What is quantum computing?
Updated: September 10, 2024
The case for quantum computing
Quantum computing is a means to use complex numbers (a finite amount and a probability in another dimension) to do calculations. We load and store the basic data in a qubit, which can be a photon, an atom, or an electron in a cage / cup / magnetic or electromagnetic loop, then we do something to it (maybe to a whole group of qubits), then we measure it. Qubits can be paired up, or entangled, and that relationship is lasting and durable and immediate. I remember a lecture by a US defense researcher who said they could use entangled photons (or qubits) over long distances to detect things.
Quantum Computing has a potential to reshape large-scale optimization problems, and to better model nature and natural phenomenon (like folding proteins). The best way to model nature is to create a natural computational framework. A more natural computer that uses the power of small, as in smaller than a transistor, in the atomic scale. A qubit is smaller than a transistor, acts more naturally, and follows different rules than classical computing.
One of the challenges is that small is fast, and calculations quickly fall apart. I guess time is different in the realm of small. We can try to slow things down, make them quiet, and try to make them last longer by making them shielded, or super cold. This is why we use dilution refrigerators which are pretty expensive, and you can burn your fingers. You can also just have a bunch of qubits that back each other up...this way if a few fail every milliseconds, you have others that carry the message forward, so that a full calculation/algorithm can be completed. It is likely that we will figure out how to do calculations in quantum speed.
Quantum computing (small) is different than classical computers (linear)
We have grown up taking advantage of what classical computers can do. They count. they do simple math. They store data. They are very linear. They keep track of things, and allow for simple operations on data. They can do this very quickly, and at great scale.
With enough computers (each one is relatively small), we can do amazing things. We can self-drive a car. We can do artificial intelligence. We can run a network, fly a plane, and serve up endless videos and games. We can keep track of every stock that traded the day before, create statistics on them, and pick a 'hopefully' winning investment strategy (this is what we do). Classical computers are nothing without the human programmer, who figures out what a computer should do and programs it explicitly and precisely into the software, operating system and ultimately, the hardware code.
The benefits of quantum computer
We believe that quantum computers, as they mature and scale, will be able to do new things.
We believe that quantum computers will be part of every enterprise-IT computational ecosystem that needs to do what they do best. More for chemistry firms and financial services firms. More for airlines and retailers. Maybe less for Starbucks, unless they start to redesign their coffee drinks from the beans up, then they will need quantum computers too.
The case for quantum computing
Quantum computing is a means to use complex numbers (a finite amount and a probability in another dimension) to do calculations. We load and store the basic data in a qubit, which can be a photon, an atom, or an electron in a cage / cup / magnetic or electromagnetic loop, then we do something to it (maybe to a whole group of qubits), then we measure it. Qubits can be paired up, or entangled, and that relationship is lasting and durable and immediate. I remember a lecture by a US defense researcher who said they could use entangled photons (or qubits) over long distances to detect things.
Quantum Computing has a potential to reshape large-scale optimization problems, and to better model nature and natural phenomenon (like folding proteins). The best way to model nature is to create a natural computational framework. A more natural computer that uses the power of small, as in smaller than a transistor, in the atomic scale. A qubit is smaller than a transistor, acts more naturally, and follows different rules than classical computing.
One of the challenges is that small is fast, and calculations quickly fall apart. I guess time is different in the realm of small. We can try to slow things down, make them quiet, and try to make them last longer by making them shielded, or super cold. This is why we use dilution refrigerators which are pretty expensive, and you can burn your fingers. You can also just have a bunch of qubits that back each other up...this way if a few fail every milliseconds, you have others that carry the message forward, so that a full calculation/algorithm can be completed. It is likely that we will figure out how to do calculations in quantum speed.
Quantum computing (small) is different than classical computers (linear)
We have grown up taking advantage of what classical computers can do. They count. they do simple math. They store data. They are very linear. They keep track of things, and allow for simple operations on data. They can do this very quickly, and at great scale.
With enough computers (each one is relatively small), we can do amazing things. We can self-drive a car. We can do artificial intelligence. We can run a network, fly a plane, and serve up endless videos and games. We can keep track of every stock that traded the day before, create statistics on them, and pick a 'hopefully' winning investment strategy (this is what we do). Classical computers are nothing without the human programmer, who figures out what a computer should do and programs it explicitly and precisely into the software, operating system and ultimately, the hardware code.
The benefits of quantum computer
We believe that quantum computers, as they mature and scale, will be able to do new things.
- They will simulate, and perfectly predict, natural systems.
- They can be more energy efficient (one of our first articles on this subject) because they can do certain difficult tasks more easily than a linear computing system.
- They can connect the dots, literally, through entangled qubits.
- They can more accurately measure, sense and keep track of time.
- They can help us navigate better, without a global positioning system to tell us where we are.
We believe that quantum computers will be part of every enterprise-IT computational ecosystem that needs to do what they do best. More for chemistry firms and financial services firms. More for airlines and retailers. Maybe less for Starbucks, unless they start to redesign their coffee drinks from the beans up, then they will need quantum computers too.
The types of quantum computers
There are competing system-level paradigms being developed. The largest distinction is whether computers are gate-based (think one qubit at a time) or annealing-based (think lattice of qubits).
To create a qubit gate-based system, there are numerous hardware technologies being developed.
From a wide area networking perspective, we understand that qubits can maintain their data within their system, but that it is challenging to communicate that data over a classical network connection (e.g., TCP/IP or Ethernet). A purely quantum network maintains qubit data, and provides evidence if the network is being tampered with.
From a software perspective:
There are competing system-level paradigms being developed. The largest distinction is whether computers are gate-based (think one qubit at a time) or annealing-based (think lattice of qubits).
- Gate-based systems go from qubit to qubit and perform singular operations. They create a logical pathway for an algorithm, in a linear fashion, to go from start to finish.
- Annealing-based systems go from low to high, or high to low energy states for the entire lattice, and once the operations are complete, the lattice has a remaining energy state that can be read. Think of a map of 100 x 100 coordinates, or 10,000 coordinates in an x-y square. You would perform the operations, and at the end maybe a link of coordinates is left (e.g., our stock portfolio), or even just one position remains (the best stock).
To create a qubit gate-based system, there are numerous hardware technologies being developed.
- Semiconductors: work like a transistor, and while some need near-zero temperatures, others are designed to work in room temperature.
- Diamond-based: Some look like a cup, and could be an imperfection.
- Trapped-ion: Some look like an atom held (trapped) in the air and shot with lasers and electro-magnetic or magnetic fields to control them.
- Photonic: Some could use single photons that are sent through a system, divided and measured.
From a wide area networking perspective, we understand that qubits can maintain their data within their system, but that it is challenging to communicate that data over a classical network connection (e.g., TCP/IP or Ethernet). A purely quantum network maintains qubit data, and provides evidence if the network is being tampered with.
From a software perspective:
- Operating Systems run the quantum computer and its control systems and do things like measurement, calibration, error correction, data loading and scheduling of operations and jobs.
- Middleware Systems allow users to access the quantum computer and keep track of the data in between jobs.
- Application Systems allow users to write programs to capture the questions and analyses desired, and convert that human-readable code into machine language that can run on one vendor's systems, or across multiple vendor systems.
Contact us if you are interested in learning more, or buy a consulting day and we will work together.