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Quantum computers are machines that use the properties of quantum physics to store data and perform computations. This can be extremely advantageous for certain tasks where they could vastly outperform even our best supercomputers.

Classical computers, which include smartphones and laptops, encode information in binary bits that can either be 0s or 1s. In a quantum computer, the basic unit of memory is a quantum bit or qubit.

Qubits are made using physical systems, such as the spin of an electron or the orientation of a photon. These systems can be in many different arrangements all at once, a property known as quantum superposition. Qubits can also be inextricably linked together using a phenomenon called quantum entanglement. The result is that a series of qubits can represent different things simultaneously.

For instance, eight bits is enough for a classical computer to represent any number between 0 and 255. But eight qubits is enough for a quantum computer to represent every number between 0 and 255 at the same time. A few hundred entangled qubits would be enough to represent more numbers than there are atoms in the universe.

This is where quantum computers get their edge over classical ones. In situations where there are a large number of possible combinations, quantum computers can consider them simultaneously. Examples include trying to find the prime factors of a very large number or the best route between two places.

However, there may also be plenty of situations where classical computers will still outperform quantum ones. So the computers of the future may be a combination of both these types.

For now, quantum computers are highly sensitive: heat, electromagnetic fields and collisions with air molecules can cause a qubit to lose its quantum properties. This process, known as quantum decoherence, causes the system to crash, and it happens more quickly the more particles that are involved.

Quantum computers need to protect qubits from external interference, either by physically isolating them, keeping them cool or zapping them with carefully controlled pulses of energy. Additional qubits are needed to correct for errors that creep into the system.

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What is a quantum computer? | New Scientist

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A team of Australian and Canadian researchers have published a new study they say demonstrates a path towards scaling individual quantum bits (qubits) to a mini-quantum computer by using holes.

The Australian Research Council (ARC) Centre of Excellence in Future Low-Energy Electronics Technologies (FLEET) said the work indicates holes are the solution to operational speed/coherence trade-off.

"One way to make a quantum bit is to use the 'spin' of an electron, which can point either up or down. To make quantum computers as fast and power-efficient as possible we would like to operate them using only electric fields, which are applied using ordinary electrodes," FLEET said, alongside researchers from the ARC Centre of Excellence for Quantum Computation and Communication Technology (CQC2T) hosted by the University of New South Wales (UNSW), and participants from the University of British Columbia.

"Although spin does not ordinarily 'talk' to electric fields, in some materials spins can interact with electric fields indirectly, and these are some of the hottest materials currently studied in quantum computing."

The group explained the interaction that enables spins to talk to electric fields -- the spin-orbit interaction -- is traced back to Einstein's theory of relativity. They said the fear of quantum-computing researchers has been that when this interaction is strong, any gain in operation speed would be offset by a loss in coherence.

Read more:Quantum computing: A cheat sheet(TechRepublic)

"Essentially, how long we can preserve quantum information," FLEET said.

"If electrons start to talk to the electric fields we apply in the lab, this means they are also exposed to unwanted, fluctuating electric fields that exist in any material (generically called `noise') and those electrons' fragile quantum information would be destroyed," Associate Professor Dimi Culcer, who led the theoretical roadmap study, added.

"But our study has shown this fear is not justified."

Culcer said the team's theoretical studies show that a solution is reached by using holes, which can be thought of as the absence of an electron, behaving like positively-charged electrons.

"In this way, a quantum bit can be made robust against charge fluctuations stemming from the solid background," FLEET said.

"Moreover, the 'sweet spot' at which the qubit is least sensitive to such noise is also the point at which it can be operated the fastest."

"Our study predicts such a point exists in every quantum bit made of holes and provides a set of guidelines for experimentalists to reach these points in their labs," Culcer added.

Over in Japan, RIKEN and Fujitsu have jointly opened a new centre to promote joint research and development of foundational technologies to put superconducting quantum computers into practical use.

The RIKEN RQC-Fujitsu Collaboration Center will see the development of hardware and software technologies to realise a quantum computer with as many as 1,000 qubits and develop applications using a prototype quantum computer.

These efforts will be centred around RIKEN's ongoing work with advanced superconducting quantum computing technologies along with Fujitsu's computing technologies, the pair said.

More here:
A 'hole' new world for the potential of mini quantum computers

Quantum computing has enormous potential in healthcare and has started to impact the industry in various ways.

For example, quantum computing offers the ability to track and diagnose disease. Using sensors, quantum technology has the ability to track the progress of cancer treatments and diagnose and monitor such degenerative diseases as multiple sclerosis.

The tech also can help modernize supply chains. Quantum technology can solve routing issues in real time using live data such as weather and traffic updates to help determine the most efficient method of delivery. This would have been particularly helpful during the pandemic since many states had issues with vaccine deliveries.

Elsewhere, quantum technology can impact early-stage drug discovery. Pharmaceuticals can take a decade or longer to bring to market. Quantum computing could lower the costs and reduce the time.

"In the simplest terms, quantum computing harnesses the mysterious properties of quantum mechanics to solve problems using individual atoms and subatomic particles," explained Scott Buchholz, emerging technology research director and government and public services CTO at Deloitte Consulting. "Quantum computers can be thought of as akin to supercomputers.

"However, today's supercomputers solve problems by performing trillions of math calculations very quickly to predict the weather, study air flow over wings, etc.," he continued. "Quantum computers work very differently they perform calculations all at once, limited by the number of qubitsof information that they currently hold."

Because of how differently they work, they aren't well suited for all problems, but they're a fit forcertain types of problems, such as molecular simulation, optimization and machine learning.

"What's important to note is that today's most advanced quantum computers still aren't especially powerful," Buchholz noted.

"Many calculations they currently can do can be performed on a laptop computer. However, if quantum computers continue to scale exponentially that is, the number of qubitsthey use for computation continues to double every year or so they will become dramatically more powerful in years to come.

"Because quantum computers can simulate atoms and other molecules much better than classical computers, researchers are investigating the future feasibility of doing drug discovery, target protein matching, calculating protein folding and more," he continued.

"That is, during the drug discovery process, they could be useful to dramatically reduce the time required to sort through existing databases of molecules to look for targets, identify potential new drugs with novel properties, identify potential new targets and more."

Researchers also are investigating the possibility of simulating or optimizing manufacturing processes for molecules, which potentially could help make scaling up manufacturing easier over time. While these advances won't eliminate the lengthy testing process, they may well accelerate the initial discovery process for interesting molecules.

"Quantum computing may also directly and indirectly lead to the ability to diagnose disease," Buchholz said. "Given future machines' ability to sort through complex problems quickly, they may be able to accelerate the processing of some of the techniques that are being developed today, say those that are designed to identify harmful genetic mutations or combinations.

"Indirectly, some of the materials that were investigated for quantum computers turned out to be better as sensors," he added. "Researchers are investigating quantum-based technologies to make smaller, more sensitive, lower-power sensors. In the future, these sensors and exotic materials may be combined in clever ways to help with disease identification and diagnosis."

Quantum computers will improve the ability to optimize logistics and routing, potentially easing bottlenecks in supply chains or identifying areas of improvement, Buchholz said.

Perhaps more interestingly, due to their ability to simulate molecular interactions, researchers are looking at their ability to optimize manufacturing processes to be quicker, use less energy and produce less waste, he added. That could lead to alternative manufacturing techniques that could simplify healthcare supply chains, he noted.

"Ultimately, the promise of quantum computers is to make some things faster like optimization and machine learning and make some things practical like large scale molecular and process simulation," he said.

"While the technology to solve the 'at scale' problems is still several years in the future, researchers currently are working hard today to put the foundations in place to tackle these problems as the hardware capacity of quantum computers advances.

"Should the hardware researchers achieve some of the sought after scalability breakthroughs, that promise could accelerate," he concluded.

Twitter:@SiwickiHealthITEmail the writer:bsiwicki@himss.orgHealthcare IT News is a HIMSS Media publication.

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Deloitte's quantum computing leader on the technology's healthcare future - Healthcare IT News

TOKYO IBM and the University of Tokyo have unveiled one of the most powerful quantum computers in Japan.

IBM Quantum System One is part of the Japan-IBM Quantum Partnership between the University of Tokyo and IBM to advance Japans exploration of quantum science, business, and education, according to IBM last month.

IBM Quantum System One is now operational for researchers at both scientific institutions and businesses in Japan, with access administered by the University of Tokyo.

IBM is committed to the growth of the global quantum ecosystem and fostering collaboration between different research communities, said Dr. Dario Gil, director, IBM Research.

The quantum computer gives users access to repeatable and predictable performance from high-quality qubits and high-precision control electronics, with quantum resources coupled with classical processing, according to IBM. Users can securely run algorithms requiring repetition of quantum circuits in the cloud.

See more: IBM Partnering With Atos On Deal With Dutch Ministry Of Defense

The IBM Quantum System One in Japan is the second system of its kind by IBM to be built outside the U.S. In June, IBM unveiled an IBM Quantum System One in Munich, Germany, which is administered by Fraunhofer Geselleschaft, a scientific research organization.

IBMs quantum efforts are intended to help advance quantum computing and develop a skilled quantum workforce worldwide.

Gil is excited to see the contributions to research that will be made by Japans world-class academic, private sector, and government institutions.

Together, we can take major steps to accelerate scientific progress in a variety of fields, Gil said.

Teruo Fujii, president of the University of Tokyo, said that in the rapidly changing field of quantum technology, it is extremely important not only to develop quantum technology-related elements and systems, but also to foster the next generation of human resources in order to achieve advanced social implementation on a global scale.

Our university has a broad base of research talents and has been always promoting high-level quantum education from the undergraduate level. Now, we will further refine the development of the next generation of quantum native skill sets by utilizing IBM Quantum System One.

In 2020, IBM and the University of Tokyo launched the Quantum Innovation Initiative Consortium (QIIC), with the goal of strategically accelerating quantum computing research and development activities in Japan by bringing together academic talent from across the countrys universities, research associations, and industry.

In the last year, IBM has also announced partnerships that include a focus on quantum information science and technology with several organizations: the Cleveland Clinic, the U.K.s Science and Technologies Facilities Council, and the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.

See more: Public Cloud Computing Providers

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IBM Partnering with University of Tokyo on Quantum Computer - Datamation

Bitcoin and cryptocurrencies have seen a huge resurgence over the last year following the brutal so-called crypto winter that began in 2018.

The bitcoin price has this year climbed to never-before-seen highs, topping $60,000 per bitcoin before falling back slightly. Other smaller cryptocurrencies have risen at an even faster clip than bitcoin, with many making percentage gains into the thousands.

Now, as bitcoin and cryptocurrencies begin to carve out a place among traditional assets in investor portfolios, technologists have warned that advances in quantum computing could mean the encryption that underpins bitcoin is "fundamentally" undermined as soon as 2026unless the software is updated.

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The bitcoin price has risen many hundreds of percent over the last few years but quantum computing ... [+] could spell the end of bitcoin and cryptocurrencies unless urgent action is taken.

"Quantum computers, expected to be operational by around 2026, will easily undermine any blockchain security systems because of their power," says the founder of quantum encryption company Arqit, David Williams, speaking over the phone. Arqit is gearing up for a September SPAC listing in New York.

"There needs to be rather more urgency," Williams adds.

Quantum computing, which sees traditional computer "bits" replaced with quantum particles (qubits) that can calculate information at vastly increased speed, has been in development since the 1990s. Researchers at universities around the world are now on the verge of creating a working quantum computer, with search giant Google and scientists from the University of New South Wales in Sydney, Australia, recently making headlines with breakthroughs.

Williams, pointing to problems previously identified by the cofounder of ethereum and creator of cardano, Charles Hoskinson, warns that upgrading to post-quantum algorithms will "dramatically slow blockchains down" and called for blockchain developers to adopt so-called quantum encryption keys.

"Blockchains are effectively fundamentally flawed if they dont address the oncoming quantum age. The grownups in the room know what's coming."

Others have also begun working on getting bitcoin and other blockchains ahead of quantum computing.

"If this isn't addressed before quantum computers pose a threat, the impact would be massive," says Duncan Jones, head of quantum cybersecurity at Cambridge Quantum Computing, speaking via email. "Attackers could create fraudulent transactions and steal currency, as well as potentially disrupting blockchain operations."

Earlier this month, Cambridge Quantum Computing, along with the Inter-American Development Bank and Tecnolgico de Monterrey, identified four potential threats to blockchain networks posed by quantum computers and used a post-quantum cryptography layer to help protect them.

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"Time is of the essence here," says Jones, pointing to Google chief executive Sundar Pichai's prediction that encryption could be broken in as little as five to 10 years. "It's important for decentralized networks to start this migration process soon because it requires careful planning and execution. However, I'm hopeful the core developers behind these platforms understand the issues and will be addressing them."

Recently, it's been reported that China is pulling ahead in the global quantum race, something Williams fears could undermine both traditional and crypto markets to the same degree as the 2008 global financial crisis.

"On day one, the creation of a quantum computer doesn't break everything," says Williams. "It will probably initially happen in secret and the information will slowly leak out that the cryptography has been broken. Then there will be a complete loss of confidence, similar to how the global financial crisis saw confidence in the system disintegrate."

With more than 11,000 different cryptocurrencies now listed on crypto data website CoinMarketCap and competition between bitcoin and other major cryptocurrencies reaching fever pitch, adding protection against the coming quantum revolution could be beneficial.

"If anyone one blockchain company could deliver proof it's quantum-safe it would have an advantage," says Williams.

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Urgent Warning Issued Over The Future Of Bitcoin Even As The Crypto Market Price Smashes Past $2 Trillion - Forbes