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Quantum Computing, is it a Pipe Dream?

By Jaqui ·
Not according to D-wave systems in Burnaby British Columbia, Canada.

They have a free webcast scheduled for February 13 of a demonstration of their quantum cpu.



D-Wave Systems, a hardware developer headed by 34-year-old theoretical physicist Geordie Rose, has issued an open invitation to all technophiles to become "an eye witness to history" at the live-link, Feb. 13 launch of the company's "16-qubit" Orion supercomputer. And the demonstration of D-Wave's "technological first" will take place at a site equal to the company's portentous claims -- the Computer History Museum in the heart of Silicon Valley



The news article:

http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/news/story.html?id=b32107b1-b4c2-4312-b92f-75aa048f7655&k=73484

editing to bump the thread yet again.

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Looks interesting

by HAL 9000 Moderator In reply to Quantum Computing, is it ...

I can not help but wonder that once these things start to become commercially available just how fast they will improve in both processing power and speed.

Hopefully this will be the first of many new developments in the Computer Industry that is moving far faster than the current Major Software Developers are capable of moving at and will put them back to the fringe community where they belong.

Col

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speed...

by Shaun.G In reply to Looks interesting

Speed can be dangerous.... CD drives spinning too fast **** up cd's what of a hard drive spinning too fast?

What about speeding up ALL the components of a PC?

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I think the first commercial

by Jaqui In reply to Looks interesting

systems with these will be an inducement to mainframe based computing though.

"16 cpus fit on the head of a pin, but requires a refrigerator sized cooling unit with liquid helium for cooling"
definately not a home system. nor a viable desktop system.
the heat control needs to be seriously addressed to bring these chips out of a big iron system.

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Feh...

by jmgarvin In reply to I think the first commerc ...

I've got one of those in my car ;-)

However, heat is an issue as well as software development. I'm also curious how they over came the whole Schr?dinger's Cat thing.

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I'm curious

by Jaqui In reply to Feh...

about what os they are using and what efforts if any they are putting into getting any open source os working on it.

Lucky me, they are a short trip on public transit from here.

Their second public display is also local so I might get to attend in person.

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At this point it would be ALL Open.

by dawgit In reply to I'm curious

Since Quantum Mechanics, and now Computing go back around 100 years now, and so many people have been contributing to that field rather openly, it would be hard to make it propritory.
(Although, I think Enistein did have his ideas patented... ? Just as long as it get anywhere near Redmond...)

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Acually, ... by using the Cat.... ?

by dawgit In reply to Feh...

In order to achieve any computing at all, (*1) variables in a state have to be introduced. Hense; the Dead or alive little kittie.
For example: 1 Automoble, It is in Motion, You want to determine, compute, it's speed. (at a particular point and time) A speed measuring device, such as a Radar Speed Gun could be used. As with the Cat, the observation would 'catch' the car in a 'State' that neither at rest or in motion. That done twice, could then determine speed. (*2 & 3)
Catching the light, somewhere along the intended path, or at various points in the path would then observed as a means of computing.
:^0 -d
(*1 in the absence of unknown, or presence of only known factors, computing would un-necessary.)
(*2 you know the time, distance, calulation, to determine the speed)
(*3 the actuall state of the Auto is irrealevent, it of course would be in motion, however, it will be observed at rest, at least twice. Schr?dinger's Car)

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*bangs head against desk*

by jmgarvin In reply to Acually, ... by using the ...

ARRRGGG! IT HURTS SO MUCH!

So, uh what does this mean for us poor schulbs that don't get it ;-)

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Back to the Cat---

by dawgit In reply to *bangs head against desk*

poor kitty.
The Cat was in a 'live' state when you put him in the box.
The Cat WILL be dead when you open the box.
No Computing involved. (2 givens)
The real problem is the transition calculation. (What is going on when the Cat is in transition)
a Flux Box. True Quantum Mechanics.

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~bangs jmgarvins head against desk~

by Jaqui In reply to *bangs head against desk*


It's not that hard a concept you know.
You can determine only one point of data with any one observation.

The only thing you can state with any real precision is that point of data, which only applies to the moment of observation.

simple.

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