The Week in Quantum Computing - March 6th
Issue #128
The Week in Quantum Computing. Brought to you by Sergio Gago (@piratecto).
Quick Recap
European quantum startups are gaining ground in the quantum sector, and could potentially leapfrog China and the US. Despite these two countries dominating the quantum sector, smaller companies, including startups in Europe, have the potential to make significant progress in the field. The recent announcement by the Google AI Quantum team on progress in quantum error correction has also made waves in the industry, we see their official commercial showcase and one take on its implications. Thales and Softbank have successfully piloted post-quantum cryptography in their respective sectors. Intel has released a software platform / SDK for quantum computing developers to build quantum algorithms. Bluefors has released a “platform” to experiment with their devices (dillution refrigerators mainly). NASA has developed a super accurate photon detector called PEACOQ that could be potentially used both for quantum comms and for photonic computing devices. QDNL in the Netherlands launches a small fund of €15M.
Lastyle, Biden’s administration published the National Cyberstrategy that includes PQC with very specific instructions for government agencies and contractors. Do you already have a PQC plan?
Now, here we are, talking about quantum when AI is moving faster than ever and creating a huge revolution in both corporates and governments. The “everything chatGPT” and the polarized views on how we should use it. The quantum industry can learn a TON from the AI one, specially when it comes to the Hardware and the Software intersection. If you read something this week, please take a look at this essay that touches us directly. “The hardware lottery”
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 Week in Quantum Computing
Europe’s quantum startups, mapped
The US and China have dominated the quantum sector — particularly when it comes to quantum hardware — and large corporations like IBM are nudging closer to reaching more milestones, such as unveiling the first universal quantum computer with more than 1,000 qubits, expected some time this year.
But European startup underdogs could still leapfrog them.
Link: https://ift.tt/MfSNGbh
February 27, 2023 at 03:30PM
Comments on Google’s Quantum Error Correction Announcement
Earlier this week, the Google AI Quantum team announced it has made additional progress on quantum error correction and had just published a paper in Nature magazine with the technical details.
Link: https://ift.tt/QyvI7Cs
February 27, 2023 at 03:30PM
Field-Programmable Qubit Arrays: The Quantum Analog of FPGAs
The advent of field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs) in the 1980s revolutionized electronic design. FPGAs allowed designers to create custom logic circuits tailored to specific applications and quickly prototype and test new designs before committing to expensive ASIC development.
Link: https://ift.tt/2FLrXf5
February 28, 2023 at 08:30AM
Milestone 2 : Google Quantum AI
The Google Quantum AI team has made an important step towards the development of a large-scale useful quantum computer. This breakthrough is the first demonstration of a logical qubit prototype, showing that it’s possible to reduce errors by increasing the number of qubits in a scheme known as quantum error correction.
Link: https://ift.tt/By5oD6p
February 28, 2023 at 08:30AM
SoftBank Corp. and SandboxAQ Jointly Verify Hybrid Mode Quantum-safe Technology
Insider Brief Softbank announced the successful completion of combining classical encryption algorithms, represented by elliptic curve cryptography with post quantum cryptography. The proof of concept was completed through a collaboration with SandboxAQ.
Link: https://ift.tt/mIW12Hf
February 28, 2023 at 08:30AM
Thales pioneers Post Quantum Cryptography with a successful world-first pilot on phone calls
Thales, leader in advanced technologies, successfully experimented end-to-end encrypted phone calls, tested to be resilient in the Post Quantum era.
The pilot was performed with the Thales ‘Cryptosmart’ secure mobile app and 5G SIM cards installed in today's commercial smartphones, testing a mobile-to-mobile call, voice/data encryption, and user authentication.
Any data exchanged during the call is set to be resistant to Post Quantum attacks thanks to a hybrid cryptography approach, combining pre-quantum and post-quantum defence mechanisms.
Link: https://ift.tt/Rd5GhkP
February 28, 2023 at 11:30AM
Quantum Computing: The Next Frontier Or A Hype-Filled Bubble?
Critics claim that the excitement around quantum computing is exaggerated and resembles a bubble more than a genuine technological advancement. They highlight that despite years of research, practical uses of quantum computing are limited and scarce, indicating the need for further improvement.
Researchers still need time to develop a functional and scalable quantum computer, and some claims about its capabilities may need reconsideration.
Link: https://ift.tt/X1c7Pyn
February 28, 2023 at 06:30PM
Quantum Spain: un consorcio español instalará en el BSC el primer ordenador cuántico del sur de Europa
La construcción y puesta en marcha de esta infraestructura pionera en España y entre las primeras de Europa se enmarca en los objetivos de la iniciativa Quantum Spain, impulsada por el Ministerio de Asuntos Económicos y Transformación Digital a través de la Secretaría de Estado de Digitalizaci
Link: https://ift.tt/MUnVkvt
February 28, 2023 at 06:30PM
Intel releases software platform for quantum computing developers
OAKLAND, Calif. Feb 28 (Reuters) - Intel Corp (INTC.O) on Tuesday released a software platform for developers to build quantum algorithms that can eventually run on a quantum computer that the chip giant is trying to build.
Link: https://ift.tt/jXSovQ1
March 01, 2023 at 01:30AM
Name and Shame: The Federal PQC Requirements
Part four of Qrypt’s “Understanding Quantum Risk” series of articles. The US federal government has gotten very serious in the last few years about preventing data theft through decryption by a future generation of quantum computers.
Link: https://ift.tt/TRJiAU7
March 01, 2023 at 01:30AM
Can we use quantum computers to make music? – Physics World
Computers and digital technology are central to the modern music industry – but what could quantum computers bring to the party? Philip Ball tunes in to an avant-garde band of musicians and scientists who are exploring how quantum computing can be used to make and manipulate music
Link: https://ift.tt/lVgwReZ
March 01, 2023 at 01:30AM
Sustainable Quantum Computing Applications for Climate Change
Quantum computers will eventually deliver unfathomable computational power for solving certain classes of complex problems — there is little doubt about this. However, there’s still a lot of uncertainty, especially around use cases related to sustainability. It’s hard to quantify what impact quantum computing could have within, say, 10 years — when the most urgent action to avert climate change will need to take place.
So, what should we do about it? As quantum computing researchers and engineers, and as enterprises that want to use quantum computing to advance their ESG goals? There are three main types of useful actions in this context:
Link: https://ift.tt/VAmyzWS
March 01, 2023 at 10:30AM
FACT SHEET: Biden-Harris Administration Announces National Cybersecurity Strategy
Today, the Biden-Harris Administration released the National Cybersecurity Strategy to secure the full benefits of a safe and secure digital ecosystem for all Americans.
Link: https://ift.tt/WRaeh76
March 02, 2023 at 10:30PM
The WIRED Guide to Quantum Computin
Big things happen when computers get smaller. Or faster. And quantum computing is about chasing perhaps the biggest performance boost in the history of technology.
Link: https://ift.tt/honjcX9
March 02, 2023 at 10:30PM
QDNL Participations launches €15 million early-stage Dutch quantum fund
As of today, the sector received another shot in the arm with Quantum Delta-based QDNL Participations launching a €15 million fund aimed at supporting early-stage quantum technology startups in the Netherlands.
Covering quantum hardware, communications, and sensing technologies, as well as companies that ‘supply components essential to the growth of the sector’, the fund is offering to lead rounds in early-stage Dutch startups with tickets ranging up to €1.5 million.
Link: https://ift.tt/okHrAyd
March 03, 2023 at 07:30AM
NASA Develops New Quantum Detector that May Transform the Future of Quantum Compute
NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) and Caltech developed a quantum detector called Performance-Enhanced Array for Counting Optical Quanta (PEACOQ) that can measure individual photons of light with an accuracy of 100 trillionths of a second at a rate of 1.5 billion photons per second.
Link: https://ift.tt/x3E9UcV
March 03, 2023 at 09:30AM
Join the Quantum Ecosystem Through Bluefors Lab in Delft
Bluefors Lab includes consultation and support for the experiments done at the lab. We don’t want to just give you the keys to the lab and leave you on your own, instead we want to ensure that your experiments can be successful. Before the experiments, we provide consultation in planning them.
Link: https://ift.tt/4XgOCWE
March 04, 2023 at 10:30AM
The Cure, the Cloud and Quantum Computing
Drug discovery can be a herculean task. Despite many recent advances in understanding disease, the real challenge remains turning those insights into new drug treatments.
Consider the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Within a few months of the illness emerging, scientists had isolated the virus, determined how it spread, and learned how it infects our cells to make us sick. It would take another year until a vaccine was publicly available, a feat that took an incredible amount of effort, money and global cooperation.
Link: https://ift.tt/1Zs2P6u
March 04, 2023 at 01:30PM
3 ways government can move from quantum hype to quantum reality
For government agencies, quantum computing presents enormous opportunities to recognize solutions to complex public-sector challenges and to optimize resources. Technology available today can help calculate more efficient trash and recycling collection routes for local public works departments, which can improve workforce productivity and potentially reduce carbon emissions. Tomorrow’s technology will help defense agencies search large volumes of unsorted data to expeditiously uncover hidden kinetic or cyber threats.
Link: https://ift.tt/8gahiNE
March 05, 2023 at 06:30AM