PARIS, FRANCE - JUNE 25: In this photo illustration, a visual representation of the digital ... [+] Cryptocurrency, Bitcoin is displayed in front of the Bitcoin course's graph on June 25, 2019 in Paris, France.

Everyone was stunned when the new mayor of New York City Eric Adams announced he was planning to receive his first three paychecks in Bitcoin, the cryptocurrency thats been dominating the financial headlines for the past year. The mayor of Miami, Francis Suarez, had already announced he would accept his first paycheck 100% in Bitcoin.

The mayoral announcements are still more signs that cryptocurrencies are no longer esoteric investments for the super-rich (or super-crooks) but have entered the financial mainstream.Back in May Deutsche Bank pronounced Bitcoin the third biggest world currency in terms of circulation. Only the euro and the U.S. dollar are bigger.

Mayor Adams himself says he intends to make New York City the center of the cryptocurrency industry.

Of course, the history of markets teaches us that what goes up must eventually come downespecially a commodity like crypto, whose rise has been fueled as much by media hype as by financial realities. Whether the current crypto boom turns out to be a crypto bubble, is impossible to say. What Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies do have going for them are two virtues.

The first is that they are not state-denominated currencies, whose heads around the world have turned out to be inept or corrupt or both.

The other is cryptocurrencys reliance on blockchain, or Distributed Ledger Technology (DLT), to protect and authenticate its transactions.The on-going ledger of cryptocurrency transactions is never stored in any single location, which means no centralized version exists for a hacker to corrupt.Since the data is hosted by millions of computers simultaneously, its accessible to anyone on the internet. But its also protected because after every transaction within the shared ledger; and once all the ledgers match for every computer in the network; the transaction is encrypted with the rest in whats known as a block. The new block is then added to existing previous blocks to form a chain of blockshence the term blockchain.

All in all, blockchain is a built-in security system that prohibits a hacker or attacker from forcing open the distributed ledger without everyone knowing it.

As tech guru George Gilder argues in his book, Life After Google, using blockchain to share but also protect data poses a greater threat to Big Tech dominance of the internet than any government regulation or legislationjust as cryptocurrencies pose a useful challenge to the elites who control our state-denominated currencies.

But as always theres a catch. Blockchain is an adequate safeguard against existing cyber threats, but not against the future one posed by large-scale quantum computers.

As I mentioned in a previous column, blockchains encryption is based on Elliptical Curve Cryptography, which will be vulnerable to factorization by quantum computers that can decrypt the complex algorithms used by asymmetric encryption systems to secure almost all electronic data, including blockchain.The quantum attacker will simply look like another member of the shared ledger, in a cyber assault that will be undetectable and persistent.

CHICAGO, IL - DECEMBER 19: Traders trade VIX contracts at the Cboe Global Markets exchange ... [+] (previously referred to as CBOE Holdings, Inc.) on December 19, 2017 in Chicago, Illinois. Last week the exchange became the first in the Unites States to begin trading Bitcoin futures. (Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images)

How vulnerable will cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin be?

Consider: in 2020 the total market cap of cryptocurrencies was $330 billion. Today it is approaching $2 trillion. Institutional investors account for 63% of trading in cryptos, compared to just 10% in 2017, which means a collapse of crypto value is bound to ripple through balance sheets all around Wall Street-and around the world.

Our most recent study conducted here at the Quantum Alliance Initiative done in conjunction with the econometric firm Oxford Economics indicates that a quantum attack on crypto precipitating a 99.2% collapse of value, would inflict $1.865 Trillion in immediate losses to owners, with nearly $1.5 trillion in indirect losses to the whole economy due to that collapse.

All in all, we are looking at a $3.3 trillion blow to the U.S. economy.

Thats a calculation based on cryptos current value. By the time a large-scale quantum computer emerges, by 2030 or so, cryptocurrencies will be even more imbedded in the global financial systemand the losses even greater.

Fortunately, theres a solution. The most immediate is post-quantum cryptography, i.e., deploying algorithm-based encryption that is impenetrable to future quantum attack but also to classical attack right now. Crypto exchanges have already drawn highly damaging attacks, like the one in 2018 on Bithumb, the South Korean crypto-currency exchange, which cost $30 million, or the assault on Poly Network this past August in which cyber thieves stole more than $600 million.

BEIJING, Dec. 4, 2020 A research team including renowned Chinese quantum physicist Pan Jianwei on ... [+] Dec. 4, 2020 announced a significant computing breakthrough, achieving quantum computational advantage. (Photo by An Zhiping/Xinhua via Getty) (Xinhua/An Zhiping via Getty Images)

The National Institute for Standards and Technology (NIST) is working on standards for post-quantum cryptography for rollout starting in 2024, but there is no reason to wait.Companies in the USA and Canada can offer solutions now, including hybrid solutions that offer the best of both post-quantum and quantum-based technologieswhile others are creating versions of DLT that incorporates quantum solutions from the start.

Make no mistake; regardless of Bitcoin and Ethereums ups and downs in the current marketseven if a Bitcoin bubble burstscrypto currencies are here to stay.Quantum-safe solutions can make sure they are stable and secure for a long time to come.

Read this article:

Will Quantum Computers Burst The Bitcoin Boom? - Forbes

TEL-AVIV, Nov. 12, 2021 Classiq, which provides a breakthrough Quantum Algorithm Design platform, announced today that it is collaborating with the Fraunhofer Institute, the leading organization for applied research in Europe, as well as other major academic centers, on the development of software for industrial use of quantum computers.

The SEQUOIA Project, part of the Competence Center Quantum Computing Baden-Wrttemberg, focuses on the software engineering of industrial hybrid quantum applications and algorithms. The project is researching, developing, and testing new methods, tools, and procedures for quantum computing in order to enable future industrial use. It includes the Fraunhofer Institute for Industrial Engineering IAO, then Fraunhofer Institute for Manufacturing Engineering and Automation IPA, the Fraunhofer Institute for Applied Solid State Physics IAF, the University of Tubingen, the FZI Research Center, and the University of Stuttgart with the institutes IAAS and HLRS.

The SEQUOIA project focuses on three central aspects with the main results:

The quantum application center with applications and algorithms, e.g. for manufacturing, production, logistics, energy, and engineering.

The quantum software component kit as the basis for the implementation of application components, algorithms, hybrid quantum-classical solutions, and demonstrators. The quantum software engineering model with its own methods, procedures, technologies, and experiences from the project.

We are pleased for the opportunity to collaborate with the Fraunhofer Institute on groundbreaking software work for the benefit of industrial customers, says Shai Lev, Head of Business Development and Partnerships at Classiq, this collaboration leverages the unique abilities of Classiq and Fraunhofer, two leaders in their fields.

Specifically, Classiq would work within the SEQUOIA framework and with the SEQUOIA partners on two main problems:

Solving mixed-integer linear programming (MILP) problems with state-of-the art (gate-based) quantum computers. MILP problems are a special class of linear programming problems that is used for production planning and scheduling, optimization of cellular and telecommunications networks, and more.

Solving coupled partial differential equations with the Harrow Hassidim Lloyd (HHL) quantum algorithm. These are applicable to numerous problems such as fluid flow, electrodynamics, and more.

We welcome Classiq into the Sequoia partnership, says Dr. ChristianTutschku, from the Fraunhofer Institute. We are looking forward to work with the Classiq team on novel methods of generating quantum algorithms.

About Classiq

Quantum is disrupting computing. Classiqs Quantum Algorithm Design platform is revolutionizing quantum software development. Forward-thinking companies use our platform to solve real-world problems with quantum circuits that could not be created otherwise. Our patented breakthrough technology automatically transforms high-level functional models into optimized quantum circuits for a wide range of back-end systems, turning months into minutes of work and making it possible to harness the true power of todays andtomorrows computers.To learn more, follow Classiq onLinkedIn,TwitterorYouTubeor visitwww.classiq.io.

Source: Classiq

View original post here:

Classiq to Collaborate with The Fraunhofer Institute and other Leading Universities on New Methods for Industrial Quantum Use - HPCwire

LEESBURG, Va., Nov. 09, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Quantum Computing Inc. (Nasdaq: QUBT), a leader in bridging the power of classical and quantum computing, announced that its Qatalyst ready-to-run quantum software was selected as one of three finalists for the second and final round of the BMW Group and Amazon Web Services (AWS) Quantum Computing Challenge for the Vehicle Sensor Placement use case.

The Quantum Computing Challenge invited the quantum community to apply innovations in quantum computing to real world problems in industrial applications. The use case problems presented in the challenge represent critical commercial applications that demonstrate the real-world value of quantum computing.

BMW stated that its goal with the challenge is to tap into additional innovative power, inspire new thinking, and create opportunities for quantum builders to work with BMW on meaningful business problems.

The Vehicle Sensor Placement use case challenges participants to find optimal configurations of sensors for a given vehicle so that it can reliably detect obstacles in different driving scenarios using quantum computing or nature-inspired optimization approaches. The number of sensors per car is expected to increase significantly as autonomous driving becomes more common. Vehicles need sensors to gather data from as large a portion of their surroundings as possible, but each sensor adds additional costs, so optimizing the sensor placement uses genetic algorithms. The goal of the challenge is to use quantum computing techniques to optimize the positions of sensors, enabling maximum coverage while keeping costs to a minimum.

This Challenge is yet another step in showcasing quantum computings potential for commercial applications and real-world business problem solving, said Bob Liscouski, CEO of QCI. We are pleased that we have been selected to participate in the final level of competition, and our team will work hard to demonstrate the power of Qatalyst. Regardless of the final outcome, we believe that the applications for quantum computing will significantly increase over the coming years, and QCI is well positioned to be a key player.

About Quantum Computing Inc. Quantum Computing Inc. (QCI) (Nasdaq: QUBT) is focused on accelerating the value of quantum computing for real-world business solutions. The companys flagship product, Qatalyst, is the first software to bridge the power of classical and quantum computing, hiding complexity and empowering SMEs to solve complex computational problems today. QCIs expert team in finance, computing, security, mathematics and physics has over a century of experience with complex technologies; from leading edge supercomputing innovations, to massively parallel programming, to the security that protects nations. Connect with QCI on LinkedIn and @QciQuantum on Twitter. For more information about QCI, visit http://www.quantumcomputinginc.com.

About the BMW Group Quantum Computing Challenge The BMW Group Quantum Computing Challengeis open to participants from research groups and companies worldwide. The challenge is organized into two rounds. In the first round, participants need to submit a well-documented concept proposal for one of four use case challenges. In the second and final round, teams with the top three submissions in each use case will be asked to build out their solutions. The final, virtual presentation to the competitions judging panel, including domain experts from BMW and AWS will take place in December. The winners will be announced at theQ2B quantum computing industry conference(Dec. 79).

Important Cautions Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements as defined within Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. By their nature, forward-looking statements and forecasts involve risks and uncertainties because they relate to events and depend on circumstances that will occur in the near future. Those statements include statements regarding the intent, belief or current expectations of Quantum Computing (Company), and members of its management as well as the assumptions on which such statements are based. Prospective investors are cautioned that any such forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve risks and uncertainties, and that actual results may differ materially from those contemplated by such forward-looking statements.

The Company undertakes no obligation to update or revise forward-looking statements to reflect changed conditions. Statements in this press release that are not descriptions of historical facts are forward-looking statements relating to future events, and as such all forward-looking statements are made pursuant to the Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Statements may contain certain forward-looking statements pertaining to future anticipated or projected plans, performance and developments, as well as other statements relating to future operations and results. Any statements in this press release that are not statements of historical fact may be considered to be forward-looking statements. Words such as may, will, expect, believe, anticipate, estimate, intends, goal, objective, seek, attempt, aim to, or variations of these or similar words, identify forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, those described in Item 1A in the Companys Annual Report on Form 10-K, which is expressly incorporated herein by reference, and other factors as may periodically be described in the Companys filings with the SEC.

Qatalyst is the trademark of Quantum Computing Inc. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

Company Contact: Robert Liscouski, CEO Quantum Computing, Inc. +1 (703) 436-2161 Email Contact

Investor Relations Contact: Ron Both or Grant Stude CMA Investor Relations +1 (949) 432-7566 Email Contact

Media Relations Contact: Bob Geller Fusion Public Relations +1 (917) 816-0562 qci@fusionpr.com

Continued here:

QCI Qatalyst Selected by BMW Group and Amazon Web Services - GlobeNewswire

COMPUTING

Two of Worlds Biggest Quantum Computers Made in China Charles Q. Choi | IEEE Spectrum scientists in China have tested two different quantum computers on what they say are more challenging tasks than [Googles] Sycamore faced and showed faster results. They note their work points to an unambiguous quantum computational advantage.i

Alternative Rocket Builder SpinLaunch Completes First Test Flight Michael Sheetz | CNBC The company is developing a launch system that uses kinetic energy as its primary method to get off the groundwith a vacuum-sealed centrifuge spinning the rocket at several times the speed of sound before releasing. This is about building a company and a space launch system that is going to enter into the commercial markets with a very high cadence and launch at the lowest cost in the industry, SpinLaunch CEO Jonathan Yaney told CNBC.

Scientists Build Tiny Robot That Could Deliver Drugs With Amazing Accuracy Julian Dossett | CNET [A] team of scientists at [ETH Zurich] has built a microrobot thats inspired by the movement of starfish larva. Their yet-to-be-named robot measures just a quarter of a millimeter across and swims through liquid by moving tiny surface hairs, or cilia, found on all kinds of microorganisms, including newborn starfish.

Wind and Solar Could Meet 85 Percent of Current Electricity Needs K. Holt | Engadget Windandsolar powercould meet around 85 percent of US electricity needs, according to a paper published inNature Communications. Batteries, capacity overbuilding and other storage options could increase that figure. A blend of wind and solar power should be enough to meet most of the current energy needs in advanced, industrialized nations, according to the study.

An E. Coli Biocomputer Solves a Maze by Sharing the Work Siobhan Roberts | MIT Technology Review this multitalented bacterium has a new trick: it can solve a classic computational maze problem using distributed computingdividing up the necessary calculations among different types of genetically engineered cells. This neat feat is a credit to synthetic biology, which aims to rig up biological circuitry much like electronic circuitry and to program cells as easily as computers.

Lidar Uncovers Hundreds of Lost Maya and Olmec Ruins Kiona N. Smith | Wired Over the last several years, lidar surveys have revealedtens of thousands of irrigation channels, causeways, and fortresses across Maya territory, which now spans the borders of Mexico, Guatemala, and Belize. Infrared beams can penetrate dense foliage to measure the height of the ground, which often reveals features like long-abandoned canals or plazas.The results have shown that Maya civilization was more extensive, and more densely populated, than we previously realized.

The Long Search for a Computer That Speaks Your Mind Adam Rogers | Wired The trick is to use data from the brain to synthesize speech in real time so users can practice and the machine can learn. New brain computer interface systems are getting there. The endgame, probably half a decade away, will be some unification of accuracy and intelligibility with real-time audio. Thats the common direction all of the groups doing this are going towarddoing it in real time, Anumanchipalli says.i

AR Is Where the Real Metaverse Is Going to Happen Steven Levy | Wired iOur overarching goal is to help bring the metaverse to life, Mark Zuckerberg told his workforce in June. [Niantic CEO John] Hanke hates this idea. Hes read all the science fiction books and seen all the films that first imagined the metaverseall great fun, and allwrong. He believes that his vision, unlikevirtual reality, will make the real world better without encouraging people to totally check out of it.

Image Credit: Shubham Dhage / Unsplash

Read the original here:

This Week's Awesome Tech Stories From Around the Web (Through November 13) - Singularity Hub

New Jersey, United States,- This Quantum Software market report study describes a productive and motivated sector as well as a market prognosis. Industry players would be able to make smart decisions based on the results of the study. Overall, research is a useful tool for establishing a competitive advantage over competitors and long-term profitability in the existing economy. This Quantum Software market report study provides detailed information on several industrial aspects such as techniques, models and important competitors operating in separate districts. Examiners use point-by-point testing processes to provide accurate and crucial information about the status and progress of the showcase.

Market analysts and researchers have conducted an in-depth analysis of the global bQuantum Software market using research methodologies such as PESTLE and Porter's five forces analysis. They provided accurate and reliable market data and useful recommendations with the aim of helping the players to get an overview of the overall scenario of the present and future market. The report on Quantum Softwares includes an in-depth study of potential segments, including product type, application, and end user, as well as their contribution to the overall market size.

Get | Download Sample Copy with TOC, Graphs & List of [emailprotected]https://www.marketresearchintellect.com/download-sample/?rid=177936

In addition, market revenues based on region and country are provided in the report on Quantum Softwares. The authors of the report also shed light on the common business tactics adopted by actors. The main players in the global bQuantum Software market and their full profiles are included in the report. In addition, investment opportunities, recommendations and current trends in the global Quantum Software market are mapped by the report. Thanks to this report, key players in the global Quantum Software market will be able to make good decisions and plan their strategies accordingly to stay ahead of the curve.

The competitive landscape is an essential aspect that every key player must know. The report highlights the competitive scenario of the global Quantum Software market to know the competition at the national and global levels. The market experts also presented the broad outlines of each major player in the global Quantum Software market, taking into account key aspects such as business areas, production and product portfolio. In addition, the companies in the report are studied according to key factors such as company size, market share, market growth, revenues, production volume and profits.

The major players covered in Quantum Software Markets:

Quantum Software Market Breakdown by Type:

Quantum Software Market breakdown by application:

The Quantum Software market report has been separated according to separate categories, such as product type, application, end-user, and region. Each segment is evaluated on the basis of CAGR, share, and growth potential. In the regional analysis, the report highlights the prospective region, which is expected to generate opportunities in the global Quantum Softwares market in the coming years. This segmental analysis will surely prove to be a useful tool for readers, stakeholders and market participants in order to get a complete picture of the global Quantum Softwares market and its growth potential in the coming years.

Get | Discount On The Purchase Of This Report @ https://www.marketresearchintellect.com/ask-for-discount/?rid=177936

Quantum Software Market Report Scope

Regional market analysis Quantum Software can be represented as follows:

Each regional Quantum Software sectors is carefully studied to understand its current and future growth scenarios. This helps players to strengthen their position. Use market research to get a better perspective and understanding of the market and target audience and ensure you stay ahead of the competition.

The base of geography, the world market of Quantum Software has segmented as follows:

Key questions answered in the report:

For More Information or Query or Customization Before Buying, Visit @ https://www.marketresearchintellect.com/product/global-quantum-software-market-size-forecast/

Visualize Quantum Software Market using Verified Market Intelligence:-

Verified Market Intelligence is our BI-enabled platform to tell the story of this market. VMI provides in-depth predictive trends and accurate insights into more than 20,000 emerging and niche markets to help you make key revenue impact decisions for a brilliant future.VMI provides a comprehensive overview and global competitive landscape of regions, countries, and segments, as well as key players in your market. Showcase your market reports and findings with built-in presentation capabilities, providing more than 70% of time and resources for investors, sales and marketing, R & D, and product development. VMI supports data delivery in Excel and interactive PDF formats and provides more than 15 key market indicators for your market.

Visualize Quantum Software Market using VMI @ hhttps://www.marketresearchintellect.com/mri-intelligence/

The study explores in depth the profiles of the main market players and their main financial aspects. This comprehensive business analyst report is useful for all existing and new entrants as they design their business strategies. This report covers production, revenue, market share and growth rate of the Quantum Software market for each key company, and covers breakdown data (production, consumption, revenue and market share) by regions, type and applications. Quantum Software historical breakdown data from 2016 to 2020 and forecast to 2021-2029.

About Us: Market Research Intellect

Market Research Intellect provides syndicated and customized research reports to clients from various industries and organizations in addition to the objective of delivering customized and in-depth research studies.We speak to looking logical research solutions, custom consulting, and in-severity data analysis lid a range of industries including Energy, Technology, Manufacturing and Construction, Chemicals and Materials, Food and Beverages. Etc Our research studies assist our clients to make higher data-driven decisions, admit push forecasts, capitalize coarsely with opportunities and optimize efficiency by bustling as their belt in crime to adopt accurate and indispensable mention without compromise.Having serviced on the pinnacle of 5000+ clients, we have provided expertly-behaved assert research facilities to more than 100 Global Fortune 500 companies such as Amazon, Dell, IBM, Shell, Exxon Mobil, General Electric, Siemens, Microsoft, Sony, and Hitachi.

Contact us:Mr. Edwyne Fernandes US: +1 (650)-781-4080 UK: +44 (753)-715-0008 APAC: +61 (488)-85-9400 US Toll-Free: +1 (800)-782-1768

Website: https://www.marketresearchintellect.com/

Read the rest here:

Quantum Software Market Size by Top Companies, Trends by Types and Application, Forecast to 2028 | Origin Quantum Computing Technology, D Wave, IBM,...

In a decade and a half, Nvidia has come a long way from its early days as a provider of graphics chips for personal computers and other consumer devices.

Jensen Huang, Nvidia co-founder and chief executive officer, put his sights on the datacenter, pushing GPUs as a way of accelerating HPC applications and the CUDA software development environment as a way of making that happen. Five years later, Huang declared artificial intelligencethe future of computing and that Nvidia would not only enable that, but bet the company on this being the future of software development that AI-enhanced everything would be, in fact, the next platform.

The company has continued to evolve, expanding its hardware and software capabilities aimed at meeting the demands of an ever-changing IT landscape that now includes multiple clouds and the fast-growing edge and, Huang expects, a virtual world of digital twins and avatars, and all of this dependent on the companys technologies.

Nvidia has not been a point product provider for some time, but is now a full-stack platform vendor for this new computing world.

Accelerated computing starts with Nvidia CUDA general-purpose programmable GPUs, Huang said during his keynote address at the companys virtual GTC 2021 event this week. The magic of accelerated computing comes from the combination of CUDA, the acceleration libraries of algorithms that speed-up applications and the distributed computing systems and software that scale processing across an entire datacenter.

Nvidia has been advancing CUDA and expanding the surrounding ecosystem for it for more than fifteen years.

We optimize across the full stack, iterating between GPU, acceleration libraries, systems, and applications continuously, all the while expanding the reach of our platform by adding new application domains that we accelerate, he said. With our approach, end users experience speedups through the life of the product. It is not unusual for us to increase application performance by many X-factors on the same chip over several years. As we accelerate more applications, our network of partners see growing demand for Nvidia platforms. Starting from computer graphics, the reach of our architecture has reached deep into the worlds largest industries. We start with amazing chips, but for each field of science, industry and application, we create a full stack.

To illustrate that, Huang pointed to the more than 150 software development kits that target a broad range of industries, from design to life sciences, and at GTC announced 65 new or updated SDKs touching on such areas as quantum computing, cybersecurity, and robotics. The number of developers using Nvidia technologies has grown to almost three million, increasing six-fold over the past five years. In addition, CUDA has been downloaded 30 million times over 15 years, including seven million times last year.

Our expertise in full-stack acceleration and datacenter-scale architectures lets us help researchers and developers solve problems at the largest scales, he said. Our approach to computing is highly energy-efficient. The versatility of architecture lets us contribute to fields ranging from AI to quantum physics to digital biology to climate science.

That said, Nvidia is not without its challenges. The companys $40 billion bid for Arm is no sure thing, with regulators from the UK and Europe saying they want to take a deeper look at the possible market impacts the deal would create and Qualcomm leading opposition to the proposed acquisition. In addition, the competition in GPU-accelerated computing is heating up, with AMD advancing its capabilities we recently wrote about the companys Aldebaran Instinct MI200 GPU accelerator and Intel last week saying that it expects the upcoming Aurora supercomputer will scale beyond 2 exaflops due in large part to a better-than-expected performance by its Ponte Vecchio Xe HPC GPUs.

Still, Nvidia sees its future in creating the accelerated-computing foundation for the expansion of AI, machine learning and deep learning into a broad array of industries, as illustrated by the usual avalanche of announcements coming out of GTC. Among the new libraries was ReOpt, which is aimed finding the shortest and most efficient routes for getting products and services to their destinations, which can save companies time and money in last-mile delivery efforts.

CuQuantum is another library for creating quantum simulators to validate research in the field while the industry builds the first useful quantum computers. Nvidia has built a cuQuantum DGX appliance for speeding up quantum circuit simulations, with the first accelerated quantum simulator coming to Googles Cirq framework coming in the first quarter 2022. Meanwhile, cuNumeric is aimed at accelerating NumPy workloads, scaling from one GPU to multi-node clusters.

Nvidias new Quantum-2 interconnect (which has nothing to do with quantum computing) is a 400 Gb/sec InfiniBand platform that comprises the Quantum-2 switch, the ConnectX-7 SmartNIC, the BlueField 3 DPU, and features like performance isolation, a telemetry-based congestion-control system and 32X higher in-switch processing for AI training. In addition, nanosecond timing will enable cloud datacenters to get into the telco space by hosting software-defined 5G radio services.

Quantum-2 is the first networking platform to offer the performance of a supercomputer and the shareability of cloud computing, Huang said. This has never been possible before. Until Quantum-2, you get either bare-metal high-performance or secure multi-tenancy. Never both. With Quantum-2, your valuable supercomputer will be cloud-native and far better utilized.

The 7 nanometer InfiniBand switch chip holds 57 billion transistors similar to Nvidias A100 GPU and has 64 ports running at 400 Gb/sec or 128 ports running at 200 Gb/sec. A Quantum-2 system can connect up to 2,048 ports, as compared to the 800 ports with Quantum-1. The switch is sampling now and comes with options for the ConnectX-7 SmartNIC sampling in January or BlueField 3 DPU, which will sample in May.

BlueField DOCA 1.2 is a suite of cybersecurity capabilities that Huang said will make BlueField an even more attractive platform for building a zero-trust architecture by offloading infrastructure software that is eating up as much as 30 percent of CPU capacity. In addition, Nvidias Morpheus deep-learning cybersecurity platform uses AI to monitor and analyze data from users, machines and services to detect anomalies and abnormal transactions.

Cloud computing and machine learning are driving a reinvention of the datacenter, Huang said. Container-based applications give hyperscalers incredible abilities to scale out, allowing millions to use their services concurrently. The ease of scale out and orchestration comes at a cost: east-west network traffic increased incredibly with machine-and-machine message passing and these disaggregated applications open many ports inside the datacenter that need to be secured from cyberattack.

Nvidia has bolstered its Triton Inferencing Server with new support for the Arm architecture; the system already supported Nvida GPUs and X86 chips from Intel and AMD. In addition, version 2.15 of Triton also can run multiple GPU and multi-node inference workloads, which Huang called arguably one of the most technically challenging runtime engines the world has ever seen.

As these models are growing exponentially, particularly in new use cases, theyre often getting too big for you to run on a single CPU or even a single server, Ian Buck, vice president and general manager of Nvidias Tesla datacenter business, said during a briefing with journalists. Yet the demands [and] the opportunities for these large models want to be delivered in real time. The new version of Triton actually supports distributed inference. We take the model and we split it across multiple GPUs and multiple servers to deliver that to optimize the computing to deliver the fastest possible performance of these incredibly large models.

Nvidia also unveiled NeMo Megatron, a framework for training large language models (LLMs) that have trillions of parameters. NeMo Megatron can be used for such jobs as language translation and compute program writing, and it leverages the Triton Inference Server. Nvidia last month unveiled Megatron 530B, a language mode with 530 billion parameters.

The recent breakthrough of large language models is one of the great achievements in computer science, Huang said. Theres exciting work being done in self-supervised multi-modal learning and models that can do tasks that it was never trained on called zero-shot learning. Ten new models were announced last year alone. Training LLMs is not for the faint of heart. Hundred-million-dollar systems, training trillion-parameter models on petabytes of data for months requires conviction, deep expertise, and an optimized stack.

A lot of time at the event was spent on Nvidias Omniverse platform, the virtual environment introduced last year that the company believes will be a critical enterprise tool in the future. Skeptics point to avatars and the like in suggesting that Omniverse is little more than a second coming of Second Life. In responding to a question, Buck said there are two areas where Omniverse is catching on in the enterprise.

The first is digital twins virtual representations of machines or systems that recreate an environment like the work were doing in embedded and robotics and other places to be able to simulate virtual worlds, actually simulate the products that are being built in a virtual environment and be able to prototype them entirely with Omniverse. A virtual setting allows the product development to happen in a way that has been before remotely, virtually around the world.

The other is in the commercial use of virtual agents this is where the AI-based avatars can come in to help with call centers and similar customer-facing tasks.

Read more:

Nvidia Declares That It Is A Full-Stack Platform - The Next Platform

Rigetti launched the multi-chip device with the objective of reaching 80 qubits later this year, up from the current 31 qubits supported by the company's Aspen processor.

Finding out how to pack as many high-quality qubits as possible on a single quantum processor is a challenge that still keeps most researchers scratching their heads but now quantum startup Rigetti Computing has come up with a radically new approach to the problem.

Instead of focusing on increasing the size of a single quantum processor,Rigetti has linked up various smaller chips together to create, instead, a modular processor that still has a higher overall qubit count.

Describing the technology as the world's "first multi-chip quantum processor", the company launched the device with the objective of reaching 80 qubits later this year, up from the current 31 qubits supported by its Aspen processor.

SEE: Building the bionic brain (free PDF) (TechRepublic)

By that time, the new quantum system will be available for Rigetti customers to use over the firm's Quantum Cloud Services platform.

"We've developed a fundamentally new approach to scaling quantum computers," said Chad Rigetti, the founder of Rigetti Computing. "Our proprietary innovations in chip design and manufacturing have unlocked what we believe is the fastest path to building the systems needed to run practical applications and error correction."

Like IBM and Google, Rigetti's quantum systems are based on superconducting qubits, which are mounted in arrays on a processor where they are coupled and controlled thanks to microwave pulses. Qubits are also connected to a resonator and associated wiring, which enables the system to encode, manipulate and read out quantum information.

Qubits come with special quantum properties that are expected to lend quantum computers unprecedented computational power. But for that to happen, processors will need to pack a significant number of qubits far more than they currently do.

For quantum computers to start generating very early value, experts anticipate that at least 1,000 qubits will be necessary; and a million qubits is often cited as the threshold for most useful applications. In contrast, the most powerful quantum processors currently support less than 100 qubits.

Scaling up the number of qubits sitting on a single processor, however, is difficult. This is mostly due to the fragility of qubits, which need to be kept in ultra-protected environments that are colder than outer space to ensure that they remain in their quantum state. More qubits on a chip, therefore, inevitably mean more potential for failure and lower manufacturing yields.

Instead, Rigetti proposes to connect several identical processors, such as those that the company is already capable of reliably manufacturing, into a large-scale quantum processor.

"This modular approach exponentially reduces manufacturing complexity and allows for accelerated, predictable scaling," said the company.

According to Rigetti, this will also enable future systems to scale in multiplicative ways, as individual chips increase their number of qubits, and new technologies enable more of these chips to be connected into larger processors.

With scale being a top priority for virtually every organization in the quantum ecosystem, Rigetti's new launch could well give the startup a competitive advantage, even in an industry crowded with tech giants the likes of Google, IBM, Microsoft and Amazon.

IBM recently unveiled a roadmap for its quantum hardware thataims to build a 1,121-qubit device for release in 2023.

SEE: Quantum computing just took on another big challenge, one that could be as tough as steel

And smaller players are now emerging, often with the goal of exploring alternatives to superconducting qubits that might enable quantum computers to grow faster. UK start-up Quantum Motion, for instance,recently published the result of an experiment with qubits on silicon chips.

"There is a race to get from the tens of qubits that devices have today, to the thousands of qubits that future systems will require to solve real-world problems," said Amir Safavi-Naeini, assistant professor of applied physics at Stanford University. "Rigetti's modular approach demonstrates a very promising way of approaching these scales."

As demonstrated by Rigetti's latest announcement, new approaches, methods and technologies are constantly developing in the quantum ecosystem. It is unlikely that one clear way forward will stand out anytime soon.

Read more:

Bigger quantum computers, faster: This new idea could be the quickest route to real world apps - ZDNet

Nippon Steel has concluded that, despite the current hardware limitations of quantum computers, the technology holds a lot of promise when it comes to optimizing complex problems.

From railways and ships all the way to knives and forks: the number of products that are made of steel is too high to list and to ensure a steady supply of the sought-after material, Japanese steel manufacturer Nippon Steel is now looking at how quantum computing might help.

The company, which produced a hefty 50 million tons of steel in 2019 (that is, 40% of the total production in Japan) has partnered with Cambridge Quantum Computing (CQC) and Honeywell to find out whether quantum computers have the potential to boost efficiencies in the supply chain.

And after over a year of testing and trying new algorithms, the company has concluded that,despite the current hardware limitations of quantum computers, the technology holds a lot of promise when it comes to optimizing complex problems.

"The results Nippon Steel and Cambridge Quantum Computing were able to achieve indicate that quantum computing will be a powerful tool for companies seeking a competitive advantage," said Tony Uttley, the president of Honeywell Quantum Solutions.

SEE: Building the bionic brain (free PDF) (TechRepublic)

The steel manufacturing process is a highly elaborate affair, involving many different steps and requiring various raw materials before the final product can be built.

Plants start by pre-treating and refining iron ore, coal and other minerals to process them into slabs of steel, which are then converted into products like rails, bars, pipes, tubes and wheels.

In the case of Nippon Steel, where millions of tons of material are at stake, finding the best equation to make sure that the right products are in the right place and at the right time is key to delivering orders as efficiently as possible.

Toss in strict deadlines, and it is easy to see why industry leaders are looking for the most advanced tools possible to model and optimize the whole system, and at the same time reduce operating costs.

For this reason, the use of pen and paper has long been replaced by sophisticated software services, and Nippon Steel has been a long-time investor in advanced computing but even today's most powerful supercomputers can struggle to come up with optimal solutions to such complex problems.

Classical computers can only offer simplifications and approximations. The Japanese company, therefore, decided to try its hand at quantum technologies, andannounced a partnership with quantum software firm CQC last year.

"Scheduling at our steel plants is one of the biggest logistical challenges we face, and we are always looking for ways to streamline and improve operations in this area," said Koji Hirano, chief researcher at Nippon Steel.

Quantum computers rely on qubits tiny particles that can take on a special, dual quantum state that enables them to carry out multiple calculations at once. This means, in principle, that the most complex problems that cannot be solved by classical computers in any realistic timeframe could one day be run on quantum computers in a matter of minutes.

The technology is still in its infancy: quantum computers can currently only support very few qubits and are not capable of carrying out computations that are useful at a business's scale. Scientists, rather, are interested in demonstrating the theoretical value of the technology, to be prepared to tap into the potential of quantum computers once their development matures.

In practice, for Nippon Steel, this meant using CQC's services and expertise to discover which quantum algorithms could most effectively model and optimize the company's supply chain.

To do so, the two companies' research teams focused on formulating a small-scale problem, which, although it does not bring significant value to Nippon Steel, can be resolved using today's nascent quantum hardware.

The researchers developed a quantum algorithm for this "representative" problem and ran it on Honeywell's System Model H1 the latest iteration of the company's trapped-ion quantum computing hardware, which has 10 available qubits and a record-breaking quantum volume of 512. After only a few steps, say the scientists, the System Model H1 was able to find an optimal solution.

"The results are encouraging for scaling up this problem to larger instances," said Mehdi Bozzo Rey, the head of business development at CQC. "This experiment showcases the capabilities of the System Model H1 paired with modern quantum algorithms and how promising this emerging technology really is."

What's more: an optimization algorithm such as the one developed by CQC and Nippon Steel can be applied to many other scenarios in manufacturing, transport and distribution.

Earlier this year, for example, IBM and energy giant ExxonMobil revealed that they had been working together tobuild quantum algorithms that could one day optimize the routing of tens of thousands of merchant shipscrossing the oceans to deliver everyday goods a $14 trillion industry that could hugely benefit from operational efficiencies.

The results from Nippon Steel are the first to emerge followingthe announcement of a partnership between Honeywell and CQC earlier this month. CQC's quantum software capabilities are planned to merge with Honeywell's quantum hardware services in a deal that is expected to make waves in the industry.

By joining forces, the two companies are effectively set to become leaders in the quantum ecosystem. The early results from the trials with Nippon Steel, therefore, are likely to be only the start of many new projects to come, as the two firms apply their complementary expertise to global issues affecting various different industries.

See the original post:

Quantum computing just took on another big challenge, one that could be as tough as steel - ZDNet

Jung-Tsung Shen, associate professor in the Department of Electrical & Systems Engineering, has developed a deterministic, high-fidelity, two-bit quantum logic gate that takes advantage of a new form of light. This new logic gate is orders of magnitude more efficient than the current technology. Credit: Jung-Tsung Shen

An efficient two-bit quantum logic gate has been out of reach, until now.

Research from the McKelvey School of Engineering at Washington University in St. Louis has found a missing piece in the puzzle of optical quantum computing.

Jung-Tsung Shen, associate professor in the Preston M. Green Department of Electrical & Systems Engineering, has developed a deterministic, high-fidelity two-bit quantum logic gate that takes advantage of a new form of light. This new logic gate is orders of magnitude more efficient than the current technology.

In the ideal case, the fidelity can be as high as 97%, Shen said.

His research was published in May 2021 in the journalPhysical Review A.

The potential of quantum computers is bound to the unusual properties of superposition the ability of a quantum system to contain many distinct properties, or states, at the same time and entanglement two particles acting as if they are correlated in a non-classical manner, despite being physically removed from each other.

Where voltage determines the value of a bit (a 1 or a 0) in a classical computer, researchers often use individual electrons as qubits, the quantum equivalent. Electrons have several traits that suit them well to the task: they are easily manipulated by an electric or magnetic field and they interact with each other. Interaction is a benefit when you need two bits to be entangled letting the wilderness of quantum mechanics manifest.

But their propensity to interact is also a problem. Everything from stray magnetic fields to power lines can influence electrons, making them hard to truly control.

For the past two decades, however, some scientists have been trying to use photons as qubits instead of electrons. If computers are going to have a true impact, we need to look into creating the platform using light, Shen said.

Photons have no charge, which can lead to the opposite problems: they do not interact with the environment like electrons, but they also do not interact with each other. It has also been challenging to engineer and to create ad hoc (effective) inter-photon interactions. Or so traditional thinking went.

Less than a decade ago, scientists working on this problem discovered that, even if they werent entangled as they entered a logic gate, the act of measuring the two photons when they exited led them to behave as if they had been.The unique features of measurement are another wild manifestation of quantum mechanics.

Quantum mechanics is not difficult, but its full of surprises, Shen said.

The measurement discovery was groundbreaking, but not quite game-changing. Thats because for every 1,000,000 photons, only one pair became entangled. Researchers have since been more successful, but, Shen said, Its still not good enough for a computer, which has to carry out millions to billions of operations per second.

Shen was able to build a two-bit quantum logic gate with such efficiency because of the discovery of a new class of quantum photonic states photonic dimers, photons entangled in both space and frequency. His prediction of their existence was experimentally validated in 2013, and he has since been finding applications for this new form of light.

When a single photon enters a logic gate, nothing notable happens it goes in and comes out. But when there are two photons, Thats when we predicted the two can make a new state, photonic dimers. It turns out this new state is crucial.

High-fidelity, two-bit logic gate, designed by Jung-Tsung Shen. Credit: Jung-Tsung Shen

Mathematically, there are many ways to design a logic gate for two-bit operations. These different designs are called equivalent. The specific logic gate that Shen and his research group designed is the controlled-phase gate (or controlled-Z gate). The principal function of the controlled-phase gate is that the two photons that come out are in the negative state of the two photons that went in.

In classical circuits, there is no minus sign, Shen said. But in quantum computing, it turns out the minus sign exists and is crucial.

Quantum mechanics is not difficult, but its full of surprises.

Jung-Tsung Shen

When two independent photons (representing two optical qubits) enter the logic gate, The design of the logic gate is such that the two photons can form a photonic dimer, Shen said. It turns out the new quantum photonic state is crucial as it enables the output state to have the correct sign that is essential to the optical logic operations.

Shen has been working with the University of Michigan to test his design, which is a solid-state logic gate one that can operate under moderate conditions. So far, he says, results seem positive.

Shen says this result, while baffling to most, is clear as day to those in the know.

Its like a puzzle, he said. It may be complicated to do, but once its done, just by glancing at it, you will know its correct.

Reference: Two-photon controlled-phase gates enabled by photonic dimers by Zihao Chen, Yao Zhou, Jung-Tsung Shen, Pei-Cheng Ku and Duncan Steel, 21 May 2021, Physical Review A. DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevA.103.052610

This research was supported by the National Science Foundation, ECCS grants nos. 1608049 and 1838996. It was also supported by the 2018 NSF Quantum Leap (RAISE) Award.

The McKelvey School of Engineering at Washington University in St. Louis promotes independent inquiry and education with an emphasis on scientific excellence, innovation and collaboration without boundaries. McKelvey Engineering has top-ranked research and graduate programs across departments, particularly in biomedical engineering, environmental engineering and computing, and has one of the most selective undergraduate programs in the country. With 140 full-time faculty, 1,387 undergraduate students, 1,448 graduate students and 21,000 living alumni, we are working to solve some of societys greatest challenges; to prepare students to become leaders and innovate throughout their careers; and to be a catalyst of economic development for the St. Louis region and beyond.

Originally posted here:

Missing Piece Discovered in the Puzzle of Optical Quantum Computing - SciTechDaily

Research led by Kent and theSTFC Rutherford Appleton Laboratoryhas resulted in the discovery of a new rare topological superconductor, LaPt3P. This discovery may be of huge importance to the future operations of quantum computers.

Superconductors are vital materials able to conduct electricity without any resistance when cooled below a certain temperature, making them highly desirable in a society needing to reduce its energy consumption.

They manifest quantum properties on the scale of everyday objects, making them highly attractive candidates for building computers that use quantum physics to store data and perform computing operations, and can vastly outperform even the best supercomputers in certain tasks. As a result, there is an increasing demand from leading tech companies like Google, IBM and Microsoft to make quantum computers on an industrial scale using superconductors.

However, the elementary units of quantum computers (qubits) are extremely sensitive and lose their quantum properties due to electromagnetic fields, heat, and collisions with air molecules. Protection from these can be achieved by making more resilient qubits using a special class of superconductors called topological superconductorswhich in addition to being superconductors also host protected metallic states on their boundaries or surfaces.

Topological superconductors, such as LaPt3P, newly discovered through muon spin relaxation experiments and extensive theoretical analysis, are exceptionally rare and are of tremendous value to the future industry of quantum computing.

To ensure its properties are sample and instrument independent, two different sets of samples were prepared in theUniversity of Warwickand inETH Zurich. Muon experiments were then performed in two different types of muon facilities: in the ISIS Pulsed Neutron and Muon Source in the STFC Rutherford Appleton Laboratory and inPSI, Switzerland.

Dr. Sudeep Kumar Ghosh, Leverhulme Early Career Fellow at KentsSchool of Physical Sciencesand Principle Investigator said: This discovery of the topological superconductor LaPt3P has tremendous potential in the field of quantum computing. Discovery of such a rare and desired component demonstrates the importance ofmuonresearch for the everyday world around us.

Reference: Chiral singlet superconductivity in the weakly correlated metal LaPt3P by P. K. Biswas, S. K. Ghosh, J. Z. Zhao, D. A. Mayoh, N. D. Zhigadlo, Xiaofeng Xu, C. Baines, A. D. Hillier, G. Balakrishnan and M. R. Lees, 4 May 2021, Nature Communications. DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-22807-8

The paper is published inNature Communications(University of Kent: Dr. Sudeep K. Ghosh; STFC Rutherford Appleton Laboratory: Dr. Pabitra K. Biswas, Dr. Adrian D. Hillier; University of Warwick Dr. Geetha Balakrishnan, Dr. Martin R. Lees, Dr. Daniel A. Mayoh; Paul Scherrer Institute: Dr. Charles Baines; Zhejiang University of Technology: Dr. Xiaofeng Xu; ETH Zurich: Dr. Nikolai D. Zhigadlo; Southwest University of Science and Technology: Dr. Jianzhou Zhao).

Read the original post:

Rare Superconductor Discovered May Be Critical for the Future of Quantum Computing - SciTechDaily