The Week in Quantum Computing - April 10th
Issue #133
The Week in Quantum Computing. Brought to you by Sergio Gago (@piratecto).
Quick Recap
Diamonds diamonds! but not for breakfast at Tiffany’s but for quantum networks. That is what Amazon is pursuing by partnering with De Beers, manufacturers of artificial diamonds. Besides that, this week we witnessed a flurry of activity across the research and industrial sectors (Happy Easter everyone!). Breakthroughs were made in quantum error correction, extending the lifetime of a quantum bit, additional thoughts on the side-channel attack to the NIST finalist and Algorand using Falcon in its services. Archer Materials advanced to wafer-scale quantum device fabrication. Agnostiq raised $6.1M to work on their Enterprise version of Covalent. Eviden announced plans to launch its first post-quantum-ready solutions for digital identity. All that with the very first RFC (9340) for the architectural principles for a quantum internet. (Would this be this century’s version of the famous RFC719?). We got a fantastic paper that summarizes how trapped ion devices work and the state of the art and a solution from Q-Ctrl on how to push QAOAs to its limit. Claiming BRUTAL improvements on its convergence for problems such as MaxCut.
IQM opens office in Singapore and Creotech will lead the Polish quantum computer. One of the 6th planned for Europe in hybridization with HPCs
Another report claims that 20% of companies have budgeted for quantum in 2023. Ok… guys… seriously? We all love this industry but lets be realistic with our numbers, what is possible and what is not and that it is still tiny compared to others. Let’s keep pushing without the hype.
Book recommendation: On the Shoulders of Giants
by Brian T. Lenahan and Kenna Hughes-Castleberry
The nascent quantum industry, formed on the shoulders of giants distant and recent past inspire the scientists, entrepreneurs and enthusiasts of today in commercializing quantum technologies. From Bose-Einstein Condensate to GPS technology, these individuals created some of the most relevant devices we take for granted today. On the Shoulders of Giants - 10 Quantum Pioneers of the Past tells the stories of quantum pioneers as far back as 800 CE. Quantum industry expert and bestselling author Brian Lenahan, and respected journalist Kenna Hughes-Castleberry join forces in this quantum historical tour-de-force.
Next Conferences
Meet me in Boston on April 25th and 26th for two things: Talking about quantum in the finance industry and a private, invite only session for banks, insurance companies and asset managers. If you want your organization to take the leap on what is next in quantum, you can’t miss that session.
Want to attend the session? Register here: https://www.quantumtechcongress.com/register-now
and use the code MOODYSQUANTUM to get a discount.
The disruptive potential of quantum computing is becoming a reality at an unprecedented rate - Now is the time to demystify the business opportunity.
Taking place in heart of East London’s thriving enterprise zone this June, and co-located with The AI Summit, The Quantum Computing Summit provides an unparalleled opportunity to join a community of emerging-tech experts.
Go beyond the headlines.
Quantum is a thing of the future, right? Gain the quantum advantage now - learn how to implement quantum technology and the business benefit it can deliver with use cases from early adopters like E.On, BMW Group, and HSBC.
The Week in Quantum Computing
Is Quantum Technology the next industrial revolution?
We have seen rapid development, especially in technology, over the last two centuries. Civilization has witnessed the adoption of electricity, computing and mass information. That has led some to suggest that the Quantum information age may usher in a new industrial revolution.
Link: https://ift.tt/r4TkvLh
April 03, 2023 at 10:30AM
Paper: Improved clinical data imputation via classical and quantum determinantal point processes
Imputing data is a critical issue for machine learning practitioners, including in the life sciences domain, where missing clinical data is a typical situation and the reliability of the imputation is of great importance. Currently, there is no canonical approach for imputation of clinical data and widely used algorithms introduce variance in the downstream classification. Here we propose novel imputation methods based on determinantal point processes that enhance popular techniques such as the Multivariate Imputation by Chained Equations (MICE) and MissForest. Their advantages are two-fold: improving the quality of the imputed data demonstrated by increased accuracy of the downstream classification; and providing deterministic and reliable imputations that remove the variance from the classification results.
Link: https://ift.tt/Kl6TcGx
April 03, 2023 at 02:30PM
Algorand Backs Falcon Algorithm Against Quantum Computing Assault
Designing and implementing a cryptographic algorithm is a complex technical effort, and the difficulty multiplies when the method must be protected against Quantum attacks. In most cases, the validity of a signature is verified using a signing algorithm.
Link: https://ift.tt/7oVSkP0
April 03, 2023 at 05:30PM
Architectural Principles for a Quantum Internet - RFC 9340
The vision of a quantum internet is to enhance existing Internet technology by enabling quantum communication between any two points on Earth. To achieve this goal, a quantum network stack should be built from the ground up to account for the fundamentally new properties of quantum entanglement. The first quantum entanglement networks have been realised, but there is no practical proposal for how to organise, utilise, and manage such networks. In this document, we attempt to lay down the framework and introduce some basic architectural principles for a quantum internet. This is intended for general guidance and general interest. It is also intended to provide a foundation for discussion between physicists and network specialists. This document is a product of the Quantum Internet Research Group (QIRG).
Link: https://ift.tt/s6GBrEx
April 03, 2023 at 10:30PM
Is PQC Broken Already? Implications of the Successful Break of a NIST Finalist
The cybersecurity industry was shocked recently by a paper from a Swedish team that broke one of the four NIST algorithms for Post-Quantum Cryptography (PQC). Three researchers in Stockholm published a paper that described a side-channel attack coupled with recursive machine learning (ML) code to break CRYSTALS-Kyber, the key exchange algorithm approved by NIST for PQC. The paper, titled “Breaking a Fifth-Order Masked Implementation of CRYSTALS-Kyber by Copy-Paste,” was released in December 2022.
Link: https://ift.tt/hXQFYqn
April 04, 2023 at 07:30AM
Optimize hybrid quantum-classical algorithms directly with Fire Opal
We’re thrilled to announce a completely new capability available in Fire Opal: an end-to-end managed tool for high-performance hardware execution of QAOA. With this new feature, all aspects of running QAOA on real hardware are fully optimized to reduce errors and improve the quality of solutions—all with zero configuration on your part!
Link: https://ift.tt/zclJVoi
April 04, 2023 at 04:30PM
Paper: Quantum computing with trapped ions: a beginner's guide
This pedagogical article explains the basics of quantum computing using one of the most-used platform for scalable quantum computers: trapped ions. The suitability of the solution is addressed by showing its performance towards DiVincenzo criteria.
Link: https://ift.tt/Ua8BpXO
April 04, 2023 at 05:30PM
Unlocking Quantum Potential With High-Quality Qubits: How Quantinuum Achieved A Three-Year String Of Record-Breaking Quantum Measurements
Quantinuum recently announced that its first-generation System Model H1 trapped ion quantum computer has once again set a new quantum volume (QV) record of 32,768.
Link: https://ift.tt/KhdmHxN
April 06, 2023 at 04:10AM
Quantum computing is starting to look very real
We sat down with IBM and Vodafone to find out about the current state of quantum computing, what the superior number-crunching will be able to provide, and the potentially catastrophic risks it presents to networks.
Link: https://ift.tt/vUZgyu0
April 06, 2023 at 07:16AM
Amazon Looks to Grow Diamonds in Bid to Boost Computer Networks
Amazon.com Inc. is teaming up with a unit of De Beers Group to grow artificial diamonds, betting that custom-made gems could could help revolutionize computer networks.
Link: https://ift.tt/7HvDqwC
April 06, 2023 at 07:16AM
Doubling a qubit’s life, researchers prove a key theory of quantum physics
Researchers at Yale have for the first time, using a process known as quantum error correction, substantially extended the lifetime of a quantum bit — a long-sought-after goal and one of the trickiest challenges in the field of quantum physics.
Link: https://ift.tt/WYtApO8
April 06, 2023 at 11:30AM
IQM Quantum Computers Announces Global Expansion Into Asia-Pacific Region, Opens Singapore Office
IQM Quantum Computers (IQM), the European leader in building quantum computers, today announced the expansion of its global operations into Asia-Pacific (APAC) with an office opening in Singapore, its first in the region and outside Europe, to drive the advancement of quantum technology.
Link: https://ift.tt/tBmkzXh
April 06, 2023 at 12:30PM
Archer Materials advances to wafer-scale quantum device fabrication
Highlights 12CQ chip development advances to wafer-scale quantum electronic device fabrication using foundry-compatible UV optical and E-beam lithography.
Link: https://ift.tt/RmQbTFe
April 06, 2023 at 02:30PM
Creotech Instruments to co-develop Polish quantum computer
The European High Performance Computing Joint Undertaking, based in Luxembourg, has selected six countries, Germany, France, Spain, Italy, Czechia and Poland, to build a network of quantum computers in the European Union.
Link: https://ift.tt/jkznH0S
April 06, 2023 at 02:30PM
Why it's time to get your board to take the quantum threat seriously
The busy boardroom agenda for many companies will soon have another big topic to deal with: the potential of quantum technologies. Through advanced modelling and many other methods, quantum computing offers tremendous opportunities to transform business strategies and productivity. But, as with all other technological innovations over the last 50 years, it is also ripe for criminal exploitation. Of particular concern is the very real prospect of powerful quantum computers having the ability to break the mathematical computations that we rely on to protect a large part of our data.
Link: https://ift.tt/aUHQbPT
April 06, 2023 at 04:30PM
Startup Agnostiq raises $6.1M to integrate quantum with high-performance computing
Quantum computing startup Agnostiq Inc. said today it has closed on a seed funding round worth $6.1 million to help accelerate the development of its enterprise-grade quantum and high-performance computing platform.
Link: https://ift.tt/YUpB4H8
April 06, 2023 at 04:30PM
Eviden to launch first ‘post-quantum ready’ solutions for Digital Identity
Eviden, the Atos business leading in digital, cloud, big data and security today announces the evolution of its digital identity management products so that they will be ready for the post-quantum era by the end of the year.
Link: https://ift.tt/qdO2Ypf
April 07, 2023 at 11:31AM
Delivering a quantum future
More companies are starting to consider the impact that quantum computing will have on their business in the coming years. According to a survey by Deloitte, about half of all companies believe that they are vulnerable to a “harvest now, decrypt later” attack, where encrypted information is stored until a future quantum computer can decrypt the data. No wonder, then, that 61% of firms have either conducted an assessment of their readiness or plan to analyze the issue within five years.
Link: https://ift.tt/sWJrGSb
April 08, 2023 at 01:31PM
Yes! On-Chip (FPGA, MCU, SoC) Generation of Post-Quantum Secure IDs and Keys
One “brick” in the foundation of a secure system is to be able to uniquely identify each and every device that has any sort of “intelligence” in the form of processing capabilities. This includes microprocessor units (MPUs), microcontroller units (MCUs), graphic processing units (GPUs), neural processing units (NPUs), field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), and system-on-chip (SoC) devices, to name but a few.
Link: https://ift.tt/ARxhXK1
April 08, 2023 at 01:31PM
Quantum Computing is a Failed Cause?
Quantum computing will soon have its AI moment—this has been the kind of optimism from both within and outside the community around the subject. But now there is a study arguing that one of the primary algorithms offered as evidence showing the potential of quantum provides no practical speed-up when compared to classical systems.
Link: https://ift.tt/lwmCfSJ
April 08, 2023 at 04:31PM
Formula predicts effects of noise on quantum information
Researchers from Cornell Engineering and the University of Amsterdam have derived a formula that predicts the effects of environmental noise on quantum information – an advancement crucial for designing and building quantum computers capable of working in an imperfect world.
Link: https://ift.tt/E9lKIxd
April 08, 2023 at 04:31PM