Quantum Computer to be released next week, 20 years ahead of expectations...

[Super_Geo]

http://www.techworld.com/opsys/news/index.cfm?newsID=7972&pagtype=all

Huh? I rememeber learning about the physics and restrictions behind quantum computing back in uni... but out already? I think it'll underwhelm...

[doublepostwhore]

I remember reading about this in the book Timeline. But holy shit. I never thought that I would see the day (so soon) that there would be quantom state, computers.

Time travel anyone?

[im2fst4u]

This would be something I would love to explore and put it through some severe multitasking situations and benchmarks but I don't see it being accessible to the public for years to come. Intel has this structure already in development but they are way off a release date.

Good find though! And a Canadian to boot!
:thumbsup:

[A790]

If it works it could change a lot of things.

Heres to hoping...

[Crymson]

I'm looking forward to it. I really the idea of there only being a handfull of ridiculously, unfathomably powerful computers and everyone just sharing it like another utility besides power, water and gas.

[GTS Jeff]

Originally posted by Crymson
I'm looking forward to it. I really the idea of there only being a handfull of ridiculously, unfathomably powerful computers and everyone just sharing it like another utility besides power, water and gas. Big Brother...

[adam c]

say goodbye to security and privacy

[BerserkerCatSplat]

Originally posted by Crymson
I'm looking forward to it. I really the idea of there only being a handfull of ridiculously, unfathomably powerful computers and everyone just sharing it like another utility besides power, water and gas.

...and everyone would just use it to play World of Warcraft. Go technology!

[01RedDX]

.

[Crymson]

Actually, from what I understand, Quantum computing allows for absolutely unbreakable security features due to the fact that everything is probabilistic. I'm not sure exactly how the mechanics work, but todays encryption wouldn't hold a candle to it.

[Fado]

Can someone elaborate on this a little more? I don't have a full understanding of this :dunno:

[ryanallan]

This is going to be amazing if it works!
I wonder if any one will go missing?

From what my teacher was saying this past week about our current encryption methods, the quantum computer is going to be ground breaking in more ways than one.

His example: say there is a password that is 2^400 bits long. For any "supercomputer" today to crack this code by trying every single combination, would take an infinitely long time; thus our current security principles are based solely on the fact that current computers are not fast enough to crack a code of this size.

With a quantum commuter, this task of trying every single possible combination until the correct code is found, would take a matter of seconds, allowing who ever is using this computer to "hack" into what ever they wanted...

[Fado]

Originally posted by ryanallan
This is going to be amazing if it works!
I wonder if any one will go missing?

From what my teacher was saying this past week about our current encryption methods, the quantum computer is going to be ground breaking in more ways than one.

His example: say there is a password that is 2^400 bits long. For any "supercomputer" today to crack this code by trying every single combination, would take an infinitely long time; thus our current security principles are based solely on the fact that current computers are not fast enough to crack a code of this size.

With a quantum commuter, this task of trying every single possible combination until the correct code is found, would take a matter of seconds, allowing who ever is using this computer to "hack" into what ever they wanted...

So..what happens to computer security?

[GQBalla]

lol
if this falls into the wrong hands... world is pwned.

[kaput]

.

[TimG]

any word on this? D-Wave's web site doesn't say anything useful about the demo.

[Super_Geo]

To see the news stories as they roll out today:

http://news.google.ca/news?hl=en&ned=&q=quantum+computer

[arian_ma]

Wow I can't even comprehend how that possibly works.
:eek:
Amazing stuff

[Super_Geo]

In a nutshell, whereas before they were using electrons represent either '1' or '0,' they're now using the spin of the electrons to represent information... and because quantum mechanics is probabalistic (nothing is definately 1 or 0, and is both (to different degrees of certainty) until you 'check.') and not deterministic, you can run several simulataneous scenarios at once. Once you check, it is no longer probabaistic.. the result that it returns is the one that exists, and all other possibilities (which had existed in parallel 'universes') whose existence were once probable now collapses to be impossible.

I don't remember exactly though, it's been a year and a half since I took quantum mechanics.

[TimG]

Because their technology is superconductor-based, they're using Cooper pairs, not electrons. Cooper pairs are bosons and electrons are fermions, which has some implications on how the system works. There are other properties of Cooper pairs that they're taking advantage of, too.

Other than that, i your explanation hits the nail on the head.

[TimG]

http://www.computerworld.com.au/index.php/id;557360124;fp;4;fpid;1968336438



Canadian researchers to sell quantum chips by 2008
D-Wave Systems demonstrated a quantum computer chip on Tuesday, promising to bring it to market by 2008
Ben Ames (IDG News Service) 14/02/2007 08:56:20


Medical researchers, chemists and financial modellers could soon be able to solve more challenging equations, using a computer powered by quantum processors developed by the Canadian firm D-Wave Systems.

D-Wave demonstrated a system it calls "the world's first commercially viable quantum computer" on Tuesday at a press conference at the Computer History Museum in Mountain View, California. The company plans to begin selling these new computers in 2008, pitching them as an adjunct to conventional digital computers, not a replacement for them.

A quantum computer can solve problems with enough data to stump a modern supercomputer, such as the behaviour of electrons in a molecule, D-Wave said. To solve such equations today, researchers use approximate simulations, but quantum computers will be able to model each electron.

The system relies on processors built with the superconducting materials aluminium and niobium. When these metals are cooled to absolute zero, their electrons form special particles called bosons, according to D-Wave. Bosons are powerful tools for computing because they can hold binary values of both zero and one simultaneously, whereas conventional digital bits must choose a single value.

Even more important, these quantum bits -- called qubits -- all mimic each others' values, following the laws of quantum dynamics. That allows computer scientists to instantly amplify their effects, creating super-fast quantum computers (QCs).

"Even very primitive QCs will be able to outperform supercomputers in simulating nature," the company said. "As QC technology matures, systems containing hundreds, thousands, even millions of electrons will be able to be modelled by the direct, brute force solution. ... This means that the fundamental equations of nature will be solvable for all nanoscale systems, with no approximations or fudge factors."

Despite that potential, quantum computers must always be built as hybrids of conventional computers, D-Wave CEO Herb Martin said in a statement. D-Wave, of Burnaby, British Columbia, was formed in 1999, when it was spun off from the University of British Columbia. The company is also busy creating software applications to manage the new chips.

There are other ways to create quantum processors, such as trapping atoms with lasers or building optical circuits with photonic crystals, but D-Wave says it will bring its chips to market first by using existing semiconductor industry technology to build them.

Still, many other researchers are developing their own novel forms of processors. On Monday, Intel researchers said they have built an 80-core chip that performs more than a teraflops (trillions of floating point operations per second) while using less electricity than a modern desktop PC chip.

In December, IBM announced it had improved its ability to control photons, drawing closer to building a chip that moves data as pieces of light instead of electricity. And in September, Intel said it had found a way to mount tiny lasers on chips, allowing it to someday move data by shooting light through silicon fibres instead of electricity through copper wires.

And while all those approaches are several years from reaching the commercial market, a company called Clear Speed Technology already sells massive, 96-core chips that act as accelerators for the chips in supercomputers from IBM and other vendors.

[A790]

Wow...

Watch this change the world.

[TimG]

IMO, there are 2 applications for this:

1. academic/research where they're doing very complex moldeling and simulations like in molecular pharmaceuticals, particle physics, astrophysics, many body problems, extreme non-linear problems.

2. Military/cryptography. This is the one that will probably most likely push the development. And if this happens, you can bet that you won't be hearing much about this technology for a long long time.

[Zero102]

Wow, I was honestly expecting them to come out and say that the entire thing was just a big scam.
So their demonstration was successful?.... Nice!
I have been on the edge of my seat for this one, I know I am a big nerd, but none the less, this is one of the most fascinating recent developments in computer technology.

I agree with the above, that the primary driver here will be the military, and unfortunately I doubt it will be the canadian military.
It is unfortunate, that usually when things like this are invented, that the military pushes their development, then claims everything for it's own use. I am now concerned that this technology will not become mainstream for much longer than their 2008 estimate.
This provides so many amazing things for both simulations and crpytography.......

[doublepostwhore]

timmmmmeeee TRAVEL!

I am excited to see this develop. It will be interesting to see how vista runs on it :D

[jdm_jspec]

^^hahaha vista:rolleyes:

[Khyron]

Being able to reasonably brute force encryption would change the world, and not in a good way unless some alternative is devised.

Khyron

[TimG]

Originally posted by Zero102
It is unfortunate, that usually when things like this are invented, that the military pushes their development, then claims everything for it's own use. [/B]

true, but i can see if the military funded the research and provided the resources, they should be able to keep it to themselves.

Tho one benefit will be that in the 10-20 years in which the military has this technology to themselves, you'll bet your ass that they'll improve it from where it is today to where it should be to be practical.

Even still, in 20 years a quantum computer will be the equivalent to today's Cray supercomputer cluster. there will only be a few installations world-wide and it will take another 10-20 years on top of that for that type of computing power to trickle down directly into consumer level products. Of course we'll experience the bennefit of the quantum computer long before that in terms of more efficient pharmaceuticals, but not for playing UT or Halo :D