It appears that many of the deep tech" algorithms the world is excited about will run into physical barriers before they reach their true promise. Take Bitcoin. A cryptocurrency based on blockchain technology, it has a sophisticated algorithm that grows in complexity, as very few new Bitcoin are mintedthrough a digital process called mining". For a simple description of Bitcoin and blockchain, you could refer to an earlier Mint column of mine.

Bitcoins assurance of validity is achieved by its proving" algorithm, which is designed to continually increase in mathematical complexityand hence the computing power needed to process itevery time a Bitcoin is mined. Individual miners are continually doing work to assess the validity of each Bitcoin transaction and confirm whether it adheres to the cryptocurrencys rules. They earn small amounts of new Bitcoin for their efforts. The complexity of getting several miners to agree on the same history of transactions (and thereby validate them) is managed by the same miners who try outpacing one another to create a valid block".

The machines that perform this work consume huge amounts of energy. According to Digiconomist.net, each transaction uses almost 544KWh of electrical energyenough to provide for the average US household for almost three weeks. The total energy consumption of the Bitcoin network alone is about 64 TWh, enough to provide for all the energy needs of Switzerland. The website also tracks the carbon footprint and electronic waste left behind by Bitcoin, which are both startlingly high. This exploitation of resources is unsustainable in the long run, and directly impacts global warming. At a more mundane level, the costs of mining Bitcoin can outstrip the rewards.

But cryptocurrencies are not the worlds only hogs of computing power. Many Artificial Intelligence (AI) deep learning neural" algorithms also place crushing demands on the planets digital processing capacity.

A neural network" attempts to mimic the functioning of the human brain and nervous system in AI learning models. There are many of these. The two most widely used are recursive neural networks, which develop a memory pattern, and convolutional neural networks, which develop spatial reasoning. The first is used for tasks such as language translation, and the second for image processing. These use enormous computing power, as do other AI neural network models that help with deep learning".

Frenetic research has been going into new chip architectures for these to handle the ever-increasing complexity of AI models more efficiently. Todays computers are binary", meaning they depend on the two simple states of a transistor bitwhich could be either on or off, and thus either a 0 or 1 in binary notation. Newer chips try to achieve efficiency through other architectures. This will ostensibly help binary computers execute algorithms more efficiently. These chips are designed as graphic-processing units, since they are more capable of dealing with AIs demands than central processing units, which are the mainstay of most devices.

In a parallel attempt to get beyond binary computing, firms such as DWave, Google and IBM are working on a different class of machines called quantum computers, which make use of the so-called qubit" , with each qubit able to hold 0 and 1 values simultaneously. This enhances computing power. The problem with these, though, is that they are far from seeing widespread adoption. First off, they are not yet sophisticated enough to manage todays AI models efficiently, and second, they need to be maintained at temperatures that are close to absolute zero (-273 celsius). This refrigeration, in turn, uses up enormous amounts of electrical energy.

Clearly, advances in both binary chip design and quantum computing are not keeping pace with the increasing sophistication of deep tech algorithms.

In a research paper, Neil Thompson of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and others analyse five widely-used AI application areas and show that advances in each of these fields of use come at a huge cost, since they are reliant on massive increases in computing capability. The authors argue that extrapolating this reliance forward reveals that current progress is rapidly becoming economically, technically and environmentally unsustainable.

Sustained progress in these applications will require changes to their deep learning algorithms and/or moving away from deep learning to other machine learning models that allow greater efficiency in their use of computing capability. The authors further argue that we are currently in an era where improvements in hardware performance are slowing, which means that this shift away from deep neural networks is now all the more urgent.

Thompson et al argue that the economic, environmental and purely technical costs of providing all this additional computing power will soon constrain deep learning and a range of applications, making the achievement of key milestones impossible, if current trajectories hold.

We are designing increasingly sophisticated algorithms, but we dont yet have computers that are sophisticated enough to match their demands efficiently. Without significant changes in how AI models are built, the usefulness of AI and other forms of deep tech is likely to hit a wall soon.

Siddharth Pai is founder of Siana Capital, a venture fund management company focused on deep science and tech in India

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Deep tech may stumble on insufficient computing power - Livemint

A fortnight ago, the US Department of Energy released its blueprint of a quantum internet; earlier this year one of its partnering Universities had set up a quantum loop to transfer protons. Close to Hague, Delft University researchers will be testing a similar project later this year. While India does not have any such groundbreaking research in the field, it is moving towards setting this up.

The FM, in her speech, announced setting up of a National Quantum Technology Mission with an investment of Rs 8,000 crore over five years. Prof Ashutosh Sharma, secretary, department of science and technology, in a conversation with Ishaan Gera, discusses the developments in the field of quantum technology, and how the government is moving towards creating a holistic ecosystem.Edited excerpts:

Quantum technology is emerging and also very disruptive. Like all exponential technologies, it would expand rapidly. Department of Science and Technology had started an initiative on quantum technology in 2018. In this, we first did a mapping of researchers in the country. To see who is working on what aspects of quantum technology, what kind of infrastructure or potential we have. And, what kind of human resources are there and how they need to be trained. Being a new area, you need to build from scratch. And, as you know, there are many applications of quantum that have emerged, which is quantum computing, communication, security or quantum key distribution, clocks, sensors, imaging devices, quantum material or superconductivity. And, of course, Quantum algorithms, which are now getting integrated into the new quantum mission.

In 2018, there were nearly 100 research groups in areas and over 100 PhD students. We made a scheme for three years with Rs 186 crore.

Progress has been in smaller-sized areas. Fifty groups have been identified. Meanwhile, bigger interest has developed. Departments like MeiTY, Isro and DRDO have started looking towards this area. Isro, for instance, is looking at satellites for quantum communication. We decided to upscale, and that is what the mention of Rs 8,000 crore in the Budget was all about.

Consultations have been going on. We have had half a dozen meetings till now. Detailed DPR is nearly drafted, and in another couple of weeks, we will have that ready. Lockdown has slowed down progress, but in another couple of months, we will get started. Now, this mission is interesting in many aspects. One is the content. However, the structure is extremely critical. We have an institute of quantum technologies, which sets up the mission and target. There will be some element of research to it, but its primary job will be coordinating the mission and targets, for example, setting targets like at least a 50-qubit quantum computer within five years. It will also guide the development of sub-systems and sub-technologies required. There will be a national committee chaired by a scientist, someone who knows the domain.

The apex committee will have one-third representation from all stakeholders. We are looking to involve the industry right from the beginning so that they will constitute one-third. Academia and R&D will have one-third share, and the ministry will have a third share to present their demands. We need to cover the entire knowledge ecosystem. We will be doing human resource generation from undergrad to PhD and post-doctoral programmes.

We will also have technology transmission and incubation. So, there are enough incubators for start-ups. Funding from start-ups can also come from here. Two-way participation will be flexible. We will either employ the industry or give them money. This usually hasnt been happening as far as the government is concerned. So, we will be signing MoUs with the industry and international MoUs. As we want to attract the best talent, salaries would be as per industry standards.

The second tier is the hubs, which will function as mini ministries focused on a particular area. These are aggregators and custodians of all activities in that area. Below hubs are centres. Centres will be geographical entities, like IITs. Below centres, we have spikes. This is a hub-spoke-spikes model. These will be one group or two groups which are working on a specific technology. So, we will cover the entire knowledge ecosystem, instead of working in silos.

There is also flexibility in powers given to the mission. They dont have to come back to the ministry for funds. They will be able to invite people from abroad and send our researchers abroad. We should remain plugged into the global ecosystem. And, we cannot catch up if we dont have expertise.

A similar model was put in place for interdisciplinary cyber-physical systems, started last year at an investment of Rs 3,660 crore. We have established 21 hubs, and we are looking at four research parks. Each hub has an incubator and an integrated process. Because of the coronavirus, we have slowed down, but the project is underway. Hubs are Section 8 companies with an autonomous board, and they are empowered to make all decisions. Apex committee is set up with a top-level vision, and they do not micromanage.

Supercomputing mission is now fully operational. We are currently assembling and partly producing supercomputers in India; earlier, we had a plan to import. We have set this up in three different phases. Chips we are importing, but board-level integration is done in India. Six supercomputers have been made, three have been installed, and three will be installed within a month; 12 more will come by next year. We will also pick up other things, design and everything will happen here. Another domain is the cyber-physical mission, which caters to technologies like artificial intelligence, machine learning, IoT, Blockchain, Industry 4.0 and VR/VR/MR. These intersections will provide a lot of muscle.

Supercomputing mission has a private partnership based on a global tender. We had given the contract to a French company, which has now set up its base in Pune.

We will also have a hub for policy regulation and ethics. We call it light and shadow of technology. In India, we are developing policy in consonance. Standards are also an important part. No matter what technology we develop, if we cant figure out standards, we cannot sell it within India or globally. Globally, standards are driven by companies and not by governments.

We are following a model of collaboration and cooperation. If something is high-risk, initially the government will do the funding. As we proceed further, the government will slowly exit and industry will put in more. So, we have a graded approach. We are integrating the industry from the first day. Industry, in our new model, has the same right to make use of resources.

We are just beginning. Often in these frontier technologies, the nation didnt invest the kind of resources that were needed. Semi-conductors and processors is one example. We have remedied that here. Our investment is comparable to what Europeans and Americans are doing. We are not going sub-critical. China, for instance, started a year or two ago. But we are not irreversibly behind.

New science, technology and innovation policy is in the making. And, by the end of this year, we will have it ready. This policy considers some of the concerns regarding the industry. We need a science technology, and innovation policy and stakeholder consultation has been going on for the last three months.

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Quantum plan will be ready in a few months; we arent irreversibly behind others: Prof Ashutosh Sharma, Secretary, DST - The Financial Express

DURHAM A former Intel Corporation executive has been appointed as president and CEO ofSemiconductor Research Corporation (SRC), a global semiconductor research consortium based in Durham.

Todd Younkin, who is currently executive director of SRCs Joint University Microelectronics Program (JUMP),replacesKen Hansen who is retiring after leading SRC the past five years. Younkin will starttransitioning to his new role on August 18.

I am honored to lead SRC, a one-of-a-kind consortium with incredible potential and exceptionally talented people, Younkin said in a statement. Together, we will deliver on SRCs mission to bring the best minds together to achieve the unimaginable. SRC is well-positioned to meet our commitment to SRC members, employees, and stakeholders by paving the way for the semiconductor industry. Our strong values, unique innovation model, and unflinching commitment to our members are core SRC principles that we will maintain as we move forward.

Todd Younkin

Prior to SRC, Younkin held senior technical positions at Intel Corporation. Among them, he was an assignee to IMEC, an international semiconductor research and development hub, where he worked closely within the consortium to help move Extreme Ultraviolet Lithography (EUVL) into commercialization.

He holds a Ph.D. from the California Institute of Technology and Bachelor of Science from the University of Florida.

The challenges facing the semiconductor industry today are as exciting and demanding as ever before, said Gil Vandentop, SRC Chairman of the Board, in a statement. At the same time, AI, 5G+, and Quantum Computing promise to provide unfathomable gains and benefits for humanity. The need for research investments that bring these technology advances to bear is paramount. Todd has demonstrated an ability to bring organizations together, tackle common research causes, and advance technologies into industry. He has a clear vision to take SRC to the next level. I am delighted that Todd has accepted this challenge and will become the next SRC CEO.

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Former Intel exec to be new CEO of Semiconductor Research Corporation - WRAL Tech Wire

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During the coronavirus crisis, Americans have increasingly turned to technology for work, school, keeping in touch with friends and loved ones, and entertainment. Staying at home, we improvised and took advantage of the video chats and conference calls that connected us to the outside world.

At the same time, droves of young Americans found virtual community and amusement on TikTok, a popular video sharing platform. And, contrary to what our kids may believe, it is not a safe space.

Videos uploaded by American children and teenagers, which can range from seemingly benign dance routines to harmful depictions of violence or worse, are stored on TikToks servers deep within communist China along with every TikTok users personal information. Owned by the Chinese company ByteDance, TikTok is a shameless front for data harvesting on behalf of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).

If youre concerned about TikToks influence and encroachment on the American people, youre not alone. Recently, President Donald Trump and national security leaders like Secretary of State Mike Pompeo have indicated that they will not allow TikTok to continue pocketing the private data of American citizens.

Congress also is taking action. On the China Task Force, we have been taking on the CCP and exposing TikToks efforts to mine Americans data and edge out competition in the free market. We know that the CCPs end goal is to limit free speech and the flow of information in America and across the world.

Our nation simply cannot allow this trajectory to continue. Ending TikToks influence in the United States would be a solid step in the right direction, but this platform is just the beginning of our problems. For too long, the Chinese communist government has sought to exert influence in the world by gaining dominance in the global telecommunications network.

In addition to TikToks parent company ByteDance, the CCP uses pawns like Huawei and ZTE to gain control over next-generation technology including artificial intelligence, semiconductor production, quantum computing and 5G.

Enabled by years of manipulative practices, including cheating and even outright theft, the Chinese government is poised to achieve global dominance in the technology and telecommunications sectors with the ultimate goal of controlling critical market segments and weaponizing global supply chains for medical equipment, weapons and other critical electronics.

In the 21st century, America cannot allow China to win the race to next-generation technology, and we on the China Task Force are leading Congress efforts in this pursuit.

Countering Chinas overreach into our technology requires a comprehensive approach. To be successful, we must equip young Americans with the skills and resources they need to once again lead in innovation. Additionally, we must move the manufacturing of our technology away from China.

As a solution, I introduced legislation that seeks to end Americas dependence on China for the rare earth elements and other minerals which are used to manufacture medical supplies, defense technology and high-tech products by establishing a supply chain for these resources in the United States. Instead of relying on China for the materials needed to make smartphones and other devices that we use every day, we should be utilizing the resources that we have here at home. In Pennsylvania, we have the dedicated skilled workforce and the rich stores of minerals needed to move the supply chain away from the hostile Chinese government and create jobs in our community.

Given Americans ever-increasing dependence on technology, its more important than ever that we guard against cyberattacks and protect our country from foreign interference. As our nation seeks to combat the CCP, we know that theres a long road ahead but this is the time to make a difference.

Each parents first step should be removing the spies from our childrens pockets by deleting TikTok to protect their privacy and thats just the beginning. Beyond banning TikTok, we must take steps today to limit the Chinese governments attempts to gain dominance tomorrow.

As a nation, we cannot afford to fall behind and endanger our national security. On the China Task Force, we are working to protect you and your data from the Chinese communist government. To win this fight, the China Task Force is leading the way to correct course and ensure that Americans are never beholden to the CCP.

U.S. Rep. John Joyce, M.D., a Republican from Altoona, represents Pennsylvanias 13th Congressional District.

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Rep. John Joyce: TikTok, the spy in your child's pocket, just tip of tech iceberg - TribLIVE

Global investors were bracing for a rough earnings season, but most companies have so far surpassed much-lowered analyst expectations.

Refinitiv data showed that about 60 per cent of the biggest European listed companies have, so far, beaten dramatically lowered estimates.

On Wall Street, about 82 per cent of S&P 500 companies reporting so far have beaten estimates.

Meanwhile, the Australian reporting season continues today with large cap rail company Aurizon Holdings and real estate giant GPT Group both of which nudged higher in early trade.

The ASX more generally is in positive territory, with the benchmark ASX 200 Index up 0.85 per cent to 6,055 points by 11:30am AEST.

Here are the best performing ASX small cap stocks at 12pm Monday August 10:

Swipe or scroll to reveal the full table. Click headings to sort.

Biotech Emerald Clinics (ASX:EMD) jumped +70 per cent after signing a contract with the UK arm of pot giant Canopy Growth.

Secos Group (ASX:SES) locked in a significant supply contract for its compostable pet waste bags with a leading US pet supply company.

The stock was up +25 per cent in morning trade.

And quantum computing stock Archer Materials (ASX:AXE) is progressing through milestones as it aims to build a room-temperature quantum computing qubit processor.

Here are the worst performing ASX small cap stocks at 12pm Monday August 10:

Swipe or scroll to reveal the full table. Click headings to sort.

Farm Pride Foods (ASX:FRM) fell after confirming that the Lethbridge facility in Victoria has tested positive for H7N7 avian influenza virus.

The approximate number of hens lost represents about 30 per cent of the companys productive hen flock, it says.

The full financial impact of this event is still being determined but is considered material.

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ASX Small Cap Lunch Wrap: Who's beating expectations today? - Stockhead

Quantum Computing in Aerospace and Defense Market is analyzed with industry experts in mind to maximize return on investment by providing clear information needed for informed business decisions. This research will help both established and new entrants to identify and analyze market needs, market size and competition. It explains the supply and demand situation, the competitive scenario, and the challenges for market growth, market opportunities, and the complication faced by prominent players.

Click here to get sample of the premium report: https://www.quincemarketinsights.com/request-sample-29723?utm_source= pf/hp

The reports authors have segmented the global market for Quantum Computing in Aerospace and Defense by product, application, and region. Global market segments for Quantum Computing in Aerospace and Defense will be analyzed based on market share, production, consumption, revenue, CAGR, market size, and more factors. The analysts have profiled leading players in the global market for Quantum Computing in Aerospace and Defense, taking into account their recent developments, market share, sales, revenue, covered areas, product portfolios and other aspects.

It has a wide-ranging analysis of the impact of these advancements on the markets future growth, wide-ranging analysis of these extensions on the markets future growth. The research report studies the market in a detailed manner by explaining the key facets of the market that are foreseeable to have a countable stimulus on its developing extrapolations over the forecast period.

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Table of Contents:

Market Segmentation:By Component (Hardware, Software, Services), By Application (QKD, Quantum Cryptanalysis, Quantum Sensing, Naval)

A detailed outline of the Global Quantum Computing in Aerospace and Defense Market includes a comprehensive analysis of different verticals of businesses. North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Middle East & Africa, and South America have been considered for the studies on the basis of several terminologies.

This is anticipated to drive the Global Quantum Computing in Aerospace and Defense Market over the forecast period. This research report covers the market landscape and its progress prospects in the near future. After studying key companies, the report focuses on the new entrants contributing to the growth of the market. Most companies in the Global Quantum Computing in Aerospace and Defense Market are currently adopting new technological trends in the market.

Finally, the researchers throw light on different ways to discover the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats affecting the growth of the Global Quantum Computing in Aerospace and Defense Market. The feasibility of the new report is also measured in this research report.

The Key Players mentioned in our report are D-Wave Systems Inc, Qxbranch LLC, IBM Corporation, Cambridge Quantum Computing Ltd, 1qb Information Technologies Inc., QC Ware Corp., Magiq Technologies Inc., Station Q-Microsoft Corporation, and Rigetti Computing

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Quantum Computing in Aerospace and Defense Market 2020: Global Key Players, Trends, Share, Industry Size, Segmentation, Opportunities, Forecast To...

The COVID-19 pandemic has opened the eyes of many Americans to the danger the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) poses to our supply chain, especially for critical items such as personal protective equipment (PPE) and lifesaving pharmaceuticals. When COVID was allowed to spread rapidly throughout China and the world, Chinese Communist Party officials hoarded supplies of PPE and banned their export to other countries a move they were able to make because of their stranglehold on that supply chain.

And just as frightening, the United States sources approximately 80 percent of its active pharmaceutical ingredients from overseas, including the Peoples Republic of China. Through one of its propaganda outlets, the CCP even threatened to impose export controls on pharmaceuticals needed to fight the coronavirus the party allowed to spread. Can you imagine what would have happened if they had followed through?

Thats why its important that we secure critical medical supply chains now. We also need to secure our technological supply chains before it is too late and that starts with re-establishing the United States as a true leader in the production of advanced semiconductors.

Semiconductors are the tiny chips that serve as the brains behind your toaster, your smartphone, all the way to fighter jets and, in the very near future, they will serve as the brains behind the innovations of tomorrow such as 5G, quantum computing, and artificial intelligence (AI). America is already a leader on semiconductors, with the U.S. industry accounting for nearly 50 percent annual global market share and with American companies at the forefront of advanced semiconductor chip design. But our leadership is being threatened.

The Chinese Communist Party is spending billions of dollars to become the leader in the production of advanced semiconductors, posing a serious threat to our economic and national security. Unless we take bold action, the United States may lose its edge in making advanced semiconductor chips to our adversary and endanger our technological future.

Thats why I worked with Democrats and Republicans in both Chambers of Congress, including my House colleague Rep. Doris Matsui (D-CA), and my Senate colleagues Senator John Cornyn and Senator Mark Warner (D-VA), to introduce the CHIPS for America Act. By providing funding and support throughout the semiconductor supply chainfrom research and development to productionour bill will supercharge investment, create thousands of jobs, and safeguard national security. I am proud a version of the CHIPS for America Act passed on the House floor as an amendment to this years National Defense Authorization Act, and will work with my colleagues in the Senate to get this to the presidents desk.

Existing semiconductor ecosystems like ones in Austin should be further energized by this bill, which will have a cascading effect on the local economy. And with the Armys Future Command, the University of Texas and the high-tech community already based in Austin, our city is ideally situated for this industry to grow and thrive here. Semiconductor manufacturing jobswhich net an average salary of $150,000 per yearcreate nearly five additional jobs in the broader economy. We have already seen this effect in Austin thanks to the Samsung Semiconductor facility the most significant foreign direct investment in this country. Beyond this fabrication facility, there are dozens of semiconductor companies that conduct research, design, or testing of semiconductors in my district, and dozens more that use a semiconductor to power a finished product, such as Apple, which builds its MacBook Pro computer in Austin.

Now is the time to act to preserve American leadership in the development and manufacturing of the technologies of the future.

McCaul, R-Austin, is lead Republican on the House Foreign Affairs Committee and chairman of the China Task Force.

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McCaul: Semiconductors are the future. Building them should stay in Texas. - Austin American-Statesman

Facebook and Twitter are taking a stronger stand against pandemic misinformation, we preview the latest version of macOS and a mental health startup raises $50 million. Heres your Daily Crunch for August 6, 2020.

The big story: Twitter, Facebook take action against Trump misinformation

Facebook and Twitter both took action against a post from President Donald Trump and his campaign featuring a clip from a Fox News interview in which he misleadingly described children as almost immune to COVID-19. Facebook took down the offending post, while Twitter went further and locked the Trump campaign out of its account (separate from Trumps personal account).

The @TeamTrump Tweet you referenced is in violation of the Twitter Rules on COVID-19 misinformation, Twitters Aly Pavela said in a statement. The account owner will be required to remove the Tweet before they can Tweet again.

Meanwhile, Twitter also announced today that it will be labeling accounts tied tostate-controlled media organizations and government officials (but not heads of state).

The tech giants

macOS 11.0 Big Sur preview Big Sur is the operating systems first primary number upgrade in 20 years, and Brian Heater says it represents a big step forward in macOS evolution.

Apple 27-inch iMac review This will be one of the last Macs to include Intel silicon.

Uber picks up Autocab to push into places its own app doesnt go Uber plans to use Autocabs technology to link users with local providers when they open the app in locations where Uber doesnt offer rides.

Startups, funding and venture capital

On-demand mental health service provider Ginger raises $50 million Through Gingers services, patients have access to a care coordinator who serves as the first point of entry into a companys mental health plans.

Mode raises $33 million to supercharge its analytics platform for data scientists Mode has also been introducing tools for less technical users to structure queries that data scientists can subsequently execute more quickly and with more complete responses.

Crossbeam announces $25 million Series B to keep growing partnerships platform Crossbeam is a Philadelphia startup that automates partnership data integration.

Advice and analysis from Extra Crunch

Can learning pods scale, or are they widening edtechs digital divide? In recent weeks, the concept has taken off all across the country.

Eight trends accelerating the age of commercial-ready quantum computing Venrocks Ethan Batraski writes that in the last 12 months, there have been meaningful breakthroughs in quantum computing from academia, venture-backed companies and industry.

5 VCs on the future of Michigans startup ecosystem According to the Michigan Venture Capital Association (MVCA), there are 144 venture-backed startup companies in Michigan, up 12% over the last five years.

(Reminder: Extra Crunch is our subscription membership program, which aims to democratize information about startups. You can sign up here.)

Everything else

More Chinese phone makers could lose US apps under Trumps Clean Network The Trump administrations five-pronged Clean Network initiative aims to strip away Chinese phone makers ability to pre-install and download U.S. apps.

UK reported to be ditching coronavirus contact tracing in favor of risk rating app Reports suggest a launch of the much-delayed software will happen this month, but also that the app will no longer be able to automatically carry out contact tracing.

The Daily Crunch is TechCrunchs roundup of our biggest and most important stories. If youd like to get this delivered to your inbox every day at around 3pm Pacific, you can subscribe here.

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Daily Crunch: Twitter and Facebook take action against Trump - TechCrunch

By PIB Delhi

Department of Science and Technology (DST) Secretary Professor Ashutosh Sharma highlighted the importance of bringing Industry on board in Quantum Technology and Science in India at the India Quantum Technology Conclave (IQTC2020), a webinar on Quest towards Indias Quantum Supremacy organized byThe Associated Chambers of Commerce of India(ASSOCHAM) recently.

The future is all about quantum and Industry 4.0, which involves convergence of cyber and digital spheres encompassing communication, computing, decision making and acting on it, needs to participate in it, he pointed out.

Further elaborating on DSTs initiatives in the field of Quantum Technology, Prof. Ashutosh Sharma said, Three years ago DST started a new division called Frontier Technology which has rolled out a mission on Cyber-Physical Systems. This mission has set up about 21 hubs and 4 research parks across India, which are going to form the base for the architecture and processes of Quantum Technology Mission and will empower the Industry.

These 21 hubs are holistic entities, starting from basic R&D in each hub, human resource generation, and training at different levels to translation of the knowledge with incubators attached with every hub. Thus this model completes the whole knowledge chain from knowledge generation to knowledge to consumption, he added.

For Quantum Technology (QT), a more ambitious mission called National Mission on Quantum Technology worth Rs 8,000 Crore has been launched by the Government if India. DST has mapped all the people and groups in India working in the field of QT and brought them on-board to write a Detailed Project Report, Professor Sharma mentioned.

Both these missions of DST are self-sufficient in terms of generating knowledge, translation of knowledge in terms of prototype design, and this ecosystem is part of Atmanirbhar Bharat in terms of science, technology, and innovation in India, he added.

The conclave focused on preparedness on Quantum computing and Technology adaptation in India where the attendees discussed the future strategies & roadmap in the development of quantum technologies in India.

Dignitaries like Shri Deepak Sood, Secretary-General, ASSOCHAM, Dr. Shesha Shayee Raghunathan, Senior IBM Quantum Ambassador, Dr. Rohini Srivathsa, National Technology Officer, Microsoft India, Asst. Prof. Manas Mukherjee, Principal Investigator, Centre for Quantum Technologies, National University of Singapore Dr Lovneesh Chanana, Chairman, ASSOCHAM National Council on IT/ITes & e-Commerce, Shri Aditya Chaudhuri, MD, Accenture, Dr Hemant Darbari, Director General, CDAC, Dr. Philip Makotyn, Quantum Marketing Manager, Honeywell Quantum Solutions, USA were among the key participants of the conclave which saw the presence of eminent personalities from the public sector as well as the private sector, industry and academia from India and abroad. The India Quantum Technology Conclave looked at relevant solutions at a time when the whole world is hit with COVID, and technology is the way forward.

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DST Secretary highlights the importance of industry participation in Quantum Technology & Science in India - IBG NEWS

Bradley Rotter is a visionary investor who has pioneered investments in many new alternative investments classes including having been an early backer of hedge funds in 1982 while speculating on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange. He was also an early investor in Bitcoin and other cryptocurrency ecosystems and at a dinner with OODA CEO Matt Devost in 2012 predicted Bitcoin would exceed the price of gold.

Bradley moved to San Francisco in mid 80s to be close to the technology fountainhead of the Bay Area. In 1995 he was famously quoted saying this internet thing is going to be big and this vision guided his investments in several successful technology companies.

Bradley has made numerous VC and PE investments, with a particular focus on internet and technology and spanning from hedge funds to satellites.

This wide ranging conversation hits on multiple high tech topics including quantum computing, crypto currencies and the data analytics.

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Quantum Computing Sensemaking

Is Quantum Computing Ushering in an Era of No More Secrets?

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OODAcast: Bradley Rotter On The Future Of Work, CryptoCurrencies, Quantum Computing and Leadership - OODA Loop

Aug. 5, 2020 The University of Arizona will receive an initial, five-year, $26 million grant from the National Science Foundation, with an additional five-year $24.6 million option, to establish and lead a new National Science Foundation Engineering Research Center called theCenter for Quantum Networks with core partners Harvard University, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Yale University.

Laying the Foundations of the Future Quantum Internet

CQN aims to lay the foundations of the quantum internet, which will revolutionize how humankind computes, communicates and senses the world, by creating a fabric to connect quantum computers, data centers and gadgets using their native quantum information states of quantum bits, or qubits. Qubits offer dramatic increases in processing capacity by not just having the 0 or 1 state of the classical bit, but also allowing what is termed a superposition of both states at the same time.

The University of Arizona has been fortunate to attract key talent in quantum optics, materials and information sciences, said University of Arizona PresidentRobert C. Robbins. It is rewarding to see our deep culture of collaboration across campus naturally position us to lead this extremely ambitious project in partnership with amazing institutions across the nation.

In February, the White House National Quantum Coordination Office underscored the importance of the field by issuing A Strategic Vision for Americas Quantum Networks. The document stated, By leading the way in quantum networking, America is poised to revolutionize national and financial security, patient privacy, drug discovery, and the design and manufacturing of new materials, while increasing our scientific understanding of the universe.

Transformative Technology

The transformation of todays internet through quantum technology will spur entirely new tech industries and create an innovation ecosystem of quantum devices and components, service

providers and applications. The potential impact of CQN is so immense, it is almost incalculable, notesSaikat Guha, CQN director and principal investigator and associate professor of optical sciences. What we are proposing to do with CQN is analogous to the critical role played by the ARPANET, the historical precursor to the internet. The pioneering scientists behind the ARPANET could not have possibly imagined the kind of computing, communications and mobile networking capabilities their discoveries would inspire and enable, and CQN aspires to follow in their footsteps to usher the world into the era of quantum networking.

The team at the University of Arizona is led by theJames C. Wyant College of Optical Sciencesand includes theCollege of Engineering, theJames E. Rogers College of Lawand theCollege of Social and Behavioral Sciences.

In recent years, the university has focused heavily on quantum engineering, increasing the breadth and depth of our expertise by hiring across several colleges six additional faculty members specializing in quantum technologies, saidElizabeth Betsy Cantwell, University of Arizona senior vice president for research and innovation. With the strength and innovative approaches of these researchers and our strong culture of industry partnerships to translate cutting-edge technologies to the market, CQN will make significant strides towards ushering in a new era of quantum networking at market scale.

CQN also includes scientific and educational leaders at core partners Harvard University, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Yale University, in addition to those at Brigham Young University, Howard University, Northern Arizona University, the University of Massachusetts Amherst, the University of Oregon and the University of Chicago.

A major focus of the CQN team will be research to advance quantum materials and devices, quantum and classical processing required at a network node, and quantum network protocols and architectures. CQN also aims to demonstrate the first U.S.-based quantum network that can distribute quantum information at high speeds, over long distances, to multiple user groups.

As one of the key goals of CQN, we will be creating a versatile Quantum Network Testbed and making it available as a national resource to validate system performance and boost innovation by the scientific and industrial communities alike, saidZheshen Zhang, CQN Testbed co-lead and assistant professor of materials science and engineering.

For the full announcement and additional graphics, visit https://news.arizona.edu/story/university-arizona-awarded-26m-architect-quantum-internet

Source: University of Arizona

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University of Arizona Awarded $26M to Architect the Quantum Internet - HPCwire

Quantum computers promise to be game-changers in fields where there are enormously complex calculations to be carried out. Hoping to use quantum computing to address one of humanitys biggest problems climate change investigators from Microsoft Research and ETH Zurich have developed a quantum algorithm they say is able to simulate catalytic processes extremely quickly. In doing so, they claim that it could be used to find an efficient method for carrying out carbon fixation, cutting down on carbon dioxide in the atmosphere by turning it into useful compounds.

At present, synthetic catalytic processes are discovered using laborious trial-and-error lab experiments. Computer simulations are much faster, but modern computers have a difficult job calculating the properties of very complex molecules. By contrast, Microsofts quantum catalytic simulation algorithm reportedly beats existing state-of-the-art algorithms by 10 times; boding well for the transformational possibilities of using quantum computing as a cornerstone of future chemistry.

Our unique approach pushes the boundaries to deliver the promise of quantum computing and to create unprecedented possibilities for our world, Matthias Troyer, distinguished scientist at Microsoft Research, told Digital Trends. Quantum computing is redefining what is possible with technology, creating unprecedented possibilities to solve humanitys most complex challenges. Microsoft is committed to turning the impossible into reality in a responsible way that brings the best solutions to humanity and our planet.

Troyer explained that the advancements in algorithms gained from this research will serve as a springboard for future work. Microsoft is hoping that it will be able to work alongside the chemistry community to find new ways for quantum computers to help develop new chemical processes, molecules, and, eventually someday, materials. The research is available to read via Microsofts blog.

This isnt the first promising quantum algorithm Digital Trends has covered this month. Recently we wrote about a quantum algorithm that could help revolutionize disease diagnosis. However, like all quantum algorithms, it is going to rely on quantum computers advancing sufficiently in order for researchers to be able to gain the most benefit from it. The hardware this will require is another topic Microsoft discusses in the research paper on this work.

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Microsofts plan to scrub carbon out of the atmosphere? Quantum computers - Digital Trends

Loft Orbital is helping take quantum security into space

What do you get when you combine space, lasers, photons, the laws of physics, a Fortune 100 company, the Canadian Space Agency and a scrappy space startup?

The answer, it is hoped, will be a revolution in encrypted communications. Or, at least, the start of one: a mission to test quantum security in space. Why might you want to do that? Let me explain, with the help of a scrappy space startup and a seriously clued-up quantum security boffin.

The Fortune 100 company involved here is Honeywell, the prime contractor for the Canadian Space Agency's Quantum Encryption and Science Satellite mission, QEYSSat. The aim? Quite simply to put space-based quantum key distribution (QKD) to the test. More of that in a moment, but first, let's meet the scrappy space startup.

Loft Orbital is a company that specializes in deploying and operating space infrastructure as a service. Using its Payload Hub technology, Loft Orbital takes a "Yet Another Mission" or YAM approach to payloads with a hardware and software stack to enable plug and play sensors on a standard microsatellite platform.

QEYSSat is, I am informed, the largest contract since Loft Orbital was founded in 2017. By coincidence, the same year that the Chinese Academy of Sciences launched a similar QKD program using the Micius satellite.

So, why should you give a rat's behind if it's all been done before? Because, dear reader, QKD is a nascent technology, so every new test program will, almost inevitably, unlock further and valuable information. A few years is a very long time in quantum technology, to bastardize the political idiom.

There are a bunch of differences between the older Micius approach to QKD and that which QEYSSat is taking. For a start, QEYSSat is aiming to be less than 20% the size of the Micius satellite and will leverage commercial technology. Hence the involvement of Loft Orbital. Does size matter? You betcha. Reductions in size of that scale should lead to significant savings in both cost and time as far as the next generation of test projects is concerned. Size and mass will also be key if you'll forgive the pun, as any QKD implementation at scale will demand a large satellite constellation.

Ultimately, if all goes according to plan, QEYSSat could have broad-reaching impacts as it should prove the capability to deliver QKD over much longer distances than the current ground to ground tests have managed to date. "This mission will demonstrate game-changing technology with far-reaching implications for how information will be shared and distributed in the future," says Loft Orbital CEO, Pierre-Damien Vaujour, "we are honored and thrilled to be supporting it."

Time, I think, to bring in my friendly quantum security expert, mathematician and security researcher, Dr. Mark Carney, who you may remember helped me explain why the math says Person Woman Man Camera TV made such a lousy password. Dr. Carney has a particular interest in quantum key distribution threat modeling, so makes the ideal guide to what we can expect, or not, from the QEYSSat mission.

"There are four ways quantum affects security," Dr. Carney begins, "quantum computers break classical algorithms, post-quantum algorithms try to get around this by using harder math problems in classical crypto, quantum algorithms can be used to accelerate decisions (popular in quantum finance, but nobody in infosec has really looked at what algorithms can help where), and QKD, that uses quantum effects to do cryptography, bypassing the need for 'mathematical crosswords' altogether."

Still with me, good? Because it gets a little more complicated from this point on.

The algorithms that drive QKD are oldish, and the most popular and well-established, BB84 and E91, primarily work in the same way.

"Because regular cryptography goes over regular networks, it is fully error corrected," Dr. Carney says, "the security is in the underlying math. As such, it can be packet-switched without any consequence."

What has all this got to do with QKD in space? I'm getting there, and so is Dr. Carney. "The problem with QKD is that packet switching is somewhere between very very hard and basically impossible," he says, "because unlike the security of classical crypto being in the math, the security of QKD is in the physical photon state."

Time to get your just accept this at face value head screwed on: if you observe a photon, the quantum effects you are using disappear and you may as well just use classical crypto because it is much better at being transmitted in the clear.

So, if not packet switching, then what? "You need a direct fiber link to do light photon-based QKD between every single endpoint you want to exchange a key with," Dr. Carney explains. One major manufacturer of QKD fiber solutions produces building-to-building link equipment so that the internal security of the network is the only concern of the QKD keys produced. "This is where satellites turn out to be really handy," says Dr. Carney, "send up one satellite, and have a load of users communicate with that, and no need to build dozens or hundreds of fiber links."

If you have a laser array and a laser receiver, you can send pulses of photons up to satellites and still do QKD, albeit with higher error rates due to atmospheric diffusion of light that cannot be avoided. Dr. Carney will come back to that shortly, I'm sure.

"Another advantage of space is that you don't need fiber repeaters," he says, "and for distances of over 14km, single fiber connections get kind of useless." There are fiber repeater network designs for QKD, but these are not necessarily immune to tampering, so breaking the trust modeling according to Dr. Carney.

"I mentioned error and atmospheric dispersion on uplink before," Dr. Carney reminds me, as much as bad weather doesn't actually affect cloud computing, cloud cover certainly affects QKD! Dispersion on the way down is also an issue, and targeting your downlink comms is also hard."

It turns out that getting the aperture of that link down to a minimum seems like a tough problem. "I don't think the calculations are favorable if your downlink laser disperses over a broad area," Dr. Carney adds, "Eve would just have to plant a small mirror on your fence or carefully park another satellite quietly next to yours," to break the threat model once more.

Dr. Carney is of the opinion that "going into space solves a few problems, but also introduces others." Not least because QKD has a fundamental problem which is hard to solve under any circumstance: all of the security is in the physicality of the system. "One foot wrong," Dr. Carney says, "and you can fail pretty badly very quickly."

As for the Chinese Micius program and what that taught us about QKD in space, the latest I heard was a June 2020 paper published in Nature that explained "entanglement-based QKD between two ground stations separated by 1,120 kilometers at a finite secret-key rate of 0.12 bits per second, without the need for trusted relays." That paper claims the methods used increased the on the ground secure distance tenfold and increased the "practical security of QKD to an unprecedented level."

And what of Loft Orbital, which seems to think that this new QKD technology should be available to the private sector, and adopted at scale, in the 2030s? Dr. Carney doesn't have a problem with that as a date for adoption, given that Loft Orbital is demonstrating how microsats are getting ever easier to launch.

"Adopted at scale," he says, "this is I think the kicker. There seem to be a lot of variables in the mix that don't have easy engineering solutions. Unless you are launching a satellite per region and getting decent coverage with superb bandwidth to mitigate issues such as cloud cover, it's hard to see how the cost viability is maintained."

One thing is for sure, this is a move forward, and it will be interesting to see where all this takes us. Especially with "private equity making investments that heretofore were only really of interest and in reach of nation-states," Dr. Carney concludes.

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Meet The Scrappy Space Startup Taking Quantum Security Into Space - Forbes

Quantum computing was named a breakout technology in 2017 by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. It showed up again on the list for 2020. Does that mean quantum computing is ready for prime time? Possibly. That is good news for the world, but the problem is few know what a quantum computer actually doesand investors dont know what quantum computing means for their portfolio.

Where to start? Microsoft (ticker: MSFT) is a large quantum player. And looking at its quantum business can help frame the issue for investorsand anyone else.

Its helpful to start a few steps back from Microsofts quantum aspirations.

Many people have heard of the quantum realm, thanks in large part to Walt Disneys (DIS) Marvel Cinematic Universe. The Avengers, after all, defeated Thanos in Avengers: Endgamethe highest-grossing film of all timewith the help of quantum tunnels. And the Guardians of the Galaxy navigated a quantum asteroid field in their latest stand-alone film.

In the quantum asteroid field, rocks popped in and out of existence. The idea being that in the quantum realm, almost anything is possible. Quantum has become an analogy for weird, counterintuitive outcomes.

Quantum physics does indeed dictate a bunch of weird things, including particlesnot the size of asteroidspopping in and out of existence.

Physicist Richard Feynman said once that all people need to know about quantum physics is the double-slit experiment.

In the experiment, a single electronwhich is a negatively-charged subatomic particlepasses through both slits at the same time. Very weird. But that is because particles have wavelike properties. A wave of water would hit both slits.

So an electron behaves like a wave. OK. But heres the thing, if someone watches the experiment unfoldputting a detector in front of the slitsthe electron stops acting like water. It goes back to being a particle. Weird.

That, curiously, has some benefits for a computer. In a traditional computer, a bitthe basic unit of computing powercan have a value of one or zero. A quantum bit, more commonly called a qubit, is the basic unit of quantum computing. It can have a value of one or zero or anything in betweenat the same time.

There are other things qubits can do, but multiple, simultaneous values makes quantum computers faster. A 64-bit computer can have roughly 18 quintillion (18 with 18 zeros) values. If a computer can do 2 billion values per second, it will take roughly 300 years to go through all potential values.

A 64-bit quantum computer can have, in theory, all 18 quintillion values at once. Go figure.

MIT put quantum computing back on its technology list in 2020 because a quantum computer with 53 qubits built by Google parent Alphabet (GOOGL) did a calculation, in about three minutes, that would have taken a traditional computer 10,000 years.

Quantum supremacy was demonstrated. Great. So when will consumers be buying a quantum desktop, and when will investors be bidding up Alphabet stock on exploding quantum sales?

Not yet.

Qubits are not reliable yet. There is noise, Stephen Jordan, Microsoft quantum principal researcher, told Barrons. People are still working out the hardware. There are, for instance, superconducting qubits, trapped-ion qubits, and topological qubits.

Picking between qubits isnt like beta or VHS, or a Mac versus a PC. With todays computers underlying hardware is the same and 100% reliable, adds Jordan.

The industry is still working out the hardware. To reduce the noise, usually, you take qubits and string a bunch together to make a computing qubit, explains Helmut Katzgraber, Microsoft quantum principal research manager.

Microsoft, of course, is known for software. Maybe that means what the quantum computing industry needs is quantum Intel (INTC), pumping out the quantum equivalent of silicon chips with 1 billion transistors on them. (A transistor can store a bita one or zeroas information.)

For Katzgraber, the qubit hardware industry will be like FPGA, short for field programmable gate arrays, which are integrated circuits that can be configured into ASIC, short for application-specific integrated circuits.

Xilinx (XLNX) makes FPGAs. They get their supply from businesses like Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing (TSM), and Taiwan Semi gets silicon from a company like Lam Research (LCRX).

There is now a quantum value chain like that. Honeywell International (HON) can make trapped-ion qubits. That is probably as close as investors have to a quantum supplier at this point.

Hardware doesnt have to come before software and applications though.

We have gone through computer creation before, says Katzgraber. We are doing the whole stackthe software to the qubitsall at once.

That speeds development, but doesnt mean there will be a quantum smartphone soonor sooner than it took to go from mainframe to desktop, to laptop to iPhone. Quantum computing will probably look a little different. These [systems] will live in data centers in the cloud, adds Jordan.

Along with hardware comes apps. And a killer quantum app will help elevate the technology from MITs tech review to the nightly news. There are areas where the existing tech is having an impact. Julie Love, Microsoft quantum applications team leader, tells Barrons about several problems being addressed now from traffic light optimization to industrial catalyst for chemical production.

For now, big tech is big quantum. Google, Microsoft, IBM (IBM), and Amazon.com (AMZN) have quantum aspirations. Honeywell has its toes in quantum waters too. Its tough to buy any of those stock as a quantum investment yet.

Superconductor makers dont talk about quantum computing much in filings either. And superconducting is only a $2 billion industry at the moment.

Quantum computing remains a watch item for investorsalbeit an interesting one.

Write to Al Root at allen.root@dowjones.com

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Quantum Computing Explained for Investors - Barron's

MIT researchers have introduced a quantum computing architecture thatcan perform low-error quantum computations while also rapidly sharing quantum information between processors. The work represents a key advance toward a complete quantum computing platform.

Previous to this discovery, small-scale quantum processors have successfully performed tasks at a rate exponentially faster than that of classical computers. However, it has been difficult to controllably communicate quantum information between distant parts of a processor. In classical computers, wired interconnects are used to route information back and forth throughout a processor during the course of a computation. In a quantum computer, however, the information itself is quantum mechanical and fragile, requiring fundamentally new strategies to simultaneously process and communicate quantum information on a chip.

One of the main challenges in scaling quantum computers is to enable quantum bits to interact with each other when they are not co-located, says William Oliver, an associate professor of electrical engineering and computer science, MIT Lincoln Laboratory fellow, and associate director of the Research Laboratory for Electronics. For example, nearest-neighbor qubits can easily interact, but how do I make quantum interconnects that connect qubits at distant locations?

The answer lies in going beyond conventional light-matter interactions.

While natural atoms are small and point-like with respect to the wavelength of light they interact with, in a paper published today in the journal Nature, the researchers show that this need not be the case for superconducting artificial atoms. Instead, they have constructed giant atoms from superconducting quantum bits, or qubits, connected in a tunable configuration to a microwave transmission line, or waveguide.

This allows the researchers to adjust the strength of the qubit-waveguide interactions so the fragile qubits can be protected from decoherence, or a kind of natural decay that would otherwise be hastened by the waveguide, while they perform high-fidelity operations. Once those computations are carried out, the strength of the qubit-waveguide couplings is readjusted, and the qubits are able to release quantum data into the waveguide in the form of photons, or light particles.

Coupling a qubit to a waveguide is usually quite bad for qubit operations, since doing so can significantly reduce the lifetime of the qubit, says Bharath Kannan, MIT graduate fellow and first author of the paper. However, the waveguide is necessary in order to release and route quantum information throughout the processor. Here, weve shown that its possible to preserve the coherence of the qubit even though its strongly coupled to a waveguide. We then have the ability to determine when we want to release the information stored in the qubit. We have shown how giant atoms can be used to turn the interaction with the waveguide on and off.

The system realized by the researchers represents a new regime of light-matter interactions, the researchers say. Unlike models that treat atoms as point-like objects smaller than the wavelength of the light they interact with, the superconducting qubits, or artificial atoms, are essentially large electrical circuits. When coupled with the waveguide, they create a structure as large as the wavelength of the microwave light with which they interact.

The giant atom emits its information as microwave photons at multiple locations along the waveguide, such that the photons interfere with each other. This process can be tuned to complete destructive interference, meaning the information in the qubit is protected. Furthermore, even when no photons are actually released from the giant atom, multiple qubits along the waveguide are still able to interact with each other to perform operations. Throughout, the qubits remain strongly coupled to the waveguide, but because of this type of quantum interference, they can remain unaffected by it and be protected from decoherence, while single- and two-qubit operations are performed with high fidelity.

We use the quantum interference effects enabled by the giant atoms to prevent the qubits from emitting their quantum information to the waveguide until we need it. says Oliver.

This allows us to experimentally probe a novel regime of physics that is difficult to access with natural atoms, says Kannan. The effects of the giant atom are extremely clean and easy to observe and understand.

The work appears to have much potential for further research, Kannan adds.

I think one of the surprises is actually the relative ease by which superconducting qubits are able to enter this giant atom regime. he says. The tricks we employed are relatively simple and, as such, one can imagine using this for further applications without a great deal of additional overhead.

Andreas Wallraff, professor of solid-state physics at ETH Zurich, says the research "investigates a piece of quantum physics that is hard or even impossible to fathom for microscopic objects such as electrons or atoms, but that can be studied with macroscopic engineered superconducting quantum circuits. With these circuits, using a clever trick, they are able both to protect their giant atom from decay and simultaneously to allow for coupling two of them coherently. This is very nice work exploring waveguide quantum electrodynamics."

The coherence time of the qubits incorporated into the giant atoms, meaning the time they remained in a quantum state, was approximately 30 microseconds, nearly the same for qubits not coupled to a waveguide, which have a range of between 10 and 100 microseconds, according to the researchers.

Additionally, the research demonstrates two-qubit entangling operations with 94 percent fidelity. This represents the first time researchers have quoted a two-qubit fidelity for qubits that were strongly coupled to a waveguide, because the fidelity of such operations using conventional small atoms is often low in such an architecture. With more calibration, operation tune-up procedures and optimized hardware design, Kannan says, the fidelity can be further improved.

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Giant atoms enable quantum processing and communication in one - MIT News

PQShield, a spin-out from the UK's Oxford University, is developing advanced cryptographic solutions for hardware, software and communications to protect businesses' data from the quantum threat.

The development of quantum computers poses a cybersecurity problem such as the IT industry has never seen before. All stored data currently deemed secure by modern standards whether that's health records, financial data, customer databases and even critical government infrastructure could, in theory, be cracked by quantum computers, which are capable of effectively short circuiting the encryption we've used to protect that data until now.

Efforts to protect our data from the quantum threat are underway, though whether the issue is being looked at with the urgency it deserves is up for debate. PQShield, a post-quantum cryptography startup spun out of Oxford University, perceives a disconnect between the scale of the threat and the current cyber-readiness of most businesses in 2020, which it is now trying to address.

SEE: Quantum computing: Myths v. Realities (TechRepublic)

"The scale of the quantum attack is just too big to imagine," Dr. Ali Kaafarani, research fellow at Oxford's Mathematical Institute and founder of PQShield, tells TechRepublic.

"The most important part of what we're doing is to educate the market."

Kaafarani is a former engineer at Hewlett-Packard Labs and leads a team of 10 full-time quantum cryptographers, from what he estimates to be a worldwide pool of just a hundred or so. The company is busy working on the development of quantum-secure cryptography encryption solutions for hardware, software and communications that will secure information from future risk, yet can be implemented using today's technology.

This comprises a system on chip (SoC) and software development kit that allow companies to create secure messaging applications, protected by a "post-quantum" variant of the Signal cryptographic protocol. Central to PQShield's technology is that it is designed to work with both legacy systems as well as those expected in the years to come, meaning it could offer protection for everything from keyless cars and other connected devices, to data moving to and from cloud servers.

This, Kaafarani explains, is important owing to the fact that post-quantum cryptography cannot be retrospectively implemented meanwhile data encrypted by modern standards remains open to post-quantum threats. "What we're using right now as end-to-end encryption...is secure now, but people can intercept them and steal encrypted data," he says.

"Once they have access to a quantum computer, they can decrypt them, so confidentiality is threatened in retrospect, because whatever is considered confidential now can be decrypted later on."

Kaafarani also perceives an issue with the current attitudes to remediating cyberattacks, which he likens to applying a band-aid to a repeating problem.

SEE: SSL Certificate Best Practices Policy (TechRepublic Premium)

"That's why we started PQShield to fill in this gap, to lead the way to a smooth and secure transition to the quantum era. There is a real opportunity here to get things right from the beginning."

The startup recently completed a 5.5m funding round led by VC Firm Kindred Capital and has now secured German engineering company Bosch as its first OEM customer. While the exact details of the deal are still under wraps, Kaafarani says the deal is indicative of the threats businesses are beginning to identify as the age of quantum computing approaches.

"Their hardware may be built to last, but right now, their security isn't," he says.

"If you're designing a car that's going to go on the roads in the next three years, if you're doing security by design, you should be thinking of the next security standards: not the standards that are valid now, but the standards that will be valid in the next five, 10, 15 years," he says.

"Future-proofing is an imperative, just as it is for the banks and agencies that hold so much of our sensitive data."

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The future of encryption: Getting ready for the quantum computer attack - TechRepublic

The United States (US) Department of Energy (DOE) has unveiled a report that lays out a blueprint strategy for the development of a national quantum internet, an Internet based on quantum computing technology that when implemented will be virtually unhacabled.

Notably, a system that communicates using quantum mechanics represents one of the most important technological frontiers of the 21st century. One of the distinctive feature of quantum transmissions is that they are exceedingly difficult to eavesdrop (secretly or stealthily listening to the private conversation/communications) on as information passes between locations, making it (Quantum Internet) a virtually unhackable networks.

In February of this year, scientists from DOEs Argonne National Laboratory in Lemont, Illinois, and the University of Chicago created a 52-mile (83-kilometer) quantum loop in the Chicago suburbs, successfully establishing one of the longest land-based quantum networks in the nation. That network will soon be connected to DOEs Fermilab in Batavia, Illinois, establishing a three-node, 80-mile testbed.

The U.S. Department of Energy s 17 national laboratories will serve as the backbone of the coming quantum internet, which has initial government funding.

Scientists are also exploring how the quantum internet could expedite the exchange of vast amounts of data. If the components can be combined and scaled, society may be at the cusp of a breakthrough in data communication, according to the report.

Moreover, creating networks of ultra-sensitive quantum sensors could allow engineers to better monitor and predict earthquakesa longtime and elusive goalor to search for underground deposits of oil, gas, or minerals. Such sensors could also have applications in health care and imaging.

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The US Is Building Quantum Internet That'll Be Virtually Unhackable - IndianWeb2.com

Now that weve passed the midpoint in 2020, one thing in the cybersecurity world has become crystal clear: The need for better security within public clouds must be addressed by enterprises once and for all, and that entails cryptography.

No question, enterprises large and small have realized the benefits of rapidly deployable, reasonably priced and extremely scalable public computing infrastructure. According to Forbes, the global cloud computing market will reach $411 billion this year.

But what about the security? Is it up to snuff?

Not really, even though some public cloud purveyors offer some encryption as an option and sometimes by default. This step is hardly foolproof, however, and that should come as no surprise. After all, data in the cloud is stored with a third-party provider and accessed over the internet. This means visibility and control over that dataincluding its securityis limited.

Fact is, cloud service providers treat cloud security risks as a shared responsibility. The good news is that some cloud companies allow clients to encrypt their data before sending it to the cloud, and its becoming increasingly clear that thisor possibly the additional option of adopting a few other proven, state-of-the-art fixes for cloud securityis the preferred route for truly security-conscious enterprises.

That enhanced data encryption in the cloud makes sense began circulating roughly two-and-a-half years ago, when technology and cloud giant Accenture confirmed that it inadvertently left a gigantic store of private data access across four unsecured cloud servers. This exposed highly sensitive passwords and secret decryption keys that could have inflicted considerable damage on the company and its customers.

Since then, misconfigured cloud settings have caused multiple incidents of data exposures in the Amazon Web Services cloud. In addition, a misconfiguration error in Microsofts Azure cloud exposed 250 million technical support accounts. Meanwhile, MVISION Cloud, a unit of McAfee, analyzed the encryption controls offered by more than 12,000 providers and found yet more shortcomings. While 82percent of cloud service providers encrypt data in transit between the user and the cloud service, not even 10percent of cloud providers encrypt data once its stored, MVISION found.

According to CloudPassage, a software-as-a-service purveyor that provides security for private, public and hybrid clouds, one of the worst mistakes made by public cloud companies is having easily hacked administrative credentialsessentially the keys to the kingdom. As it turns out, attackers can execute a breach with a badly configured set of privileged credentialsa common occurrence, unfortunately, when a cloud company cuts corners in a rush to market.

Other mistakes among public crowd companies include exposed data assets, weak network access control and poor event logging, which impedes efforts to detect, contain and analyze compromises in the cloud.

On the bright side, there are companies today that help enterprises adopt cloud encryption. Oneborn out of research done at MITis cybersecurity company PreVeil, whose end-to-end encryption could redefine cloud-based cybersecurity in a way that doesnt interfere with workflows while still enabling popular cloud-based machine-learning applications.

Another company with a different approach to the same end goal is Zscaler, which offers a Secure Web Gateway in the cloud via software-as-a service. No hardware is required. Zscaler decentralizes cybersecurity protection, allowing data to flow back and forth from a public cloud rather than redirecting it to clients own physical data centers.

Another form of cryptography enhances the breadth of the science by offering fresh analytical capabilities as well as securityhomomorphic encryption (HE). HE is attracting more attention from select technology companies such as IBM, Microsoft and Google, and startups such as Enveil, and slowly growing. HE makes it possible to analyze or manipulate encrypted data without revealing the data to anyone, offering huge potential in areas with sensitive personal data such as in financial services or healthcareareas in which the privacy of a person is paramount.

The biggest barrier to widespread adoption of HE is that it is still very slow and so not yet practical for many applications. Nonetheless, company researchers are working diligently to speed up the process by decreasing the required computational overhead.

Microsoft, for example, has created SEAL, a set of encryption libraries that allow computations to be performed directly on encrypted data. SEAL is partnering with companies to build end-to-end encrypted data storage and computation services. Googleanother tech giant that has moved into the fieldlast year unveiled an open-source cryptographic tool similarly focused on analyzing data in its encrypted form with only the insights derived from the analysis visible, not the underlying data itself.

An even more futuristic development that cryptography-minded folks should be aware ofalthough in this case, in a blatantly negative senseis quantum computing, based on the principles of quantum physics.

At least a decade away, ultra-fast quantum computers could perform calculations exponentially faster than classic computersin the wrong hands potentially enabling the destruction of the encryption protecting their data. Fortunately, there is also some good news on this front. The National Institute of Standards and Technology is already pushing researchers to analyze potential problems in this post-quantum era. Meanwhile, IBM has already successfully demonstrated a quantum-proof encryption method it developed.

For now, here are six security tips for companies moving to public or even multi-cloud environments and concerned about cryptography and related security disciplines.

+ Get the basics right.Establish a strategy for multi-cloud encryption and the management of cryptography keys before expanding to more advanced crypto technologies.

+ Leverage encryption as part of your broader IT security efforts.Companies that dont have effective data classification and/or a prioritization program in place tend to struggle with data encryption. Data classification policies and tools facilitate the separation of valuable information that may be targeted from less valuable information.

+ Build in crypto agility.This refers to the capacity for an information security system to adopt an alternative to the original encryption method without significant change to system infrastructure. Be ready to replace or retire your deployed cryptography as needed.

+ Ensure that only authorized users can access data.This is critical to prevent tampering by anyone inside or outside the organization. Audit access controls regularly to ensure their validity.

+ Develop robust plans for business continuity and disaster recovery of crypto keys.Inventory keys and cryptographic libraries so you can recover your data alongside your protection mechanisms.

+ Make sure your cryptography is integrated intothe DevSecOps world.Ensure that DevOps teams choose crypto libraries that follow secure coding practices.

In the final analysis, encryption is tough stuff, but extremely important in the world of security. Companies that embrace it and incorporate it properly are taking an additional big step to protect their data and their reputation in a world inundated by embarrassing, hurtful and costly cyber-breaches.

Now that cloud computing has introduced encryption widely, security-minded companies are under growing pressure to keep the ball rolling and help move on to next steps.

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Corporations Must Step Up to the Plate to Enhance the Security of Cloud Computing - Security Boulevard

QMI added another report to its archive, which presents an up-to-date analysis on Global Quantum computing in aerospace and defense Market. The global market is expected to see an increment in its sales and significant growth in its revenue. Some major companies operating in the market are D-Wave Systems Inc, Qxbranch LLC, IBM Corporation, Cambridge Quantum Computing Ltd, 1qb Information Technologies Inc., QC Ware Corp., Magiq Technologies Inc., Station Q-Microsoft Corporation, and Rigetti Computing.

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In this study of Global Quantum computing in aerospace and defense Market, Quince Market Insights provides formidable forecasts up to the next 8-years. The global Quantum computing in aerospace and defense Market is projected to generate significant sales during the forecast period at a CAGR of XX per cent. The research report discloses current market dynamics in key geographic regions along with observation for the existing environment in the market and probable developments over the global Quantum computing in aerospace and defense Market forecast period.

Report analyzes the global Quantum computing in aerospace and defense Market for the period 20192028. This reports primary aim (Quantum computing in aerospace and defense Market) is to provide understandings on key market developments relevant to the Quantum computing in aerospace and defense Market that are slowly helping to transform the global industries.

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By Design, and global market for Quantum computing in aerospace and defense Market is further segmented. Based on the design, Quantum computing in aerospace and defense Market global market is segmented:

Market Segmentation:By Component: Hardware Software Services

By Application: Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) Quantum Cryptanalysis Quantum Sensing Naval

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By Region:North Americao By Country (US, Canada, Mexico)o By Componento By Application

Western Europe:o By Country (Germany, UK, France, Spain, Italy, Rest of Western Europe)o By Componento By Application

Eastern Europe:o By Country (Russia, Turkey, Rest of Eastern Europe)o By Componento By Application

Asia Pacifico By Country (China, Japan, India, Australia, South Korea, Rest of Asia Pacific)o By Componento By Application

Middle East:o By Country (UAE, Qatar, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Rest of Middle East)o By Componento By Application

Rest of the Worldo By Region (South America, Africa)o By Componento By Application

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Quantum Computing In Aerospace and Defense Market Trend, Future Demand, Analysis by Top Leading Player Qxbranch LLC, IBM Corporation - Market...

While the term quantum computing may sound futuristic, many experts argue the technology is not far away from being utilised on a global scale. Amongst myriad potential benefits, Julian Hall explores how it is set to dramatically impact upon the security sector.

The next generation of super computers will be faster, more efficient, revolutionary and potentially, dangerous.

With the ability to make calculations in minutes that would take todays most advanced computers thousands of years, quantum computers will be in a league of their own. Among the benefits they are anticipated to bring are improvements for solar panels, electric car batteries, financial and weather forecasts and even finding a cure for Alzheimers.

But its the application of quantum computers to encryption and security that is grabbing the headlines. Their ability to break down the vast majority of currently used cryptography, and therefore penetrate government, military and financial networks, is both impressive and scary at the same time.

In a nutshell, quantum computing is a victory over uncertainty. Computers work on the basis of a binary understanding where bits either represent a 0 or a 1 outcome essentially a heads or tails scenario where the outcome is measured when the coin lands. Quantum computing allows the for the outcome to be measured while the coin is still spinning in the air meaning the value is both heads and tails simultaneously.

The quibit, or quantum bit, allows for multiple values to be stored at once. To put this in some kind of context, there are, as Luther Martin from security solutions company Micro Focus observes, between 1078to 1082 atoms in the visible universe, so a single register of just 265 qubits can simultaneously hold about as many values as there are atoms in the universe.

The huge capacity of a quantum computer means a massive encryption capability. Luther references an algorithm running on a quantum computer that reduces the security of a 3.072 bit RSA key down to only about 26 bits in other words easily cracked will a mobile phone. CEO and co-founder of banking technology supplier Neocova and Professor at Washington University, Sultan Meghji, likens the potential of quantum computing on encryption to how the Allies broke Enigma in World War Two.

Just how big a deal this is cannot be overstated.

One of the fundamental building blocks for making digital technologies secure is cryptography, notes Michele Mosca, co-founder and Deputy Director of the Institute for Quantum Computing at the University of Waterloo, Canada.

Cryptographic algorithms allow us to obtain trustworthy results while using systems that are not entirely trustworthy. For example, trusted endpoints can communicate through an untrusted telecommunications system and guarantee the confidentiality of their messages using encryption algorithms and guarantee the origin and integrity of the messages using digital signature algorithms.

Quantum computers would break all of this.

Mosca identifies four specific risks from the fallout of this big data bang:

Its pretty apocalyptic stuff and it sounds a bit like the hype over Y2K, but with actual peril.

Sultan Meghji thinks the Y2K analogy fits, but hes less concerned about general use computers (e.g. laptops, cloud sharing machines) that are many years away from broad spectrum utility and availability than with existing specific use devices such as Chinas Quantum Science Satellite, known as Mozi, launched in 2016 and, this year, paired with the worlds first portable ground station for sending and receiving secure quantum communications.

It is that second category that poses the largest, most immediate potential threat to security. Devices like these could nullify all encryption currently used today, ranging from encryption that protects a consumers credit cards on the internet to that which guards a president of a countrys communications with his or her military leadership.

With the recent UK government decision to ban Huawei from assembling its 5G network, following the US decision, Chinas role in the global security ecosystem has again been in the spotlight. China is, however, seemingly unabashed in its ongoing aim to be the dominant global power and its use of tech to get there. While it eschews the idea that state and commerce are one and the same, for many observers Chinas hoovering up of old data to be decrypted later, its ownership of data-rich companies such as TikTok (now the subject of US investor efforts to buy it from its Chinese owner) and its investment and boardroom presence in western tech start-ups all point to a consolidation and advancement of its world standing.

Sultan Meghji asks: What happens if, in November this year, the Chinese bring on stream an industrialised-scale offensive quantum encryption hacking programme that can break every single piece of encryption out there and we just dont know about it for years until the defensive systems come online? We are in the beginning of this grey window that will last for some number of years where there will be a disconnect between the offensive capability and the defensive capability of everyone else.

The quantum-assisted chaos scenario that concerns Meghji the most is a covert attack on a bank and altering debt payments. Financial services is the most full of risk right now and, after national military infrastructure, the biggest target.

Theres a general consensus among cyber experts and industry experts that battling quantum decryption doesnt have to be rocket science even if it will be time consuming.

In theory, its simple, says Michele Mosca. Replace the public-key algorithms we depend on with alternatives that are designed to resist quantum attacks. In practice, this is a massive and multi-faceted undertaking that takes 10-20 years to do properly. Much remains to be done, and more stakeholders will need to join the effort.

As Mosca says, many of the steps toward migrating systems to quantum-safe cryptography, (both post-quantum cryptography and quantum cryptography) are already underway, and Luther Martin, writing in TechBeacon, thinks that many businesses will already be adopting them.

Attacks that can run on quantum computers simply divide the number of bits of security that an AES [Advanced Encryption Standard] key provides by two, says Martin. A 256-bit AES key will provide 128 bits of security, etc. So if you are already using AES-256, you are already using an encryption algorithm that will provide an adequate level of security against quantum computers.

Meanwhile, Honeywell (who claim to have built the most powerful quantum computer yet, though, unlike Google, have not claimed quantum supremacy i.e. the ability to make calculations that no over classical computer can) believe that the solution is within the problem. The beauty of quantum computing, says Tony Uttley, President of Honeywell Quantum Solutions is that quantum computers have the potential to be a tool that works in both directions. This means that there are opportunities for quantum computers to provide quantum randomness to become a part of the encryption process itself.

Michele Moscas steps for CTOs, CSOs or any other relevant postholders:

While Sultan Meghji also believes that shoring up many systems against the quantum threat can be simple enough, recalling the rollout of Transport Layer Security protocols 1.0 and 1.1 as being fairly straightforward, he also knows that despite the simplicity and being inexpensive there will be laggardsthere are still organisations out there using TLS 1.0 which you or I could hack with our smartphone.

Investment is crucial for Meghji. If I was responsible for research budgets for either of our two nations I would put 10 times whatever the number is of investment in cyber and 10 times whatever the investment is in quantum computing and thats on the low end.

Download this report, produced in conjunction with Texecom, to discover how increasing processing power, accelerating broadband speeds, cloud-managed solutions and the internet of things and transforming the intruder alarm market, and whether firms are adopting these innovative new technologies.

Quantum Computing: Why the technology poses a security threatWhile the term quantum computing sounds futuristic, many experts argue the technology is not far away. Amongst myriad potential benefits, Julian Hall explores how it is set to dramatically impact upon the security sector.

Julian Hall

Would you wait two minutes to retrieve three-month old surveillance footage if it slashed costs by 50%?

Watch: Quantum on IFSEC TV

Multi-tier surveillance storage for scalable growth: Quantum Q&A

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Quantum Computing: Why the technology poses a security threat - IFSEC Global