Category Archives: Quantum Computing

SINGAPORE, April 18, 2024 Horizon Quantum Computing, a company building software development tools for quantum computers, today announced that it is establishing a first-of-its-kind testbed for integrating quantum computing hardware with its software stack, Triple Alpha.

The testbed, which will be set up at Horizons Singapore headquarters, will have the capacity to host multiple quantum computers. By acquiring its own hardware, Horizon gains full control over both hardware and software stacks, allowing it to push the frontiers of quantum computing.

A key aspect of Horizons quantum computing testbed is its modular multi-vendor approach. Rather than utilizing a single-vendor solution, the company has purposely selected best-in-class components from different providers. This modularity allows Horizon to integrate its software stack with different hardware configurations and upgrade the system over time.

The first system will be based on a Novera quantum processor from Rigetti Computing and OPX1000, the processor-based quantum controller from Quantum Machines. The integrated system is expected to be installed by early 2025.

Recent progress on quantum processors and error correction has underscored the rapid pace of progress in the field. We are taking the step of creating this testbed because we believe that tight integration between hardware and software is the shortest path to truly useful quantum computing, said Dr Joe Fitzsimons, Founder & CEO at Horizon Quantum Computing. We are delighted to work with Rigetti Computing and Quantum Machines on our first system.

We are thrilled that Horizon has selected the Novera QPU for their first quantum computing system. Establishing high performing on-premise quantum computing capabilities is key for working towards useful quantum computing, said Dr Subodh Kulkarni, CEO at Rigetti Computing. We cant wait to witness what the Horizon team accomplishes with a quantum computing system powered by the Novera QPU and Quantum Machines control system.

Were excited to partner with Horizon Quantum Computing and Rigetti Computing in this pioneering initiative. Our approach has always emphasized scalability, interoperability and modularity, principles that resonate with Horizons Triple Alpha, said Dr Itamar Sivan, co-founder and CEO of Quantum Machines. This collaboration with industry pioneers like Horizon and Rigetti not only showcases the adaptability and effectiveness of our processor-based OPX1000 controller in diverse setups, but also marks a significant step forward in the collective journey towards useful quantum computers.

About Horizon Quantum Computing

Horizon Quantum Computing is developing a new generation of programming tools to simplify and expedite the process of developing software for quantum computers. By removing the need for prior quantum computing experience to develop applications for quantum hardware, Horizons tools are making the power of quantum computing accessible to every software developer. The company was founded by Dr Joe Fitzsimons in 2018, a former professor with two decades of experience in quantum computing and computational complexity theory. The leadership team also includes Dr Si-Hui Tan, Chief Science Officer, who holds a Ph.D. in Physics from MIT and has been actively involved in quantum research for the same period.

Source: Horizon Quantum Computing

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Horizon Quantum Computing to Pioneer Multi-Vendor Quantum Hardware Testbed - HPCwire

Horizon Quantum Computing, a Singapore-based quantum software start-up, announced today it would build its own testbed of quantum computers, starting with use of Rigettis Novera 9-qubit QPU. The approach by a quantum software specialist to build-its-own testbed is new. The idea is to be able to develop and integrate its software stack Triple Alpha more thoroughly into various types of quantum computers.

Founded in 2018, Horizons broad strategy is to develop tools that will take software developed using current programming languages and translate that code into quantum algorithms and specific device codes across multiple quantum qubit modalities. The Novera QPU is a superconducting qubit, but Horizons plans call for integrating other qubit modalities into its testbed.

In interview with HPCwire, Horizon CEO and founder, Joe Fitzsimons, said We have been pursuing an ambitious plan to bridge the gap between conventional software engineering and quantum computing through the automation of quantum algorithm construction. Our goal is to enable software engineers and domain experts in fields that make significant use of high performance computing to develop code using familiar programming languages and automatically accelerate these programs using quantum processing. We have already been able to demonstrate automated construction of quantum algorithms from programs written in a subset of the Matlab language, and we expect to integrate such functionality into our development tools over time.

The testbed, which will be set up at Horizons Singapore headquarters, will have the capacity to host multiple quantum computers. In addition to using Rigettis Novera 9-qubit QPU, Horizon will also use Quantum Machiness OPX1000, the processor-based quantum controller. This first integrated system is expected to be installed by early 2025.

Horizon reported in the official release, By acquiring its own hardware, Horizon gains full control over both hardware and software stacks, allowing it to push the frontiers of quantum computing. A key aspect of Horizons quantum computing testbed is its modular multi-vendor approach. Rather than utilizing a single-vendor solution, the company has purposely selected best-in-class components from different providers. This modularity allows Horizon to integrate its software stack with different hardware configurations and upgrade the system over time.

Asked why isnt everyone doing this?

Fitzsimons said, The answer is partly that the timing hasnt been right until now. As we get closer to seeing practical error-corrected quantum computation, the timeline to useful quantum computation is accelerating. While we may well be the first quantum software company to make such a move, I doubt very much that we will be the last.

Its interesting to note the international flavor of the supply chain here. Rigetti, of course, is a U.S.-based quantum computing pioneer. Quantum Machines, founded in 2018, is an Israel-based startup specializing in quantum control systems. Horizon is one of many young and ambitious Asia-PAC based quantum companies. It completed series A funding round ($18 million) roughly a year ago. The global nature of the quantum computing supply chain has basically become a reality.

Like most quantum start-up CEOs, Fitzsimons background is in the science. His Ph.D. (Oxford) is in quantum computing architectures. In 2018 he held a tenured position as an associate professor at the Singapore University of Technology and Design, where he led the Quantum Information and Theory group. He was also a principal investigator at the Centre for Quantum Technologies (CQT), which was established in December 2007 by Singapores National Research Foundation and Ministry of Education, and is hosted by the National University of Singapore.

Fitzsimons told HPCwire, We will be building the system from components ourselves, and expect to have the system operational in early 2025. We will be integrating the system with our software development tools, which enable far more complex programs than many existing quantum programming frameworks since they enable non-trivial flow control and concurrent classical and quantum computation. We expect to open the system up to users of our tools once the integration is complete.

He declined to say which modalities will be brought into its testbed next, We have been very conscious of the significant progress across a number of modalities in the past twelve months. As we get closer to useful quantum computation, we want to ensure that we build up the experience of integrating with, and potentially operating, quantum computers based on the most promising modalities. We will be closely monitoring progress across the field, but will only be making a decision on further systems after the first quantum computer is operational.

On the whole, the Horizon gambit is interesting. It will be interesting to watch the extent to which future systems are brought as components or complete systems. Quantum Machines, on its website, lists several modalities that its control systems can work with, including superconducting, optically addressable (e.g. NV diamonds), quantum dots, and neutral atoms. The move is also interesting for Rigetti, which just entered the merchant QPU market back in December the Novera kit list price then was $900,000.

Included in the official announcement were quotes from Rigetti and Quantum Machines:

Asked about collaborations and working with other AsiaPAC companies, Fitzsimons said, Our main focus is on working with hardware partners, and to date these have been based in North America and Europe. The focus is on pushing forward towards useful quantum computing, and working with other companies that share that goal. We have access to quite a number of systems both through the major cloud providers and through direct access with hardware companies, and have integrated many of these into our tool chain so that users can not only develop quantum programs, but also deploy these programs as APIs which execute jobs on both hardware and simulator backends.

Fitzsimons seems a realist in terms of challenges ahead and uncertainty around the timeline to deliver quantum advantage.

The biggest challenges for any quantum computing company are correctly pacing resource utilization pre-quantum advantage and the limited pool of scientists with significant experience in the field, he said.

One the timing to quantum payoff, he added, I have never been a big believer in the likelihood of really useful quantum computing emerging from variational algorithms used on NISQ machines. Over the past 18 months, however, there has been tremendous progress in error correction and fault-tolerance, and we are seeing an increasing number of experiments exceed breakeven error correction. Over the next three years, I would expect to see significant progress towards the low noise regime.

Stay tuned.

Link to announcement, https://www.hpcwire.com/off-the-wire/horizon-quantum-computing-to-pioneer-multi-vendor-quantum-hardware-testbed/

Excerpt from:

Software Specialist Horizon Quantum to Build First-of-a-Kind Hardware Testbed - HPCwire

For the first time in the history of the Shenandoah Apple Bossom Festival three consecutive generations in a family will have served as Queen Shenandoah. Susan Ford Bales, Queen in 1975, and Tyne Vance Berlanga, Queen in 2001, will be accompanying Joy Elizabeth Berlanga as she assumes her role as Queen Shenandoah XCVII.

The Crowning Ceremony entertains from regal pomp and circumstance to joyful enthusiasm of Little Maids and Pages who are ever present to serve their Queen. The youthful court interchange historical and educational facts from the British Crown to learning about a United States President to asking, Who has the Crown?, and with dancing. The Queen will be crowned at the memorable Coronation celebration under the direction of Elaine B. Aikens. The Ceremony to install the new sovereign is sponsored by Morgan Orthodontics, on Friday, May 3 at 1:30 p.m.at Handley High School. President Gerald Ford crowned Susan. Susan crowned Tyne, and Joy will be crowned by her mother and escorted by her grandmother.

Susan, Joys grandmother, is a Virginia native and now resides in Texas. She is the daughter of President Gerald R. Ford and Betty Ford. Susan is the mother of two daughters, Tyne Berlanga and Heather Deavers, five grandchildren, Joy Elizabeth Berlanga, Cruz Vance Berlanga, Elizabeth Blanch Deavers, Jude Deavers, and Sullivan Bales, and three stepsons, Kevin, Matthew, and Andrew Bales.

Susan was raised in Alexandria, Virginia and attended Holton Arms School and the University of Kansas, where she studied photojournalism. She is the recipient of an Honorary Doctorate of Public Service degree, an Honorary Doctorate of Letters degree, and an Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters degree. She is the author of two novels set in the Whie House, Double Exposure: A First Daughter Mystery, and its sequel, Sharp Focus.

Susan is the Ships Sponsor for the aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN-78), which she officially christened on November 9, 2013. On April 8, 2016, in recognition of her service as the Ships Sponsor, she was named an Honorary Naval Aviator by the United States Navy, becoming only the 31st American to receive this distinction. And history was made with her selection Susan is the first woman to be chosen as an Honorary Naval Aviator.

During her high school years, Susan lived in the White House and served as official White House hostess following her mothers surgery for breast cancer in 1974. In 1984, she and her mother helped launch National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and Susan subsequently served as national spokesperson for breast cancer awareness. Since the founding of the Betty Ford Center in 1982, Susan worked side by side with her mother on projects at the Center and was elected to the Centers Board of Directors in 1992. She succeeded her mother as Chairman of the Board 2005-2010, and currently serves on the board of directors of Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation.

In addition to her many charitable public service activities, Susan serves as Co-Trustee of the President Gerald R. Ford Historical Legacy, Trustee, Trustee of the Elizabeth B. Ford Charitable Trust, and the Honorary Advisory Committee of the Childrens National Medical Center.

Tyne, mother of Joy, Queen-designate, resides in Frisco, TX with her husband Hector and two children, Joy and Cruz. She serves as a marketing manager for Western Son. With a passion for community involvement, Tyne sits on multiple school booster club boards for all her childrens activities.

On Tynes departure as Queen she reflected, It was easy to be kind, gracious and humble Queen when surrounded by the people of Winchester. My five-day reign as Queen Shenandoah was an occasion that will have a special place in my heart. I have formed friendships and made memories that will hopefully stay with me for a long time to come. On Sunday morning I was doing an exit interview with one of the reporters and he asked me, If l had a daughter would I let her be Queen? My answer was immediately Yes, if shes lucky enough to be given this opportunity. Now, Tyne eagerly anticipates returning to Winchester where Joy is set to embark on a remarkable journey, echoing Tynes own experiences from 23 years prior. Its truly heartwarming to be able to share this moment with both her mother and daughter.

The Queen and her family will ride in the Hang 10 Firefighters Parade Friday evening at 5:30 and the glo fiber Grand Feature Parade on Saturday, May 4 at 1:30 p.m. Queen-designate Joy and her family will be making appearances at Festival events during the weekend.

Tickets to Festival events are available at http://www.thebloom.com/events.

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Illuminating Futures: Celebrating Achievements and Exploring Quantum Computing at This is IT! Event - Royal Examiner

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Horizon Quantum Computing to Establish First-of-a-Kind Hardware Testbed - The Bakersfield Californian

A paper released during the SIGBOVIK 2024 conference details an attempt to simulate the IBM quantum utility experiment on a Commodore 64. The idea might seem preposterous - pitting a 40-year-old home computer against a device powered by 127-Qubit Eagle quantum processing unit (QPU). However, the anonymous researcher(s) conclude that the Qommodore 64 performed faster, and more efficiently, than IBMs pride-and-joy, while being decently accurate on this problem.

At the beginning of the paper, the researchers admit that their Qommodore 64 project is a joke, but, sadly for IBM, its proof of quantum utility was also built upon shaky foundations, and the Qommodore 64 team came up with some convincing-looking benchmarks. There was some controversy about IBMs claims at the time, and we are reminded it took just five days for the quantum experiment to be simulated on an ordinary MacBook M1 Pro laptop. The jokey Quantum Disadvantage paper (PDF link, headlining section starts at page 199) ports this experiment to a machine packing the far more humble MOS Technology 6510 processor.

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To get deep into the weeds with the quantum theory and math behind the quantum utility experiment, please follow the above PDF link. However, to summarize, the C64-based experiment uses the sparse Pauli dynamics technique developed by Begui, Hejazi, and Chan to approximate the behavior of ferromagnetic materials. Famously, IBM claimed such calculations were too difficult to perform on a classical computer to an acceptable accuracy, using the leading approximation techniques, recalls the paper. Not quite, and as already mentioned above, an ordinary laptop can obtain similar results.

The anonymous C64 user(s) provide some interesting details of their quantum-defeating feat. Their aggressively truncated and shallow depth-first search model used just 15kB of the spacious 64kB available on the iconic Commodore machine. Meanwhile, the final code consisted of about 2,500 lines of 6502 assembly, stored on a cartridge that fitted in the C64s expansion port. This code was handled by the mighty 1 MHz 8-bit MOS 6510 CPU. The C64 took approx 4 minutes per data point. (Testing the same code on a modern laptop achieved roughly 800s per data point.)

In conclusion, the researcher(s) asserts that the Qommodore 64 is faster than the quantum device datapoint-for-datapoint it is much more energy efficient and it is decently accurate on this problem. On the topic of how applicable this research is to other quantum problems, it is snarkily suggested that it probably wont work on almost any other problem (but then again, neither do quantum computers right now). Overall, it is difficult to know whether the results are entirely genuine, though a lot of detail is provided and the linked research references in the paper seem genuine.

We know many readers are retro computing enthusiasts, as well as DIYers and makers. So it is good to know that the author(s) of this paper say that they will provide source code to allow others to replicate their results. However, source code will only be supplied in one of three formats, they say: a copy handwritten on papyrus, a slide-show of blurry screenshots recorded on a VHS tape, or that I dictate it to you personally over the phone. So please add an extra pinch of salt to this story for that.

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Commodore 64 claimed to outperform IBM's quantum system sarcastic researchers say 1 MHz computer is faster ... - Tom's Hardware

In an article recently published in the journal Astronomy and Computing, researchers investigated the feasibility of emerging quantum computers for applications in radio astronomy, specifically radio astronomy calibration.

Large-scale radio telescopes are expected to outgrow the computational capacities of conventional digital resources in the near future. Current and planned telescopes struggle to process the vast amounts of data they generate efficiently.

Calibrating large-scale radio telescopes, particularly phased array telescopes, presents a significant computational challenge. For example, calibrating an 8-hour LOFAR two-meter sky survey (LoTSS) observation consumes approximately 52,000 core hours. Consequently, there is a pressing need to develop methods that can efficiently reduce this computational demand and minimize energy consumption.

One class of calibration leverages the inherent redundancy in regular arrays to self-calibrate the array with statistical efficiency. This study delves into the quantum-accelerated variant of this calibration method, drawn by its practical relevance and straightforward structure. Moreover, redundancy calibration primarily involves solving sets of linear equations, a task for which effective quantum algorithms are currently available.

The Hydrogen Epoch of Reionization Array (HERA) exemplifies a radio telescope employing an exceedingly regular array configuration. Comprising multiple antennas arranged in a regular hexagonal pattern, HERA exhibits significant redundancy between baselines, rendering it well-suited for redundancy calibration.

In this study, researchers explored the potential application of combinatorial solvers in quantum annealers (QAs) and variational quantum linear solvers (VQLSs) on noisy intermediate-scale quantum (NISQ) computers for radio astronomy calibration pipelines. Specifically, two distinct quantum computing approaches were investigated: QAs developed by D-Wave and gate-based quantum computers provided by IBM. Calibration, a computationally intensive task in radio astronomy processing pipelines, involves solving sets of linear equations.

The aim was to demonstrate the effectiveness of these approaches in reducing computational costs when integrated into calibration pipelines. While the Harrow-Hassid-Im-Lloyd (HHL) method offers significant speedup compared to classical methods, it has limitations such as hardware constraints and data input boundaries.

Therefore, a variational approach, known as VQLS, was explored, given its compatibility with current hardware. Variational quantum algorithms have gained attention for their effectiveness in harnessing quantum computing power in the NISQ era, with newer variations proposed to address limitations. Many studies have successfully applied this method to solve finite-element problems.

QAs present a viable alternative to gate-based quantum computers and have been extensively evaluated for real-world applications, including power grid management and structural biology studies. D-Wave QAs, accessible via cloud services and boasting over 2,000 qubits, have been utilized for various tasks, including solving linear systems and floating-point calculations.

They were also used in fundamental studies in structural biology and acoustics. These studies employed D-Wave QAs accessible through the cloud and containing over 2,000 qubits. In addition to binary problems, QAs are also suitable for solving linear systems and floating-point calculations.

The researchers integrated a variational quantum linear solver (VQLS) and quadratic unconstrained binary optimization (QUBO) solvers into the redundancy calibration pipeline of the HERA telescope using the Hera linsolve package's dedicated fork.

This seamless integration of quantum solvers within the software suite facilitated the transition between quantum and classical resources for calibration. Experiments were conducted in both ideal and realistic settings, considering factors such as noise, coherence time, and qubit connectivity.

Results were compared based on accuracy, with the VQLS solver employing a full qubit correlation and a real-amplitude variational ansatz, while the QUBO solver used 11 qubits to encode floating-point numbers of the solution vector. However, the study also acknowledged significant limitations of current quantum computers, such as limited connectivity graphs for qubits in QAs like D-Wave chips.

The results of the study demonstrated that quantum linear solvers showed promise as a viable tool for obtaining initial estimates of antennas' gains in ideal conditions, where quantum hardware was not constrained by coherence time or qubit connectivity. However, in realistic settings, limitations on coherence time and qubit connectivity significantly hindered the performance of these solvers.

While the variational method implemented on gate-based quantum computers required a relatively small number of qubits for large arrays, it necessitated an exceptionally efficient matrix decomposition scheme to rival classical approaches. Without such a scheme, the computational cost became prohibitive.

Similarly, the combinatorial approach relying on QAs produced highly accurate results but demanded a significant number of physical qubits to overcome limited inter-qubit connectivity on real devices. As a result, existing QAs could only handle small antenna arrays, where classical methods remained competitive.

Overall, the study found no definitive quantum advantage for radio astronomy calibration using current hardware. This underscores the need for further research to develop new quantum solvers with improved performance and hardware that imposes fewer limitations, thereby realizing the computational advantages promised by quantum computing.

Renaud, N., Rodrguez-Snchez, P., Hidding, J., Broekema, P. C. (2024). Quantum radio astronomy: Quantum linear solvers for redundant baseline calibration. Astronomy and Computing, 47, 100803. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ascom.2024.100803, https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2213133724000180

Disclaimer: The views expressed here are those of the author expressed in their private capacity and do not necessarily represent the views of AZoM.com Limited T/A AZoNetwork the owner and operator of this website. This disclaimer forms part of the Terms and conditions of use of this website.

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Quantum Linear Solvers for Redundant Baseline Calibration - AZoQuantum

Federal cybersecurity officials are preparing for a quantum computing surprise that requires the largest change in encryption ever to safeguard Americans data from foreign hackers.

The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agencys Garfield Jones said Tuesday that the emergence of a cryptanalytically relevant quantum computer will upend digital security in unprecedented ways and that people need to prepare immediately.

Such a device, dubbed CRQC, would be capable of breaking encryption to expose government secrets and peoples personal information to anyone who uses the machine, according to cyber officials.

Nations will rush to develop the tech and keep it hidden from public view in order to steal their enemies data while upending information security in the process, according to Mr. Jones, CISA associate chief of strategic technology.

When it drops, its not going to be, I dont think its going to be a slow drop, Mr. Jones told cyber officials assembled at the U.S. General Services Administration. I think once someone gets this CRQC, none of us will know.

Quantum computers promise speeds and efficiency that todays fastest supercomputers cannot match, according to the National Science Foundation. Classical computers have more commercial value now because quantum computers have not yet proven capable of correcting errors involving encoded data.

A cryptanalytically relevant quantum computer, the CRQC, will be capable of correcting errors, according to Mr. Jones, and perform tasks that other computers cannot approach.

Preparations for defense against such technology are underway across the federal government.

Art Fuller, who is leading the Justice Departments post-quantum cryptography efforts, said developing secure systems presents a huge challenge that cannot be solved by flipping a switch.

This is the largest cryptographic migration in history, Mr. Fuller told officials at Tuesdays event.

Estimates on the timing of the creation of such a quantum computer vary, but Mr. Jones said large-scale quantum computers remain in the early stages of research and development and could still be a ways off.

Regardless, Mr. Jones cautioned digital defenders against delaying preparation for the arrival of such technology.

He described the environment surrounding the development of the CRQC as almost very close to a nuclear weapon, with nations competing to obtain the machine and keep it top secret.

You never know, three years from now, you might have a CRQC but I think planning and getting that preparation in place will help you protect that data, Mr. Jones said.

The National Security Agency similarly fears the arrival of a CRQC in the hands of Americas enemies.

NSA Director of Research Gil Herrera said last month that teams around the world are building with different technologies and could develop something representing a black swan event, an extremely unexpected occurrence with harsh consequences.

If this black swan event happens, then were really screwed, Mr. Herrera said, citing potential damage to everything from financial transactions to sensitive communications for nuclear weapons.

Mr. Herrera did not forecast precisely when a nation could develop such a device in remarks at the Intelligence and National Security Alliance event but indicated it may take a long time to achieve.

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'Almost very close' to nuclear weapon: Federal cyber officials brace for quantum computing surprise - Washington Times

A device called a quantum drum may serve as "a crucial piece in the very foundation for the Internet of the future with quantum speed and quantum security", says Mads Bjerregaard Kristensen, postdoc from the Niels Bohr Institute in a new research piece. The original research paper has an official briefing available for free on Phys.org, and can be found published in full in the Physical Review Letters journal for a subscription fee.

One key issue with quantum computing and sending quantum data ("qubits") over long distances is the difficulty of maintaining data in a fragile quantum state where losing data or "decohering" becomes a much higher risk. Using a quantum drum at steps along the chain can prevent this data decoherence from occurring, enabling longer and even potentially global communication distances.

The current record for sending qubits over a long distance is held by China and Russia, and is about 3,800 km with only encryption keys sent as quantum data. The standard wired qubit transmission range is roughly 1000 kilometers before loss of photons ruins the data. Quantum drums could potentially address this limitation.

How does a 'quantum drum' work? In a similar manner to how existing digital bits can be converted into just about anything (sound, video, etc.), qubits can be converted as well. However, qubits require a level of precision literally imperceivable to the human eye, so converting qubits without data loss is quite difficult. The quantum drum seems like a potential answer. Its ceramic glass-esque membrane was shown to be capable of maintaining quantum states as it vibrates with stored quantum information.

Another important purpose served by these quantum drums is security. Were we to start transferring information between quantum computers over the standard Internet, it would inherit the same insecurities as our existing standards. That's because it would need to be converted to standard bits and bytes, which could become essentially free to decode in the not-so-distant quantum future.

By finding a quantum storage medium that doesn't lose any data and allows information to be transferred over much longer distances, the vision of a worthwhile "Quantum Internet" begins to manifest as a real possibility, and not simply the optimism of quantum computing researchers.

Quantum computing research continues to be a major area of interest, often with highly technical discussions and details on the technology. A research paper on quantum drums and their potential of course doesn't mean that this technique will prove to be commercially viable. Still, every little step forward creates new opportunities for our seemingly inevitable quantum-powered future.

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Researchers create 'quantum drums' to store qubits one step closer to groundbreaking internet speed and security - Tom's Hardware

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Researchers have developed a new way to create quantum memory: A small drum can store data sent with light in its sonic vibrations, and then forward the data with new light sources when needed again.

The results demonstrate that mechanical memory for quantum data could be the strategy that paves the way for an ultra-secure internet with incredible speeds.

Just beneath Niels Bohrs old office at the University of Copenhagens Niels Bohr Institute is a basement where scattered tables are covered with small mirrors, lasers, and an agglomeration of all types of devices connected by webs of wires and heaps of tape. It looks like a childs project gone too far, one that their parents have tried in vain to get them to clean up.

While it is difficult for the untrained eye to discern that these tables are actually the home to an array of world-leading research projects, the important stuff is happening within worlds so small that not even Newtons laws apply. This is where Niels Bohrs quantum physical heirs are developing the most cutting-edge of quantum technologies.

One of these projects stands outfor physicists at leastby the fact that a gizmo visible to the naked eye is able to achieve quantum states. The quantum drum is a small membrane made of a ceramic, glass-like material with holes scattered in a neat pattern along its edges.

When the drum is beaten with the light of a laser, it begins vibrating, and does it so quickly and undisturbed that quantum mechanics come into play. This property has long since caused a stir by opening up a number of quantum technological possibilities.

Now, new work has demonstrated that the drum can also play a key role for the futures network of quantum computers. Like modern alchemists, researchers have created a new form of quantum memory by converting light signals into sonic vibrations.

Prior to the data-carrying light signal hitting the quantum drum membrane, an auxiliary laser ensures that the membranes natural vibrations, which come from ambient conditions, are brought under control. This stabilizes the diaphragm with a drum beat that is at the exact frequency it likes best. This is called resonance.

The drum becomes very sensitive when it resonates with the auxiliary laser, which, among other things, allows it to detect the signal stored in the data-carrying light with quantum precision.

Once data-filled light hits, its signal becomes part of the drums vibrations. Here, they can be stably preserved in a kind of sound memory prior to being sent onwards in a third laser, which is shot at the drum and mirrored out in a cable with data from the original light signal encoded.

In the new research article, the researchers have proven that quantum data from a quantum computer emitted as light signalse.g., through the type of fiber-optic cable already used for high-speed internet connectionscan be stored as vibrations in the drum and then forwarded.

Previous experiments demonstrated to researchers that the membrane can remain in an otherwise fragile quantum state. And on this basis, they believe that the drum should be able to receive and transmit quantum data without it decohering, i.e., losing its quantum state when the quantum computers are ready.

This opens up great perspectives for the day when quantum computers can really do what we expect them to. Quantum memory is likely to be fundamental for sending quantum information over distances. So, what weve developed is a crucial piece in the very foundation for an internet of the future with quantum speed and quantum security, says postdoc Mads Bjerregaard Kristensen of the Niels Bohr Institute, lead author of the new research article in Physical Review Letters.

When transferring information between two quantum computers over a distanceor among many in a quantum internetthe signal will quickly be drowned out by noise. The amount of noise in a fiber-optic cable increases exponentially the longer the cable is. Eventually, data can no longer be decoded.

The classical internet and other major computer networks solve this noise problem by amplifying signals in small stations along transmission routes. But for quantum computers to apply an analogous method, they must first translate the data into ordinary binary number systems, such as those used by an ordinary computer.

This wont do. Doing so would slow the network and make it vulnerable to cyber-attacks, as the odds of classical data protection being effective in a quantum computer future are very bad.

Instead, we hope that the quantum drum will be able to assume this task. It has shown great promise as it is incredibly well-suited for receiving and resending signals from a quantum computer. So, the goal is to extend the connection between quantum computers through stations where quantum drums receive and retransmit signals, and in so doing, avoid noise while keeping data in a quantum state, says Kristensen. He adds:

In doing so, the speeds and advantages of quantum computers, e.g., in relation to certain complex calculations, will extend across networks and the Internet, as they will be achieved by exploiting properties like superposition and entanglement that are unique to quantum states, he says.

If successful, the stations will also be able to extend quantum-secured connections, whose quantum codes could also be lengthened by the drum. These secure signals could be sent over various distances, whether around a quantum network or across the Atlantic, in the quantum internet of the future.

The method involves sending qubits of quantum data in an ultra-short light signal: A couple of entangled photons can be used to create nearly unbreakable codes.

These types of connections also ensure that any attempt to hack access will be exposed, as quantum law says that whenever something is observed, it changes.

A classical computer works like a large network of switches that can be in either on or off positions. These systems are called binary because of the two states that form the basis of the calculations performed by the computer. Like beads on an abacus, the on and off switches form patterns of binary code.

A quantum computer performs calculations with the help of quantum mechanics, and exploits that its quantum switches, or qubits, can be in quantum states, including superposition, where they are simultaneously on and off. This allows a quantum computer to rapidly manage large amounts of information in a way that classical computers cannot.

Quantum data transmitted via light signals can maintain its quantum state as long as it is sufficiently undisturbed. And, the Niels Bohr Institutes quantum drum can both receive and forward signals without disturbance.

Research is being conducted elsewhere on an alternative where a data-carrying light source is directed at an atomic system and temporarily shifts the electrons in the atom, but the method has its limitations.

There are limits to what you can do with an atomic system, as we cant design atoms or the frequency of the light that they can interact with ourselves. Our relatively large mechanical system provides more flexibility. We can tinker and adjust, so that if new discoveries change the rules of the game, there is a good chance that the quantum drum can be adapted, explains Professor Albert Schliesser, coauthor of the research article.

For better or worse, our abilities as researchers are mostly what define the limits for how well it all works, he points out.

The drum is the latest and most serious take on mechanical quantum memory as it combines a number of properties: The drum has low signal lossi.e., the data signals strength is well retained. It also has the tremendous advantage of being able to handle all light frequencies, including the frequency used in the fiber optic light cables upon which the modern Internet is built.

The quantum drum is also convenient because data can be stored and read whenever needed. And the record-long 23 milliseconds of memory time already achieved by researchers makes it far more likely that the technology may one day become a building block for systems of quantum networks as well as the hardware in quantum computers.

We are out early with this research. Quantum computing and communication are still at an early stage of development, but with the memory weve obtained, one can speculate that the quantum drum will one day be used as a kind of quantum RAM, a kind of temporary working memory for quantum information. And that would be groundbreaking, says the professor.

Natures rulebook is different in the quantum mechanical world. In particular, two quantum states neutralize the limitations of the ordinary world, giving quantum computers incredible powers.

Superposition: In quantum mechanics, superposition allows a particle to be in multiple states at the same time until it is measured. For example, a quantum bit (qubit) can be both 0 and 1 at the same time until it is measured and collapses to a certain state. Qubits leverage superposition to perform multiple calculations at once.

Tangling: Einstein referred to it as spooky action at a distance. The states of two or more entangled particles are closely related. A change in the state of a particle will instantly affect the state of the particles it is entangled with, regardless of distance. It is this property that makes it possible to create secure connections using codes that cannot be decoded without a tangled particle as a key. The condition also opens up the possibility of developing quantum teleportation, where information can be transferred without any direct transfer of particles.

Source: University of Copenhagen

Read more:

'Quantum memory' could make the internet super fast and secure - Futurity: Research News

A cohort of bipartisan senators introduced new artificial intelligence-focused legislation Thursday, which aims to consolidate U.S. leadership in emerging technologies through enhanced private sector collaboration.

The Future of AI Innovation Act, cosponsored by Sens. Todd Young, R-Ind, Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., and John Hickenlooper, D-Colo., responds to the larger global race to lead in new AI and emerging technologies, like quantum computing systems and applied biosciences.

Key provisions in the text would allocate more federal support to the National Institutes of Standards and Technology for standards development in critical tech fields; launch an AI testbed competition helmed jointly by NIST and the Department of Energys National Laboratories; and ask leadership within the Department of Commerce, State Department and White House Office of Science and Technology Policy to form more international alliances focused on developing a consensus on AI standards.

The bill also asks for participation in AI scientific and technological advancement from the Government Accountability Office and the National Science Foundation to identify hindrances to AI application across the federal government and to further spearhead initiatives for private sector collaboration, respectively.

The Future of AI Innovation Act is critical to maintaining American leadership in the global race to advance AI, Young said in a press release. This bipartisan bill will create important partnerships between government, the private sector, and academia to establish voluntary standards and best practices that will ensure a fertile environment for AI innovation while accounting for potential risks.

Establishing a series of common standards to guide the international development of AI is crucial within the bill, a task that NIST has been prioritizing among the litany of policy mandates handed down to the agency. The Future of AI Innovation Act expands these and also tasks the NSF and Energy to contribute by performing benchmarking and capability evaluations within testbed environments.

Bringing more private sector participation into these endeavors also features in the Biden administrations tech policy goals, with other federal agencies like the Department of Defense planning to foster stronger private sector ties within their research and development agendas.

Our bill ensures the United States will lead on AI for decades to come. It promotes public-private collaboration to drive innovation and competitiveness, Cantwell said in a statement. The NIST AI Safety Institute, testbeds at our national labs, and the grand challenge prizes will bring together private sector and government experts to develop standards, create new assessment tools, and overcome existing barriers. It will lay a strong foundation for Americas evolving AI tech economy for years to come.

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Senate bill aims to bring more private sector participation to federal AI innovation - Nextgov/FCW