With Indias rising aspirations reaching the rural locales, internet connectivity will pave the way for connected and smart consumerism. At Asus, we shall be pursuing ways to support the government in enriching Indias economy and traversing through rural India to ensure optimum growth and development. We also look forward to the policy on private players setting up data parks and shall be offering full support with our cutting-edge products and services

Bhavin Turakhia, Founder & CEO, FlockWe are delighted with the steps taken by the Government in the Union Budget towards providing an impetus to entrepreneurship and acknowledging that startups are major job creators. This year, the budget has allocated Rs. 3,000 crore for skill development, which will help in creating a future-ready workforce. The provision for setting up an investment clearance cell for entrepreneurs, an online portal to facilitate quicker business clearances, and a seed fund to support early-stage startups will all collectively attract foreign investment in Indian startups. At present, startup employees are required to pay tax whenever they sign up for ESOPs with a vesting schedule and also pay taxes on capital gains whenever they redeem their ESOPs. As a provisionary measure to this, the minister has proposed deferring the tax payment by five years, or until employees leave the company, or when they sell their shareswhichever is earlier. Additionally, we welcome the governments move towards boosting emerging technologies such as internet of things (IoT), machine learning (ML), artificial intelligence (AI) and analytics which will provide a filip to the countrys digital economy. We believe that with all of these measures, 2020 will be a great year for the Indian startup ecosystem.

Shashank Dixit, CEO, DeskeraThere are 3 key takeaways from the Union Budget 2020 for ease of doing business and the startup community. 1. The simplified GST return system scheduled to be launched in April20 will reduce the compliance burden on SMEs. 2. The threshold for audit being raised from Rs. 1 crore to Rs. 5 crores will further provide a fillip to Indian SMEs. 3. With the abolishment of Dividend Distribution Tax (DDT), it is sure to make India an attractive investment destination

Kunal Lakhara, VP of Finance and Operations, Pocket AcesBudget 2020s revised fiscal deficit target of 3.8% of the GDP seems more realistic and focus on spends/ benefits was required to boost the economy. The thrust on entrepreneurship and tax regulations for both, startups and taxpayers is a move in the right direction. India is the third largest startup hub globally and the announcement of an investment clearance cell to provide end-to-end support to startup founders will encourage more youth to be job creators. Further, the ability to defer taxes on ESOPs will democratise wealth creation for startup employees, ensuring the right talent is benefitted. Finally, the decision to grant 100% tax exemptions to sovereign wealth funds on their investment in priority sectors will provide the much needed funding boost to the sector and create value in the longer run.

Redickaa Subrammanian, Co-founder and CEO, ResulticksDigital disruption has transformed Indias business landscape and the announcement for building more data center parks will further aid in laying a strong foundation for a digitally connected country. INR 8000 crore allotment for developing quantum technology is impressive, and this in tandem with the grassroots level skilling initiatives, make for a strong technology ecosystem. Engineering students will also gain real-world experience through the new internship programs, creating a digitally skilled talent pool equipped to work in a digital economy.

As a fast growing AI and ML based technology start-up, we welcome setting up of the investment clearance cell. The proposed revisions in the income tax structure should lead to increased consumer demand and provide an overall impetus for economic growth in India. The announcement made in Budget 2020 showcases the governments support for Indias technological advancement and we are excited about the entrepreneurial spirit it promotes

Chandrahas Panigrahi, CMO and Consumer Business Head, Acer IndiaThis is positive budget overall from the technology focus point of view. We are pleased that the Government is allocating Rs. 8,000 crore for the National Mission on Quantum Computing and Technology. The governments move on encouraging manufacturing of electronic equipment in India is also a big step as this would provide much needed impetus to technology and manufacturing sector, which has been developing capacities and generating employment opportunities. Also, more focus on technology such as Machine Learning, Robotics, AI will support the industry to grow and establish India as a robust ecosystem for technology and innovation

Vamsi Krishna, CEO & Co-founder, VedantuThe vision of making education accessible to the farthest corner of the country will greatly benefit students. The allocation of budget to hone the skill sets of teachers and educators will positively impact quality learning and thereby provide a boost to the education sector. Additionally, the allocation of budget to BharatNet will also have a deep impact on skilling rural India as it has the potential to open up online learning to students and professionals from remote villages. With better bandwidth internet, a qualified teacher located in a metro city can impart LIVE online classes to students in small town India, where theres a dearth of quality education. Technology will soon disrupt the entire concept of the classroom and make it an extremely personalized, one to one teaching-learning experience tailored for each mind.

Mitesh Shah, Head Finance, BookMyShowAt the onset, we would like to laud the Government for a growth-driven budget. We welcome the progressive policies aimed at encouraging rural demand, changes in personal taxes to spur consumption, impetus to infrastructure development, measures aimed at bolstering growth and reversing slowdown. Additionally, taxation related to ESOPs as a perquisite and removal of DDT are significant moves. However, it would have been beneficial to have the benefits of taxation relief on ESOPs expanded to companies and industries at various stage of growth and not be limited to startups alone.

Compliance on e-commerce has been increased by mandating them to deduct a TDS of 1% on all goods and services sold on e-commerce platforms. This would be in addition to TCS under GST and this amendment might further increase the cost of compliance for e-commerce companies. The governments vision to build data centre parks, allocation towards quantum computing and its focus on using artificial intelligence in statistical and other government departments will take Indias growth story to the next level and help further the Digital India dream.

Manish Mishra, Partner, J. Sagar AssociatesBudget focusses on providing impetus to domestic industry by rationalizing Customs duty exemptions, and levying duties on import of goods for specific industries which are focused on Make in India including increase on customs duties on electric vehicles. Government has taken steps to ensure measures to curb abuse of benefits available under the preferential / free trade agreements harming the domestic players. Keeping this theme in mind safeguard duty and anti-dumping duty has also been imposed on specific sectors.

Health cess of 5% in the nature of customs duty has been levied on import of specified medical devices with immediate effect.

From a GST perspective, given that GST Council along with the government has been taking steps to improvise implementation and administration of GST on an ongoing basis, no surprises or key amendments have been made to the GST legislation. Amendments for extending composition scheme to services sector and in the transition provisions for enabling the government to prescribe time limit for claiming unclaimed credits under the erstwhile regime is a positive step by the government

Yashash Agarwal, CEO, GamezopFMs proposal of delaying tax collection on the exercise of ESOPs is a welcome move. The current structure looks to collect taxes too early causing employees to not exercise vested shares. Easing direct taxation for eligible startups will encourage businesses to chase the right metrics and not just growth at the by bleeding money. The definition of eligible startups must be broadened to bring more companies in this fold.

Rakesh Kharwal, Managing Director, India/South Asia & ASEAN, CyberbitThe government has highlighted the role of digital technologies like analytics, IoT, AI, and quantum technology during this Budget Session. The burgeoning digital infrastructure of India needs a strong cybersecurity framework to support it. Now, since it has allocated Rs. 99,300 crores to the education sector and Rs. 3,000 crores for skill development itself, a good way to realize Indias digital vision could be by working on the cybersecurity front from the very beginning. The government may want to cover its tech initiatives with avant-garde simulation-based cybersecurity training platforms like Cyber Range for proposed cyber forensic university and Skill India campaign. This will help India in generating millions of jobs for the youth and also strengthening national security

Sanjay Katkar, Joint Managing Director and Chief Technology Officer, Quick Heal Technologies LimitedFor cyber forensics University One major step announced by the FM involved the proposal for establishing a national forensic university and cyber forensic university. With cyber crimes increasing at a rapid rate, the need for cyber forensics has become more important than ever for a rapidly digitising country like India. The setting up of a cyber forensics university is a welcome move from the Government. This will definitely help in improving Indias expertise to solve complex cyber crimes

Mike Chen, General Manager, TCLAt TCL, we believe that the Finance Minister has announced an encouraging Union Budget 2020. Proposing the scheme to encourage the manufacturing of mobile phones, semiconductor packaging and electronic equipment is a welcomed move and we look forward to a complete policy and leveraging the same to kickstart the domestic manufacturing through our panel factory in Tirupati. Furthermore, painting a futuristic picture in this years budget announcement, the FM also acknowledged advanced technologies like IoT, AI, and analytics changing the world. At TCL, we are forever committed to advancing our AI x IoT ecosystem in India and will continue to invest in cutting-edge technologies to offer the best services to our customers in India.

Rahul Sharma, MD-India, LogMeInBudget 2020 looks very promising. We are particularly enthused about the FMs announcement of seamless delivery of digital services as part of the next wave of digital revolution. AI, ML, Analytics, IoT, Robotics are making giant inroads in India, as was observed in the budget. The policy being introduced to build data centre parks throughout the country will help enhance the digital infrastructure to a significant extent. We are looking forward to the next phase of Digital India which will be a big growth driver for businesses and individuals alike.

Aakrit Vaish, CEO, HaptikAs digitization and advanced technologies continue to gain momentum, we welcome the Budget 2020 announcements. Once again, the Finance Ministers emphasis on machine learning, robotics, AI and IoT will help boost Indias digital journey. A significant proportion from the allocation of INR 3000cr for skill development should focus on these cutting-edge technologies. We are also delighted to witness proposals such as the linking of 100,000 Gram Panchayats through the enhancement of Bharat Net and setting up of data centre parks across the country. As national systems become more sophisticated and our workforce is equipped with the relevant skills, we will truly see the next wave of digital revolution, with greater scope for large-scale indigenous innovation

Suganthi Shivkumar, Managing Director, ASEAN, India & Korea, QlikWe appreciate the governments decision in the 2020 Budget to dedicate the necessary funds and resources towards developing revolutionary and breakthrough technologies such as ML, robotics and AI to further the skills that will prepare us for the next wave and accelerate Indias journey towards becoming a digital giant. With data equated as the new oil, the governments plan of building cutting-edge data parks across the country is equally important. Furthermore, the governments initiative of allocating Rs 6000 crores to enable unabridged digital connectivity in over 100,000 Gram Panchayats through the Fiber to Home BharatNet scheme holds brilliant potential in securing Indias passage towards achieving tech-empowerment for the remote sector.

Piyush Kumar, Founder & CEO, RooterIts very encouraging to see that Indian Government regards entrepreneurship as strength of India. Start-ups can not only get a lot of foreign investment in India but also create thousands of jobs. The investment clearance and advisory cell for entrepreneurs is a great step to encourage new entrepreneurs and provide assistance. Moreover, the seed fund to support early-stage start-ups will help them to create quality market fit product before approaching VCs

Akash Gupta, Founder and CEO Zypp (Earlier known as Mobycy)The Union Budget 2020 paints an affirmative picture for the future. We are glad that the Finance Minister has emphasised on improving the air quality, citing that the matter of clean air is a matter of concern in large cities that have a population of over 1 million. To the same end, we believe that EV-powered everyday commuting solutions offered by Zypp through Electric Scooters and Logistics solutions will play a crucial role in times to come. The budget announcement further comprises positive news for Indias fast-growing start-ups. The proposal to set-up investment clearance cell for entrepreneurs along with assistance in funding would definitely prove to be extremely beneficial. Furthermore, increasing the threshold of start-ups eligible for tax deduction from an annual turnover of 25Cr to now up to 100Cr is another welcomed move. The FM has also increased the window for such start-ups to claim a tax deduction for 3 years out of 10 years now as compared to 7 years previously. Owing to the same, the start-ups will find it easier to take risks and not be burdened financially while pursuing trailblazing innovations. Deferring ESOPs for start-up employees is another affirmative move, giving employees of start-ups to postpone taxation for 5 years or whenever they exit the venture, whichever is earlier.

Ambika Sharma, Managing Director & Founder, Pulp StrategyThe latest budget announcement for the year 2020 -21 bears vast potential in shaping Indias road towards achieving its target of emerging as a 5 trillion dollar economy. With India currently posed as the fifth largest economy in the world, I am particularly enthralled by the governments decision to optimize new-age disruptive technologies such as Machine Learning, robotics and Artificial Intelligence (AI) towards attaining a seamless and integrated service sector. Further advancing the digital revolution in the country is the governments resolution of developing state-of-the-art data centers across the nation. Moreover, the FMs proposal to allocate Rs 6000 crore for connecting 100,000 Gram Panchayats by FY21 will also prove instrumental in accelerating Indias journey towards becoming a tech enabled nation. Also admirable is the governments successful implementation of the Beti Bachao and Beti Padhao scheme which was reflected by the high gross enrollment of girls in all levels of school education. With the budget modeled towards realizing a progressive and equal women-centric society, the Finance minister also highlighted the fact that presently more than 6 lakh Anganwadi workers are equipped to upload status of more than 10 crore households. The governments decision to provide Rs 35,600 crore for nutrition related programs and Rs 28,600 crores for women linked programmes will vastly help in furthering women empowerment and gender equality

Abhishek Kumar, Regional Director, Onvu TechThis years budget includes a number of positive reforms for the surveillance and security agency. The government has announced the launch of Police Academy and Forensic Sciences, 5 more smart cities, 9,000 KMs of economic corridor, enhancement of tourist attractions, and improved business landscape for MSMEs alongside others. Security and Surveillance infrastructure is a core element of all of these reforms and will give a strong stimulus to the segment

Abhishek Kumar, Regional Director, Onvu TechThe government has announced a number of measures for the education sector with a whopping Rs. 99,300 crore budget. With it, courses will go online soon and Top-100 NIRF Ranked Institutes start offering them. The government has also announced positive reforms including Asian-African Study in India program, establishment of Police Academy and Forensic Science, and integration of medical institutes with dist. hospitals. Rs. 3000 crores have further been allocated for Skill Development. Perhaps, all of these reforms will go a long way by including video-analytics-based EdTech solutions to them as well

Raman Singh, Chief revenue officer, Cloud ConnectAt CloudConnect, we wholeheartedly believe that the progress of the country lies in creating more opportunities for start-up owners. Thus, we duly welcome the decisions taken by FM Nirmala Sitharaman through the Union Budget 2020. She has rightly mentioned that entrepreneurship is the true spirit of India and has been its strength.We appreciate the governments emphasis on promoting cutting-edge technologies such as machine learning, robotics and AI in India. The commitment to tech-advancement to support entrepreneurship is evident in the governments decision of building data center parks throughout the country and proposing INR 8,000Cr for over 5 years for the National Mission of Quantum Technology and Application.

Finally, the setting up of investment clearance cells and portals for entrepreneurs in order to assist them in funding will give a significant boost to entrepreneurship in India.

Ravi Goyal, Chairman & MD, AGS Transact Technologies LtdThe removal of dividend distribution tax will reassure the flow of FDI and make Indian equities more attractive. This years budget focused on entrepreneurship and early stage start-ups and the FM has provided a series of measures, that will encourage Indian start-ups whilst focusing on positioning entrepreneurs as job creators. The overall focus on boosting transport infrastructure will help pursue greater commercialization of highways to raise finance operating road assets. Recent developments to promote digital payments such as zero MDR are pre budget announcements and there was an expectation of a clear roadmap from the government on supporting digital payments infrastructure given the sector will be a major catalyst towards achieving the $5.5 trillion target.

Forward Looking Budget Focused on Technology and Infrastructure: IAMAI

New Delhi, 01 February 2020: The Internet and Mobile Association of India (IAMAI) has welcomed the positive outlook on the digital industry and the push to improve digital infrastructure. IAMAI believes the announcement made by the Honourable Minister of Finance Smt. Nirmala Sitaraman will promote entrepreneurship, and will boost investments. Subho Ray, President, IAMAI said: The focus on Technology and Digital Infrastructure is a step towards realizing the trillion-dollar economy and will open up new opportunities for demand generation.

According to IAMAI, the vision to provide digital connectivity to all public institutions at gram panchayat level in FY 21, is ambitious and will usher in the much-needed digital revolution under the Digital India initiative, and will also help in the last mile connectivity. This will also bridge the Rural-Urban digital divide, and will open avenues to jobs and employment creation. According to IAMAI, the budget duly acknowledges the positive role of emerging technologies such as AI, IoT, Quantum Computing, in the new world economy.

IAMAI has also welcomed the finance ministers proposal for promoting the manufacturing of mobile phones, electronics, and semiconductor packaging in the country. In her speech the minister said that India needs to boost domestic manufacturing and attract investment in electronics manufacturing.

IAMAI has maintained that India should focus on attracting large-scale manufacturing and enhance local value integration, and also rapidly capture the markets for high-end smartphones. According to IAMAI, Government must, therefore, provide both productions-based incentives as well as export-oriented incentives to encourage Indian domestic manufacturing. As the Finance Minister rightly said, There is a cost advantage for electronics manufacturing in India.

IAMAI also welcomed the Ministers assurance that there will be an effort to create more opportunities for startup owners. The proposal to set up of Investment clearance cell for entrepreneurs and offering assistance in funding is a welcome move.

IAMAI has also welcomed the plan to provide online quality education to deprived section of society. The association feels that the step will provide the much-needed fillip to the online education sector and will also help in providing quality education in the rural areas.

Priya Mahajan, Head of APAC Public Policy & Regulatory Counsel, Verzion Enterprise SolutionsThe Union Budget 2020, is encouraging , forward looking and would ensure the necessary boost to the Digital India Vision. The Budget duly recognises the transformational impact of emerging technologies such as AI, IOT, Big data, Cybersecurity, ML and Robotics on the economy . The digital growth momentum is steered further and India definitely has a key role to play in the global economy and future of technology and innovation. We believe that India has a unique success story and a step towards being a global technology leader. This budget definitely favours new age digital economy and we look forward to further growth in the sector

Nikhil Arora, VP and MD, GoDaddy IndiaThe Union Budget 2020 is a reflection of the Government of Indias vision and commitment towards delivering an inclusive growth. The proposed reforms especially those focused towards MSMEs and startups such as provision of seed funding for early-stage startups and setting up of a portal based investment clearing cell, will further help to bolster growth of independent ventures in India. Big announcements like deferred payment of ESOPs, as well as the creation of an e-market place for MSMEs, are also laudable steps by the Government towards uplifting the overall entrepreneurial spirit in the country. We also believe that the proposed allocation of INR 99,300 for education and the allocation of INR 3000 for skilling initiatives, can be instrumental in delivering better educational infrastructure and innovation. As India gears up to chart the next chapter in its strong growth story, we at GoDaddy continue to work in collaboration with the Government and our partner ecosystem, to help entrepreneurs and small businesses grow their ventures online, with our easy-to-use and affordable tools and solutions

Prasanna Sarambale, CEO, Sterling & Wilson, Data Centre BusinessThe Union Budget 2020, is extremely encouraging and would ensure the necessary boost to the economy. For the first time Data centres have been given due importance. As technology leads the next level of growth for the country, the governments move to focus on building the necessary back end infrastructure (via construction of new Data centre parks through the country) will ensure the GDP gets the necessary shot in the arm that the country is looking forward too. The impetus planned by the government will ensure long term sustainable growth not only for the sector but also the country. Development of smart cities will need smart data centres, which is a huge opportunity for the sector, this move will also ensure jobs creation and boost to local consumption. This will act as a catalyst in the development of individual states

Jitendra Chaddah, Chairman, IESAThe vision for the semiconductor and electronics industry in the budget speech is encouraging. We feel this interim budget by Finance Minister is progressive and inclusive. It focuses on leveraging new technologies to build countrywide digital infrastructure, skill-building and drives growth by providing cost benefits for electronics manufacturing in India. The scheme to boost the intelligent electronics & semiconductor ecosystem by the manufacturing of mobile phones, semiconductor packaging and electronic equipment, assures more investment. We foresee the sustained incentives by the government to promote local manufacturing will fulfil local demand and also enable India to become an export hub for electronics

Sudhindra Holla, Director, Axis Communications, India and SAARCThe budget set by the Finance Minister is focusing directly on three factors, namely Aspirational India, Economic Development, and a Caring Society. Delving into these three aspects, it has kept a keen eye on improving the transport and infrastructure by allocating Rs 1.75 lakh crore for these sectors. Furthermore, we support the keenness to develop more smart cities by allotting 5 new smart cities under the PPP model. With 100 new operational airports and high-speed trains both the aviation and railways will now see redevelopment programs to enhance the passenger travel experience. The idea of 100% exemption for sovereign wealth funds in infrastructure and other notified sectors with a minimum lock-in of three years is welcoming. We view it as a definite budget for the corporates who are driving the countrys growth and infrastructure development in both Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities

Sashi Kumar, Managing Director, Indeed IndiaData from Indeed reveals that technology-related job roles in India are among the most promising for job seekers, as these job openings have grown consistently in the past five years. Last year alone saw tech job roles grow by 31%. Despite ups and downs, hiring is stabilizing as companies shift gears to skill their workforce. The proposition to provide internship opportunities for young engineers at urban local bodies is a very good move in helping young talent make good use of their qualification and scale from there.The onus of creating a culture of learnability and skilling that can ensure sustained employment is now shifting to the industry. Companies need to invest strongly in L&D initiatives that can help their employees stay industry relevant in the race to profitability. In fact this could be a positive move towards employee loyalty and retention that can in-turn help organisations find sustainable growth

If you have an interesting article / experience / case study to share, please get in touch with us at [emailprotected]

See the original post:
Budget 2020: Focus on AI, ML, IoT and Quantum Computing will provide a boost to digital economy - Express Computer

Northeastern researchers have used a powerful computer model to probe a puzzling class of copper-based materials that can be turned into superconductors. Their findings offer tantalizing clues for a decades-old mystery, and a step forward for quantum computing.

The ability of a material to let electricity flow comes from the way electrons within their atoms are arranged. Depending on these arrangements, or configurations, all materials out there are either insulators or conductors of electricity.

But cuprates, a class of mysterious materials that are made from copper oxides, are famous in the scientific community for having somewhat of an identity issue that can make them both insulators and conductors.

Under normal conditions, cuprates are insulators: materials that inhibit the flow of electrons. But with tweaks to their composition, they can transform into the worlds best superconductors.

The finding of this kind of superconductivity in 1986 won its discoverers a Nobel Prize in 1987, and fascinated the scientific community with a world of possibilities for improvements to supercomputing and other crucial technologies.

But with fascination came 30 years of bewilderment: Scientists have not been able to fully decipher the arrangement of electrons that encodes for superconductivity in cuprates.

Arun Bansil, University Distinguished Professor of physics and Robert Markiewicz, professor of physics, are part of a team of researchers who are describing the mechanism by which copper-oxide materials turn from insulators to superconductors. Credit: Matthew Modoono/Northeastern University

Mapping the electronic configuration of these materials is arguably one of the toughest challenges in theoretical physics, says Arun Bansil, University Distinguished Professor of physics at Northeastern. And, he says, because superconductivity is a weird phenomenon that only happens at temperatures as low as -300 F (or about as cold as it gets on Uranus), figuring out the mechanisms that make it possible in the first place could help researchers make superconductors that work at room temperature.

Now, a team of researchers that includes Bansil and Robert Markiewicz, a professor of physics at Northeastern, is presenting a new way to model these strange mechanisms that lead to superconductivity in cuprates.

In a study published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the team accurately predicted the behavior of electrons as they move to enable superconductivity in a group of cuprates known as yttrium barium copper oxides.

In these cuprates, the study finds, superconductivity emerges from many types of electron configurations. A whopping 26 of them, to be specific.

During this transition phase, the material will, in essence, become some kind of a soup of different phases, Bansil says. The split personalities of these wonderful materials are being now revealed for the first time.

The physics within cuprate superconductors are intrinsically weird. Markiewicz thinks of that complexity as the classical Indian myth of the blind men and the elephant, which has been a joke for decades among theoretical physicists who study cuprates.

According to the myth, blind men meet an elephant for the first time, and try to understand what the animal is by touching it. But because each of them touches only one part of its bodythe trunk, tail, or legs, for examplethey all have a different (and limited) concept of what an elephant is.

In the beginning, we all looked [at cuprates] in different ways, Markiewicz says. But we knew that, sooner or later, the right way was going to show up.

The mechanisms behind cuprates could also help explain the puzzling physics behind other materials that turn into superconductors at extreme temperatures, Markiewicz says, and revolutionize the way they can be used to enable quantum computing and other technologies that process data at ultra-fast speeds.

Were trying to understand how they come together in the real cuprates that are used in experiments, Markiewicz says.

The challenge of modeling cuprate superconductors comes down to the weird field of quantum mechanics, which studies the behavior and movement of the tiniest bits of matterand the strange physical rules that govern everything at the scale of atoms.

In any given materialsay, the metal in your smartphoneelectrons contained within just the space of a fingertip could amount to the number one followed by 22 zeros, Bansil says. Modeling the physics of such a massive number of electrons has been extremely challenging ever since the field of quantum mechanics was born.

Bansil likes to think of this complexity as butterflies inside a jar flying fast and cleverly to avoid colliding with each other. In a conducting material, electrons also move around. And because of a combination of physical forces, they also avoid each other. Those characteristics are at the core of what makes it hard to model cuprate materials.

The problem with the cuprates is that they are at the border between being a metal and an insulator, and you need a calculation that is so good that it can systematically capture that crossover, Markiewicz says. Our new modeling can capture this behavior.

The team includes researchers from Tulane University, Lappeenranta University of Technology in Finland, and Temple University. The researchers are the first to model the electronic states in the cuprates without adding parameters by hand to their computations, which physicists have had to do in the past.

To do that, the researchers modeled the energy of atoms of yttrium barium copper oxides at their lowest levels. Doing that allows researchers to trace electrons as they excite and move around, which in turn helps describe the mechanisms supporting the critical transition into superconductivity.

That transition, known as the pseudogap phase in the material, could be described simply as a door, Bansil says. In an insulator, the structure of the material is like a closed door that lets no one through. If the door is wide openas it would be for a conductorelectrons pass through easily.

But in materials that experience this pseudogap phase, that door would be slightly open. The dynamics of what transforms that door into a really wide open door (or, superconductor) remains a mystery, but the new model captures 26 electron configurations that could do it.

With our ability to now do this first-principles-parameter-free-type of modeling, we are in a position to actually go further, and hopefully begin to understand this pseudogap phase a bit better, Bansil says.

Reference: Competing stripe and magnetic phases in the cuprates from first principles by Yubo Zhang, Christopher Lane, James W. Furness, Bernardo Barbiellini, John P. Perdew, Robert S. Markiewicz, Arun Bansil, and Jianwei Sun, 8 November 2019, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1910411116

Here is the original post:
Superconductor or Not? Exploring the Identity Crisis of This Weird Quantum Material - SciTechDaily

Having led a Bitcoin mining firm for over two years, I've come to realize the importance of computing power. Computing power connects the real (chip energy) and virtual (algorithm) dimensions of our world. Under the condition that the ownership of the assets remains unchanged, computing power is an intangible asset that can be used and circulated. It is a commercialized technical service and a consumption investment. This is a remarkable innovation for mankind, and it is an upgrade for the digital economy.

2020 marks the birth year of the computing power infrastructure. Our world is at the beginning of a new economic and technological cycle. We have entered the digital economic civilization. This wave of technology is driven by the combination of AI, 5G, quantum computing, big data and blockchain. People have started realizing that in the age of the digital economy, computing power is the most important and innovative form of productivity.

Computing power is not just technical but also economic innovation. It's a small breakthrough at the fundamental level with impact that will be immeasurable. And people have finally seen the value of the bottom layer through the 10 years of crypto mining evolution.

However, there are two major problems faced by the entire technological landscape: First is insufficient computing power. Second is the dominance of centralized computing power, which creates a monopoly and gives rise to manipulation problems and poor data security.

How does more computing power help?

Artificial Intelligence

Mining Bitcoin has allowed my company to build the foundation of computing infrastructure, so we are planning to eventually expand into AI computing. This experience has further shown me the importance of working toward developing more computing power if tech leaders want to continue creating innovative technologies.

Consider this: For an AI system to recognize someone's voice or identify an animal or a human being, it first needs to process millions of audio, video or image samples. It then learns to differentiate between two different pitches of voices or to differentiate faces based on various facial features. To reach that level of precision, an AI model needs to be fed a tremendous amount of data.

It is only possible to do that if we have powerful computers that can process millions of data points every single second. The more the computing power, the faster we can feed the data to train the AI system, resulting in a shorter span for the AI to reach near-perfection, i.e., human-level intelligence.

The computing power required by AI has been doubling roughly every three and a half months since 2012. The need to build better AI has made it mandatory to keep up with this requirement for more computing power. Tech companies are leaving no stone unturned to rise to this demand.

It is almost as if computing power is now an asset into which investors and organizations are pouring millions of dollars. They are constantly testing and modifying their best chips to produce more productive versions of them. The results of this investment are regularly seen in the form of advanced, more compact chips capable of producing higher computing power while consuming lesser energy.

For new technological breakthroughs, computing power itself has become the new "production material" and "energy." Computing power is the fuel of our technologically advanced society. I've observed it is driving the development in various technological landscapes, such as AI, graphics computing, 5G and cryptocurrency.

Cryptocurrency Mining

Similar to AI, the decentralized digital economy sector also relies on high computing power. Transactions of cryptocurrencies, such as Bitcoin, are validated through a decentralized process called "mining." Mining requires miners across the world to deploy powerful computers to find the solution or the hash to a cryptographic puzzle that proves the legitimacy of each transaction requested on the blockchain.

The bad news, however, is that the reward to mine Bitcoin is halved almost every four years. This means that following May 20, 2020 the next halving date miners who mine Bitcoin would receive half the reward per block compared to what they do now. Two primary factors that compensate for the halving of rewards are an increase in the price of Bitcoin and advanced chips with high computing power.

Miners run not one but multiple high-end graphics processing units to mine Bitcoin, which is an electricity-intensive process. The only way to keep mining profitably is to invest in better chips that produce more computing power with lower electricity consumption. This helps miners process more hashes per second (i.e., the hashrate) to get to the right hash and attain the mining reward.

So far, mining chip producers have delivered the promise of more efficient chips leading to an increase in the mining hashrate from 50 exahashes per second to 90 exahashes per second in the past six months. Per the reports, the efficiency of the latest chips combined with increased Bitcoin prices has helped keep the mining business highly profitable since the previous halving.

High computing power has become an addiction we humans are not getting rid of in the foreseeable future. With our growing fondness for faster computer applications and more humanlike AI, it's likely that we demand faster and more perfect versions of the systems we use today. A viable way to fulfill this would be to produce more computing power.

The two biggest challenges that lie in our way are producing clean electricity at lower costs and developing chips that have a lower electricity-consumption-to-computing-power-production ratio. The core of industrial production competition today lies in the cost of producing electricity. Low energy prices enable us to provide stable services. For example, there is an abundance of hydro-electric power in southwest China, and cooperative data centers are located there so they can harness the hydropower.

If we could make low-cost, clean energy available everywhere, we'd cut the cost of producing computing power. When this energy is used by power-efficient computing chips, the total cost drops even more and high computing power becomes highly affordable.

Read more from the original source:
The Need For Computing Power In 2020 And Beyond - Forbes

COMPUTING

Alphabet Has a Second Secretive Quantum Computing TeamTom Simonite | Wired[Alphabets moonshot incubator Xs]small group of quantum researchers is not building its own quantum computing hardware. The groups leader is more interested in creating new algorithms and applications to run on quantum computers, and building software libraries that allow conventional coders to use the exotic machines.

Japan Is Building a Giant Gundam Robot That Can WalkEvan Ackerman | IEEE SpectrumGundam Factory Yokohama, which is a Gundam Factory in Yokohama, is constructing an 18-meter-tall, 25-ton Gundam robot. The plan is for the robot to be fully actuated using a combination of electric and hydraulic actuators, achieving Gundam-like movement with its 24 degrees of freedom.

How to Turn Garbage Into GrapheneCourtney Linder | Popular MechanicsThe new process, which is called flash graphene production, yields bulk quantities of graphene flakes. Not only does this technique produce far more graphene than traditional methods, but its also way cheaper and greener, upcycling food waste, plastic, and even coal into a valuable carbon allotrope used in various branches of material science.

Mammoth Biosciences Aims to Be Illumina for the Gene Editing GenerationJonathan Schieber | TechCrunchYou will need a full toolbox of CRISPR proteins, says [Trevor Martin, Mammoth Biosciences co-founder and chief executive]. That will allow you to interact with biology in the same way that we interact with software and computers. From first principles, companies will programmatically modify biology to cure a disease or decrease risk for a disease.'

Will You Still Need a College Education in 2040?Anisa Purbasari Horton | Fast Company[Six experts] shared the consensus that change is the only certainty. Workers, employers, and education providers alike need to be agile, flexible, and prepared to adapt as technology continues to disrupt industries and change what jobs will and will not be available. Heres what else they had to say.

This Is the Highest-Resolution Photo of the Sun Ever TakenNeel V. Patel | MIT Technology ReviewThe new image demonstrates the telescopes potential power. It shows off a surface thats divided up into discrete, Texas-size cells, like cracked sections in the desert soil. You can see plasma oozing off the surface, rising high into the solar atmosphere before sinking back into darker lanes. [Note: The referenced photo appears in this articles banner image.]

A History ofStar Treks Uneasy Relationship With AndroidsJames Whitbrook | io9Sci-fi has been fascinated with sentient synthetic life sinceits earliest days, butStar Trek, in particular, has had quite the tumultuous history with its own consideration of androids and their place in its far future. From classic interpretations of sinister bots to one of the franchises most beloved characters, heres everything you need to know aboutStar Treksandroids.

Technology Is AnthropologyJon Evans | TechCrunchIts hard enough getting an accurate answer of how a person would use a new technology when thats the only variable. When they live in a constantly shifting and evolving world of other new technologies, when the ones which take root and spread have a positive-feedback-loop effect on the culture and mindset toward new technologies, and when every one of your first 20 interactions with new tech changes your feelings about itits basically impossible.

Image Credit: NSO/AURA/NSF

Read the rest here:
This Week's Awesome Tech Stories From Around the Web (Through February 1) - Singularity Hub

The majority of cybersecurity professionals believe quantum computing will develop faster than other security technologies, but for them thats cause for concern.

According to a new report by the Neustar International Security Council (NISC), almost three quarters (74 per cent) are keeping a close eye on the tech, while 21 per cent are doing experiments of their own. To tackle the potential coming crisis, a third (35 per cent) are already developing a quantum strategy, while just 16 per cent arent yet thinking about it.

The vast majority believe quantum computing could become a problem for encryption within five years. Just seven per cent believe quantum supremacy will never happen.

At the same time, almost all CISOs, CSO, CTOs and other security directors are feeling excitement over the potential positive changes quantum computing may bring.

At the moment, we rely on encryption, which is possible to crack in theory, but impossible to crack in practice, precisely because it would take so long to do so, over timescales of trillions or even quadrillions of years, said Rodney Joffe, Chairman of NISC and Security CTO at Neustar.

Without the protective shield of encryption, a quantum computer in the hands of a malicious actor could launch a cyberattack unlike anything weve ever seen.

According to Joffe, the cybersecurity community is already hard at work, researching quantum-proof cryptography.

IT experts of every stripe will need to work to rebuild the algorithms, strategies, and systems that form our approach to cybersecurity, Joffe concluded.

More:

Quantum computing could be the next big security breakthrough - ITProPortal

Weather forecasting today is good. Can it get better? Sure, it can, if computers can be better. This is where quantum computers come into the picture. They possess computing capacity beyond anything that todays classical computers can ever achieve. This is because quantum computers can run calculations exponentially faster than todays conventional binary computers. That makes them powerful enough to bridge gaps which exist in todays weather forecasting, drug discovery, financial modelling and many other complex areas.

Classical computing has been the backbone of modern society. It gave us satellite TV, the internet and digital commerce. It put robots on Mars and smartphones in our pockets.

But many of the worlds biggest mysteries and potentially greatest opportunities remain beyond the grasp of classical computers, says Stefan Filipp, quantum scientist at IBM Research. To continue the pace of progress, we need to augment the classical approach with a new platform, one that follows its own set of rules. That is quantum computing.

Classical computing is based on the binary system, where the fundamental carriers of information bits can take on a value of either 0 or 1.

All information is stored and read as a sequence of 0s and 1s. A state of 0 is off (or false) and a state of 1 is on (or true). Unlike bits, quantum bits or qubits can have multiple values or states between 0 and 1, enabling them to store different types of information.

Superposition and entanglement are two fundamental properties of quantum objects. The ability to manipulate these properties is what makes quantum algorithms fundamentally different from classical algorithms.

Quantum computers working with classical systems have the potential to solve complex real-world problems such as simulating chemistry, modelling financial risk and optimising supply chains.

For example, Exxon Mobil plans to use quantum computing to better understand catalytic and molecular interactions that are too difficult to calculate with classical computers. Potential applications include more predictive environmental models and highly accurate quantum chemistry calculations to enable the discovery of new materials for more efficient carbon capture.

JP Morgan Chase is focusing on use cases for quantum computing in the financial industry, including trading strategies, portfolio optimisation, asset pricing and risk analysis.

In India, the government has launched two initiatives in the emerging field a networked programme on Quantum Information Science and Technology (QuST) and the National Mission on Quantum Technologies & Applications (NMQTA).

Despite all the progress, practical and working quantum systems might take most of the 2020s. And you wont see or need a quantum machine on your desk. These will be used by governments and large enterprises, unless you want to find aliens or figure out and execute ways to boil the ocean while sitting at home.

This story is part of the 'Tech that can change your life in the next decade' package

View post:

Quantum computing : Solving problems beyond the power of classical computing - Economic Times

Over the past few decades, we have seen almost unimaginable progress in computation speed and power. A watch today is a more powerful computer than the first Macintosh that my parents bought me in 1984 (I was very lucky). The weakest and lightest laptop today is more powerful than the computers that I programmed on during my undergraduate studies in university. Do you remember the days of computers with 64 kilobytes of RAM? Now we count in gigabytes and, soon, terabytes.

Yes, I know that Im old (but at least Im not reminiscing about punch cards and vacuum tubes), but thats not really the point. The point is to understand where all of these extremely fast advancements in computing power came from.

The answer is a combination of Moores law (stating that the number of transistors on a chip doubles every two years, although this has now slowed down), together with many architectural improvements and optimizations by chip manufacturers. Despite this, the basic way that our most powerful computers work today is the same as in the 1970s and 1980s. Thus, although improvements are fast and impressive, they are all in the same playing field.

Quantum computing is a completely different ball game. Quantum computers work in a radically different way and could solve problems that classical computers wont be able to solve for hundreds of years, even if Moores law continues. Stated differently, quantum computers dont follow the same rules of classical computing and are in a league of their own. This does not mean that quantum computers can solve all computationally hard problems. However, there are problems for which quantum computers are able to achieve extraordinary speedups.

Some of these problems are closely related to much of modern cryptography, and include the number factorization problem that lies at the core of the RSA cryptosystem, and the discrete log problem that lies at the core of Diffie-Hellman, ECDSA, EdDSA and other cryptosystems (as used in cryptocurrencies and blockchains).

The big question that still has not been answered, despite what you may have read, is whether or not such quantum computers will ever be built. I want to stress that this is still an if and not a when. The fact that small quantum computers have been built does not mean that quantum computers at the scale and accuracy needed to break cryptography will ever be built. The problems that need to be overcome are considerable. I am not saying that I dont think they will succeed; Im just saying that its not a certainty.

The next big question is: When will such a computer that is powerful enough to break RSA or ECDSA be built? Or maybe more relevant when do we have to start worrying about this possibility? I personally believe that this is many years away (I will say at least a decade, but I think it will be more like two decades at least).

Recently, Googles scientists hailed what they believe is the first demonstration of quantum supremacy. This was widely understood to mean that quantum computers are now already faster than classical ones. And if this is the case, then modern cryptography may be broken very soon, in contrast to the time span that I predicted above.

However, this claim by Googles scientists needs to be understood in context. Quantum supremacy is a technical term used by the academic community to mean when a quantum computer can do just one thing faster than a classical computer. However, this is really not what we think about when we hear supremacy, nor is it really relevant to cryptography and other application domains. In particular, what we are really interested in knowing is when quantum computers will be able to solve hard, important problems faster than classical computers, and when quantum computers will be able to break cryptography.

Whether or not quantum supremacy was even demonstrated is not absolutely clear (see IBMs response). However, in any case, this quantum computation has no effect whatsoever on cryptography, blockchains and cryptocurrencies.

So, what does this mean concretely for us as a community? First, we should rest assured that the cryptographic world is getting ready for any eventuality. In particular, we already have good candidates for post-quantum secure public-key encryption and digital signature schemes, and NIST is working on standardization now. As such, we will not be surprised and unprepared if post-quantum computers that threaten our cryptographic infrastructure become close to reality.

This does not, however, mean that our actual products and software in use are ready for the post-quantum era, and this is often a really hard problem. The solution to this problem is called crypto agility, and it relates to the ease (or lack thereof) with which cryptosystems can be replaced in existing deployed systems.

There are two main aspects to crypto agility. The first is how easily it is possible to change code so that one cryptosystem is replaced with another. The more the specific structure of the cryptosystem is relied upon in the code, the harder it will be to replace. The second is how to make this change while preserving backward compatibility and without introducing new vulnerabilities that can happen when new and old versions operate concurrently.

These are (security) software engineering considerations, and there is no general right answer. However, asking your software team what the cost would be to swap out their crypto is a really important first step.

The good thing about becoming more crypto-agile is that, even if the threat of quantum computing to cryptography never eventuates, it is still a good investment. Cryptosystems, key sizes, modes of operation and more change over time. This is a fact of life and will not change. Being more crypto-agile will enable you to respond faster to such changes and to be ahead of the market when new cryptography is introduced (whether it be for classic security systems or for cryptocurrencies and blockchains). That is always a good thing!

This is an op ed contribution by Professor Yehuda Lindell. Views expressed are his own and do not necessarily reflect those of Bitcoin Magazine or BTC Inc.

Read the original here:

Op Ed: Quantum Computing, Crypto Agility and Future Readiness - Bitcoin Magazine

Attempting to explain quantum computing with the comparison between quantum and classical computing is like comparing the world wide web to a typewriter, theres simply next to no comparison.

Thats not to say the typewriter doesnt have its own essential and commercially unique uses. Its just not the same.

However, explaining the enormous impact quantum computing could have if successfully rolled-out and becomes globally accessible is a bit easier.

Archer Materials Limited (ASX:AXE) CEO Dr Mohammad Choucair outlined the impact quantum computing could have on the finance industry.

In an address to shareholders and academics, Dr Choucair outlined that the global financial assets market is estimated to be worth trillions, and Im sure it comes as no surprise that any capability to optimise ones investment portfolio or capitalise on market volatility would be of great value to banks, governments and everyone in the audience.

Traders currently use algorithms to understand and, to a degree, predict the value movement in these markets. An accessible and operating quantum chip would provide immeasurable improvements to these algorithms, along with the machine learning that underpins them.

Archer is a materials technology-focused company that integrates the materials pulled from the ground with the converging materials-based technologies that have the capability to impact global industries including:

It could have an enormous impact on computing and the electric vehicles industries.

The potential for global consumer and business accessibility to quantum computing is the key differentiator between Archer Materials Ltd. and some of the other players in the market.

The companys 12CQ qubit, invented by Dr Choucair, is potentially capable of storing quantum information at room temperature.

As a result of this, the 12CQ chip could be thrown onto the motherboard of the everyday laptop, or tablet if youre tech-savvy, and operate in coexistence with a classical CPU.

This doesnt mean the everyday user can now go and live out a real-world, real-time simulation of The Matrix.

But it does mean that the laptop you have in your new, European leather tote could potentially perform extremely complex calculations to protect digital financial and communication transactions.

To head the progress of the 12CQ Project, Archer hired Dr Martin Fuechsle, a quantum physicist, who is by no means new to the high-performing Australian quantum tech industry.

In fact, Dr Fuechsle invented the worlds first single-atom transistor and offers over 10 years experience in the design, fabrication and integration of quantum devices.

Archer has moved quickly over the last 12 months and landed some significant 12CQ milestones, including the first-stage assembly of the nanoscale qubit processor chip.

Along with the accurate positioning of the qubit componentry with nanoscale precision.

Both of these being key success factors to the commercial and technological readiness of the room-temperature chip.

Most recently, Archer announced the successful and scalable assembly of qubit array components of the 12CQ room-temperature qubit processor. Commenting on the success, Dr Choucair announced: This excellent achievement advances our chip technology development towards a minimum viable product and strengthens our commercial readiness by providing credibility to the claim of 12 CQ chips being potentially scalable.

To build an array of a few qubits in less than a year means we are well and truly on track in our development roadmap taking us into 2020.

The Archer team has commercial agreements in place with the University of Sydney, to access the facilities they need to build chip prototypes at the Research and Prototype Foundry within the world-class, $150 million purpose-built Sydney Nanoscience Hub facility.

Continue reading here:

How quantum computing is set to impact the finance industry - IT Brief New Zealand

DetailsPublished: Wednesday, 11 December 2019 07:59

More than half (54 percent) of cyber security professionals have expressed concerns that quantum computing will outpace the development of security technologies, according to new research from the Neustar International Security Council (NISC). Keeping a watchful eye on developments, 74 percent of organizations said that they are paying close attention to the technologys evolution, with 21 percent already experimenting with their own quantum computing strategies.

A further 35 percent of experts claimed to be in the process of developing a quantum strategy, while just 16 percent said they were not yet thinking about it. This shift in focus comes as the vast majority (73 percent) of cyber security professionals expect advances in quantum computing to overcome legacy technologies, such as encryption, within the next five years. Almost all respondents (93 percent) believe the next-generation computers will overwhelm existing security technology, with just 7 percent under the impression that true quantum supremacy will never happen.

Despite expressing concerns that other technologies will be overshadowed, an overwhelming number (87 percent) of CISOs, CSOs, CTOs and security directors are excited about the potential positive impact of quantum computing. The remaining 13 percent were more cautious and under the impression that the technology would create more harm than good.

At the moment, we rely on encryption, which is possible to crack in theory, but impossible to crack in practice, precisely because it would take so long to do so, over timescales of trillions or even quadrillions of years, said Rodney Joffe, Chairman of NISC and Security CTO at Neustar. Without the protective shield of encryption, a quantum computer in the hands of a malicious actor could launch a cyber attack unlike anything weve ever seen.

For both todays major attacks, and also the small-scale, targeted threats that we are seeing more frequently, it is vital that IT professionals begin responding to quantum immediately. The security community has already launched a research effort into quantum-proof cryptography, but information professionals at every organization holding sensitive data should have quantum on their radar. Quantum computing's ability to solve our great scientific and technological challenges will also be its ability to disrupt everything we know about computer security. Ultimately, IT experts of every stripe will need to work to rebuild the algorithms, strategies, and systems that form our approach to cyber security, added Joffe.

http://www.nisc.neustar

Originally posted here:

Security leaders fear that quantum computing developments will outpace security technologies - Continuity Central

A team of scientists from the University of Chicago discovered a method by which quantum states can be integrated and controlled in everyday electronics. The teams breakthrough research resulted in the experimental creation of what theyre dubbing a quantum FM radio to transmit data over long distances. This feels like an eureka moment for quantum computing.

The teams work involves silicon carbide, a naturally occurring semiconductor used to make all sorts of electronics including light emitting diodes (LEDs) and circuit boards. Its also used in rocketry due to its ability to withstand high temperatures and in the production of sand paper presumably because its coarse. What were excited about is its potential as a conduit for controlling quantum states.

Todays quantum computers under the IBM/Google/MIT paradigm are giant, unwieldy things that absolutely wont fit on your desktop. They require lasers and sub-zero temperatures to function. You need a team of physicists standing by in an expensive laboratory just to get started. But the University of Chicago teams work may change all that.

They used good old fashioned electricity, something were pretty good at controlling, to initiate and direct quantum states in silicon carbide. That means they didnt need fancy lasers, a super cold environment, or any of that mainframe-sized stuff to produce quantum results. This wasnt the result of a single experiment, but in fact involved two significant breakthroughs.

The first, the ability to control quantum states in silicon carbide, has the potential to solve quantum computings exotic materials problem. Silicon carbide is plentiful and relatively easy to work with compared to the standard-fair physicists use which includes levitated atoms, laser-ready metals, and perfectly-flawed diamonds. This is cool, and could fundamentally change the direction most quantum computing research goes in 2020 and beyond. But its the second breakthrough that might be the most exciting.

According to a press release from the University of Chicago, the teams method solves quantum computings noise problem. Per Chris Anderson, a co-author on the teams paper:

Impurities are common in all semiconductor devices, and at the quantum level, these impurities can scramble the quantum information by creating a noisy electrical environment. This is a near-universal problem for quantum technologies.

Co-author Alexandre Bourassa added:

In our experiments we need to use lasers, which unfortunately jostle the electrons around. Its like a game of musical chairs with electrons; when the light goes out everything stops, but in a different configuration. The problem is that this random configuration of electrons affects our quantum state. But we found that applying electric fields removes the electrons from the system and makes it much more stable.

The work is still early, but it has incredible implications for the field of quantum computing. With a little tweaking, it appears that this silicon carbide-based method of wrangling quantum states could lead us to the unhackable quantum communications network sooner than many experts believed. According to the team, it would work with the existing fiber optic network that already transmits 90 percent of the worlds data.

On the outside, a quantum FM radio, that essentially sends data along frequency-modulated waves, could augment or replace existing wireless communication methods and bring about an entirely new class of technology. Were thinking something like Star Treks TriCorders, a gadget that records environmental data, processes it instantly, and uses quantum AI to analyze and interpret the results.

For more information read the Chicago teams research papers here and here.

H/t: Phys.Org

Read next: Buchardt S400 Review: Remarkable speakers near endgame material

See more here:

Double eureka: Breakthroughs could lead to quantum 'FM radio' and the end of noise - The Next Web

Prophecy Market Insights Quantum Computing market research report provides a comprehensive, 360-degree analysis of the targeted market which helps stakeholders to identify the opportunities as well as challenges during COVID-19 pandemic across the globe.

Quantum Computing Devices Market reports provide in-depth analysis of Top Players, Geography, End users, Applications, Competitor analysis, Revenue, Financial Analysis, Market Share, COVID-19 Analysis, Trends and Forecast 2020-2029. It incorporates market evolution study, involving the current scenario, growth rate, and capacity inflation prospects, based on Porters Five Forces and DROT analyses.

Get Sample Copy of This Report @ https://www.prophecymarketinsights.com/market_insight/Insight/request-sample/571

An executive summary provides the markets definition, application, overview, classifications, product specifications, manufacturing processes; raw materials, and cost structures.

Market Dynamics offers drivers, restraints, challenges, trends, and opportunities of the Quantum Computing market

Detailed analysis of the COVID-19 impact will be given in the report, as our analyst and research associates are working hard to understand the impact of COVID-19 disaster on many corporations, sectors and help our clients in taking excellent business decisions. We acknowledge everyone who is doing their part in this financial and healthcare crisis.

Segment Level Analysis in terms of types, product, geography, demography, etc. along with market size forecast

Segmentation Overview:

The Quantum Computing research study comprises 100+ market data Tables, Graphs & Figures, Pie Chat to understand detailed analysis of the market. The predictions estimated in the market report have been resulted in using proven research techniques, methodologies, and assumptions. This Quantum Computing market report states the market overview, historical data along with size, growth, share, demand, and revenue of the global industry.

Request Discount @ https://www.prophecymarketinsights.com/market_insight/Insight/request-discount/571

Regional and Country- level Analysis different geographical areas are studied deeply and an economical scenario has been offered to support new entrants, leading market players, and investors to regulate emerging economies. The top producers and consumers focus on production, product capacity, value, consumption, growth opportunity, and market share in these key regions, covering

The comprehensive list of Key Market Players along with their market overview, product protocol, key highlights, key financial issues, SWOT analysis, and business strategies. The report dedicatedly offers helpful solutions for players to increase their clients on a global scale and expand their favour significantly over the forecast period. The report also serves strategic decision-making solutions for the clients.

Competitive landscape Analysis provides mergers and acquisitions, collaborations along with new product launches, heat map analysis, and market presence and specificity analysis.

Quantum ComputingMarket Key Players:

Wave Systems Corp, 1QB Information Technologies Inc, QC Ware, Corp, Google Inc, QxBranch LLC, Microsoft Corporation, International Business Machines Corporation, Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd, ID Quantique SA, and Atos SE.

The study analyses the manufacturing and processing requirements, project funding, project cost, project economics, profit margins, predicted returns on investment, etc. With the tables and figures, the report provides key statistics on the state of the industry and is a valuable source of guidance and direction for companies and individuals interested in the market.

Stakeholders Benefit:

About us:

Prophecy Market Insights is specialized market research, analytics, marketing/business strategy, and solutions that offers strategic and tactical support to clients for making well-informed business decisions and to identify and achieve high-value opportunities in the target business area. We also help our clients to address business challenges and provide the best possible solutions to overcome them and transform their business.

Contact Us:

Mr Alex (Sales Manager)

Prophecy Market Insights

Phone: +1 860 531 2701

Email: [emailprotected]

Read this article:
Quantum Computing Market: In-Depth Market Research and Trends Analysis till 2030 - Cole of Duty

AWS re:Invent 2019 which concluded last week marked another milestone for Amazon and the cloud computing ecosystem. Some of the new AWS services announced this year will become the foundation for upcoming products and services.

Dart Board

Though there have been many surprises, AWS didnt mention or announce some of the services that were expected by the community. My own predictions for AWS re:Invent 2019 were partially accurate.

Based on the wishlist and what was expected, here is a list of hits and misses from this years mega cloud event:

Hits of AWS re:Invent 2019

1) Quantum Computing Delivered through Amazon Braket

After IBM, Microsoft, and Google, it was Amazons turn to jump the quantum computing bandwagon.

Amazon Braket is a managed service for quantum computing that provides a development environment to explore and design quantum algorithms, test them on simulated quantum computers, and run them on different quantum hardware technologies.

This new service from Amazon lets customers use both quantum and classical tasks on a hybrid infrastructure. It is tightly integrated with existing AWS services such as S3 and CloudWatch.

Amazon Braket has the potential to become one of the key pillars of AWS compute services.

2) Leveraging Project Nitro

Project Nitro is a collection of hardware accelerators that offload hypervisor, storage, and network to custom chips freeing up resources on EC2 to deliver the best performance.

Amazon has started to launch additional EC2 instance types based on custom chips powered by the Nitro System. The Inf1 family of EC2 delivers the best of the breed hardware and software combination to accelerate machine learning model inferencing.

Along with Nitro, Amazon is also investing in ARM-based compute resources. Amazon EC2 now offers general purpose (M6g), compute optimized (C6g), and memory optimized (R6g) Amazon instances powered by AWS Graviton2 processor that use 64-bit Arm Neoverse cores and custom silicon designed by AWS.

Going forward, Amazon will launch additional instance types based on Graviton2 processors that will become cheaper alternatives to Intel x64-based instance types.

3) Augmented AI with Human in the Loop

Remember Amazon Mechanical Turk (MTurk)? A crowdsourced service that delegates jobs to real humans. Based on the learnings from applying automation to retail, Amazon encourages keeping the human in the loop.

More recently, Amazon launched SageMaker Ground Truth - the data labeling service powered by humans. Customers can upload raw datasets and have humans draw bounding boxes around specific objects identified in the images. This increases accuracy while training machine learning models.

With Amazon Augmented AI (Amazon A2I), AWS now introduces human-driven validation of machine learning models. The low-confidence predictions from an augmented AI model are sent to real humans for validation. This increases the precision and accuracy of models while performing predictions from an ML model.

Amazon continues to bring humans into the technology-driven automation loop.

4) AI-driven Code Review and Profiling through Amazon CodeGuru

Amazon CodeGuru is a managed service that helps developers proactively improve code quality and application performance through AI-driven recommendations. The service comes with a reviewer and profiler that can detect and identify issues in code. Amazon CodeGuru can review and profile Java code targeting the Java Virtual Machine.

This service was expected to come from a platform and tools vendor. Given the heritage of developer tools, I was expecting this from Microsoft. But Amazon has taken a lead in infusing AI into code review and analysis.

CodeGuru is one of my favorite announcements from AWS re:Invent 2019.

5) Decentralized Cloud Infrastructure - Local Zones and AWS Wavelength

When the competition is caught up in expanding the footprint of data centers through traditional regions and zones, Amazon has taken an unconventional approach of setting up mini data centers in each metro.

The partnership with Verizon and other telecom providers is a great move from AWS.

Both, Local Zones and AWS Wavelength are game-changers from Amazon. They redefine edge computing by providing a continuum of compute services.

Bonus: AWS DeepComposer

Having launched DeepLens in 2017 and DeepRacer in 2018, I was curious to see how AWS mixes and matches its deep learning research with a hardware-based, educational device.

AWS DeepComposer brings the power of Generative Adversarial Networks (GAN) to music composition.

Misses of AWS re:Invent 2019

1) Open Source Strategy

Open source was conspicuously missing from the keynotes at re:Invent. With a veteran like Adrian Cockroft leading the open source efforts, I was expecting Amazon to make a significant announcement related to OSS.

Amazon has many internal projects which are good candidates for open source. From machine learning to compute infrastructure, AWS has many on-going research efforts. Open sourcing a tiny subset of these projects could immensely benefit the community.

The only open source project that was talked about was Firecracker which was announced last year. Even for that, Amazon didnt mention handing it over to a governing body to drive broader contribution and participation of the community.

The industry expects Amazon to actively participate in open source initiatives.

2) Container Strategy

Containers are the building blocks of modern infrastructure. They are becoming the de facto standard to build modern, cloud native applications.

With Amazon claiming that 80% of all containerized and Kubernetes applications running in the cloud run on AWS, I expect a streamlined developer experience of deploying containerized workloads on AWS.

The current developer experience of dealing with AWS container services such as ECS, Fargate and EKS leaves a lot to be desired.

The only significant announcement from re:Invent 2019 related to containers was the general availability of the serveless container platform based on EKS for Fargate. Based on my personal experience, I found the service to be complex.

Both Microsoft and Google score high on the innovation of containerized platforms and enhancing the developer experience.

AWS has work to do in simplifying the developer workflow when dealing with containerized workloads.

3) VMware Partnership

Surprisingly, there was no discussion on the roadmap, growth and adoption of VMware Cloud on AWS. While the focus shifted to AWS Outposts, there has been no mention of the upcoming AWS managed services on VMware.

Though AWS Outposts are available on vSphere, the GA announcement had little to no mention of Outposts on VMware.

4) Simplified Developer Experience

AWS now has multiple compute services in the form of EC2 (IaaS), Beanstalk (PaaS), Lambda (FaaS) and Container Services offered through ECS, Fargate and EKS (CaaS).

Amazon recommends using a variety of tools to manage the lifecycle of the infrastructure and applications. Customers use CloudFormation, Kubernetes YAML, Cloud Developer Kit (CDK) and Serverless Application Model (SAM) to deal with each of the workloads running in different compute environments.

The current deployment model and programmability aspects of AWS are becoming increasingly complex. There is a need to simplify the developer and admin experience of AWS.

I was expecting a new programmability model from Amazon that would make it easier for developers to target AWS for running their workloads.

5) Custom AutoML Models for Offline Usage

Though AWS launched SageMaker Autopilot and Rekognition Custom Labels in the AutoML domain, it didnt mention about enhancing AutoML-based language services for newer verticals and domains.

Custom models trained through Amazons AutoML services cannot be exported for offline usage in disconnected scenarios such as industrial automation. None of the services are integrated with AWS Greengrass deployments for offline inferencing.

Both Google and Microsoft offer exporting AutoML models optimized for the edge.

Amazon Comprehend service could be easily expanded to support newer verticals and domains such as legal and finance through AutoML.

Though the above announcements and services didnt make it to this years re:Invent, I am sure they are in the roadmap.

Excerpt from:

The Hits And Misses Of AWS re:Invent 2019 - Forbes