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Quantum computing is expected to be the new technology, fully integrated with the financial sector within five to ten years. This form of computer, also known as supercomputers, are capable of highly advanced processing power that takes in massive amounts of data to solve a problem in a fraction of the time it would for the best traditional computer on the market to resolve.

Traditional Computer vs. Quantum Computing

A typical computer today stores information in the form of bits. These are represented in the binary language (0s and 1s). In quantum computing, the bits are known as Qubits and will take on the processing of similar input but rather than break it down to 0s and 1s will break the data down significantly greater where the possibilities of computational speed can be almost immeasurable.

Quantum Computing in Banking

Lets examine personal encryption in banking for example. Using a security format called RSA-2048, traditional computers would be able to decrypt the security algorithm in about 1,034 steps. With our best computers on the market, even with a processor capable of performing a trillion calculations per second, these steps translate to 317 billion years to break the secure code. While it is possible, it is not practical for a cyber-criminal to make it worthwhile.

A quantum computer, on the other hand, would be able to resolve this problem in about 107 steps. With a basic quantum computer running at one million calculations per second, this translates to ten seconds to resolve the problem.

While this example centered on breaking complex security, many other use cases can emerge from the use of quantum computing.

Trade Transaction Settlements

Barclays bank researchers have been working on a proof of concept regarding the transaction settlement process. As settlements can only be worked on a transaction-by-transaction basis, they can easily queue up only to be released in batches. When a processing window opens, as many trades as possible are settled.

Complex by their very nature, Traders can end up tapping into funds prior to the transaction being cleared. They will only be settled if the funds are available or if a collateral credit facility was arranged.

As you could probably handle a small number of trades in your head, you would need to rely on a computer after about 10-20 transactions. The same can be described for our current computational power in that it is now nearing the point where it will need more and more time to resolve hundreds of trades at a time.

With quantum computing using a seven-qubit system, it would be able to run a greater amount of complex trades in the same time it would for a traditional system to complete the trades. It would take the equivalent of about two hundred traditional computers to match the speed.

Simulating a Future Product Valuation

Researchers at JP Morgan were working on a concept that simulates the future value of a financial product. The team is testing quantum computers to perform complex intensive pricing calculations that normally take traditional computer hours to complete. This is a problem as each year greater complexity is added via newer algorithms, getting to the point where it is nearing an impossibility to calculate in a practical sense.

The research team has discovered that using quantum computing resulted in finding a resolution to the problem in mere seconds.

Final Thoughts

Banks are working on successful tests today with quantum computing to resolve extreme resource-intensive calculations for financial problem scenarios. Everything from trading, fraud, AML, etc. this is a technology not to be overlooked.

According toDeltec Bank, Bahamas - Quantum Computing will have positive impacts on portfolio optimization, risk analysis, asset pricing, and trading strategies is just the tip of the iceberg of what this technology could provide.

Disclaimer: The author of this text, Robin Trehan, has an Undergraduate degree in economics, Masters in international business and finance and MBA in electronic business. Trehan is Senior VP at Deltec International http://www.deltecbank.com. The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed in this text are solely the views of the author, and not necessarily reflecting the views of Deltec International Group, its subsidiaries and/or employees.

About Deltec Bank

Headquartered in The Bahamas, Deltec is an independent financial services group that delivers bespoke solutions to meet clients unique needs. The Deltec group of companies includes Deltec Bank & Trust Limited, Deltec Fund Services Limited, and Deltec Investment Advisers Limited, Deltec Securities Ltd. and Long Cay Captive Management.

Media ContactCompany Name: Deltec International GroupContact Person: Media ManagerEmail: Send EmailPhone: 242 302 4100Country: BahamasWebsite: https://www.deltecbank.com/

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Deltec Bank, Bahamas Quantum Computing Will have Positive Impacts on Portfolio Optimization, Risk Analysis, Asset Pricing, and Trading Strategies -...

When you first stumble across the term quantum computer, you might pass it off as some far-flung science fiction concept rather than a serious current news item.

But with the phrase being thrown around with increasing frequency, its understandable to wonder exactly what quantum computers are, and just as understandable to be at a loss as to where to dive in. Heres the rundown on what quantum computers are, why theres so much buzz around them, and what they might mean for you.

All computing relies on bits, the smallest unit of information that is encoded as an on state or an off state, more commonly referred to as a 1 or a 0, in some physical medium or another.

Most of the time, a bit takes the physical form of an electrical signal traveling over the circuits in the computers motherboard. By stringing multiple bits together, we can represent more complex and useful things like text, music, and more.

The two key differences between quantum bits and classical bits (from the computers we use today) are the physical form the bits take and, correspondingly, the nature of data encoded in them. The electrical bits of a classical computer can only exist in one state at a time, either 1 or 0.

Quantum bits (or qubits) are made of subatomic particles, namely individual photons or electrons. Because these subatomic particles conform more to the rules of quantum mechanics than classical mechanics, they exhibit the bizarre properties of quantum particles. The most salient of these properties for computer scientists is superposition. This is the idea that a particle can exist in multiple states simultaneously, at least until that state is measured and collapses into a single state. By harnessing this superposition property, computer scientists can make qubits encode a 1 and a 0 at the same time.

The other quantum mechanical quirk that makes quantum computers tick is entanglement, a linking of two quantum particles or, in this case, two qubits. When the two particles are entangled, the change in state of one particle will alter the state of its partner in a predictable way, which comes in handy when it comes time to get a quantum computer to calculate the answer to the problem you feed it.

A quantum computers qubits start in their 1-and-0 hybrid state as the computer initially starts crunching through a problem. When the solution is found, the qubits in superposition collapse to the correct orientation of stable 1s and 0s for returning the solution.

Aside from the fact that they are far beyond the reach of all but the most elite research teams (and will likely stay that way for a while), most of us dont have much use for quantum computers. They dont offer any real advantage over classical computers for the kinds of tasks we do most of the time.

However, even the most formidable classical supercomputers have a hard time cracking certain problems due to their inherent computational complexity. This is because some calculations can only be achieved by brute force, guessing until the answer is found. They end up with so many possible solutions that it would take thousands of years for all the worlds supercomputers combined to find the correct one.

The superposition property exhibited by qubits can allow supercomputers to cut this guessing time down precipitously. Classical computings laborious trial-and-error computations can only ever make one guess at a time, while the dual 1-and-0 state of a quantum computers qubits lets it make multiple guesses at the same time.

So, what kind of problems require all this time-consuming guesswork calculation? One example is simulating atomic structures, especially when they interact chemically with those of other atoms. With a quantum computer powering the atomic modeling, researchers in material science could create new compounds for use in engineering and manufacturing. Quantum computers are well suited to simulating similarly intricate systems like economic market forces, astrophysical dynamics, or genetic mutation patterns in organisms, to name only a few.

Amidst all these generally inoffensive applications of this emerging technology, though, there are also some uses of quantum computers that raise serious concerns. By far the most frequently cited harm is the potential for quantum computers to break some of the strongest encryption algorithms currently in use.

In the hands of an aggressive foreign government adversary, quantum computers could compromise a broad swath of otherwise secure internet traffic, leaving sensitive communications susceptible to widespread surveillance. Work is currently being undertaken to mature encryption ciphers based on calculations that are still hard for even quantum computers to do, but they are not all ready for prime-time, or widely adopted at present.

A little over a decade ago, actual fabrication of quantum computers was barely in its incipient stages. Starting in the 2010s, though, development of functioning prototype quantum computers took off. A number of companies have assembled working quantum computers as of a few years ago, with IBM going so far as to allow researchers and hobbyists to run their own programs on it via the cloud.

Despite the strides that companies like IBM have undoubtedly made to build functioning prototypes, quantum computers are still in their infancy. Currently, the quantum computers that research teams have constructed so far require a lot of overhead for executing error correction. For every qubit that actually performs a calculation, there are several dozen whose job it is to compensate for the ones mistake. The aggregate of all these qubits make what is called a logical qubit.

Long story short, industry and academic titans have gotten quantum computers to work, but they do so very inefficiently.

Fierce competition between quantum computer researchers is still raging, between big and small players alike. Among those who have working quantum computers are the traditionally dominant tech companies one would expect: IBM, Intel, Microsoft, and Google.

As exacting and costly of a venture as creating a quantum computer is, there are a surprising number of smaller companies and even startups that are rising to the challenge.

The comparatively lean D-Wave Systems has spurred many advances in the fieldand proved it was not out of contention by answering Googles momentous announcement with news of a huge deal with Los Alamos National Labs. Still, smaller competitors like Rigetti Computing are also in the running for establishing themselves as quantum computing innovators.

Depending on who you ask, youll get a different frontrunner for the most powerful quantum computer. Google certainly made its case recently with its achievement of quantum supremacy, a metric that itself Google more or less devised. Quantum supremacy is the point at which a quantum computer is first able to outperform a classical computer at some computation. Googles Sycamore prototype equipped with 54 qubits was able to break that barrier by zipping through a problem in just under three-and-a-half minutes that would take the mightiest classical supercomputer 10,000 years to churn through.

Not to be outdone, D-Wave boasts that the devices it will soon be supplying to Los Alamos weigh in at 5000 qubits apiece, although it should be noted that the quality of D-Waves qubits has been called into question before. IBM hasnt made the same kind of splash as Google and D-Wave in the last couple of years, but they shouldnt be counted out yet, either, especially considering their track record of slow and steady accomplishments.

Put simply, the race for the worlds most powerful quantum computer is as wide open as it ever was.

The short answer to this is not really, at least for the near-term future. Quantum computers require an immense volume of equipment, and finely tuned environments to operate. The leading architecture requires cooling to mere degrees above absolute zero, meaning they are nowhere near practical for ordinary consumers to ever own.

But as the explosion of cloud computing has proven, you dont need to own a specialized computer to harness its capabilities. As mentioned above, IBM is already offering daring technophiles the chance to run programs on a small subset of its Q System Ones qubits. In time, IBM and its competitors will likely sell compute time on more robust quantum computers for those interested in applying them to otherwise inscrutable problems.

But if you arent researching the kinds of exceptionally tricky problems that quantum computers aim to solve, you probably wont interact with them much. In fact, quantum computers are in some cases worse at the sort of tasks we use computers for every day, purely because quantum computers are so hyper-specialized. Unless you are an academic running the kind of modeling where quantum computing thrives, youll likely never get your hands on one, and never need to.

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What Is Quantum Computing? The Next Era of Computational ...

Quantum computers perform calculations based on the probability of an object's state before it is measured - instead of just 1s or 0s - which means they have the potential to process exponentially more data compared to classical computers.

Classical computers carry out logical operations using the definite position of a physical state. These are usually binary, meaning its operations are based on one of two positions. A single state - such as on or off, up or down, 1 or 0 - is called a bit.

In quantum computing, operations instead use the quantum state of an object to produce what's known as a qubit. These states are the undefined properties of an object before they've been detected, such as the spin of an electron or the polarisation of a photon.

Rather than having a clear position, unmeasured quantum states occur in a mixed 'superposition', not unlike a coin spinning through the air before it lands in your hand.

These superpositions can be entangled with those of other objects, meaning their final outcomes will be mathematically related even if we don't know yet what they are.

The complex mathematics behind these unsettled states of entangled 'spinning coins' can be plugged into special algorithms to make short work of problems that would take a classical computer a long time to work out... if they could ever calculate them at all.

Such algorithms would be useful in solving complex mathematical problems, producing hard-to-break security codes, or predicting multiple particle interactions in chemical reactions.

Building a functional quantum computer requires holding an object in a superposition state long enough to carry out various processes on them.

Unfortunately, once a superposition meets with materials that are part of a measured system, it loses its in-between state in what's known as decoherence and becomes a boring old classical bit.

Devices need to be able to shield quantum states from decoherence, while still making them easy to read.

Different processes are tackling this challenge from different angles, whether it's to use more robust quantum processes or to find better ways to check for errors.

For the time being, classical technology can manage any task thrown at a quantum computer. Quantum supremacy describes the ability of a quantum computer to outperform their classical counterparts.

Some companies, such as IBM and Google, claim we might be close, as they continue to cram more qubits together and build more accurate devices.

Not everybody is convinced that quantum computers are worth the effort. Some mathematicians believe there are obstacles that are practically impossible to overcome, putting quantum computing forever out of reach.

Time will tell who is right.

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How Do Quantum Computers Work?

COMPUTING

Inside the Race to Build the Best Quantum Computer on EarthGideon Lichfield | MIT Technology ReviewRegardless of whether you agree with Googles position [on quantum supremacy] or IBMs, the next goal is clear, Oliver says: to build a quantum computer that can do something useful. The trouble is that its nearly impossible to predict what the first useful task will be, or how big a computer will be needed to perform it.

Were Not Prepared for the End of Moores LawDavid Rotman | MIT Technology ReviewQuantum computing, carbon nanotube transistors, even spintronics, are enticing possibilitiesbut none are obvious replacements for the promise that Gordon Moore first saw in a simple integrated circuit. We need the research investments now to find out, though. Because one prediction is pretty much certain to come true: were always going to want more computing power.

Flippy the Burger-Flipping Robot Is Changing the Face of Fast Food as We Know ItLuke Dormehl | Digital TrendsFlippy is the result of the Miso teams robotics expertise, coupled with that industry-specific knowledge. Its a burger-flipping robot arm thats equipped with both thermal and regular vision, which grills burgers to order while also advising human collaborators in the kitchen when they need to add cheese or prep buns for serving.

The Next Generation of Batteries Could Be Built by VirusesDaniel Oberhaus | Wired[MIT bioengineering professor Angela Belcher has] made viruses that can work with over 150 different materials and demonstrated that her technique can be used to manufacture other materials like solar cells. Belchers dream of zipping around in a virus-powered car still hasnt come true, but after years of work she and her colleagues at MIT are on the cusp of taking the technology out of the lab and into the real world.

Biggest Cosmic Explosion Ever Detected Left Huge Dent in SpaceHannah Devlin | The GuardianThe biggest cosmic explosion on record has been detectedan event so powerful that it punched a dent the size of 15 Milky Ways in the surrounding space. The eruption is thought to have originated at a supermassive black hole in the Ophiuchus galaxy cluster, which is about 390 million light years from Earth.

Star Treks Warp Speed Would Have Tragic ConsequencesCassidy Ward | SyFyThe various crews ofTreks slate of television shows and movies can get from here to there without much fanfare. Seeking out new worlds and new civilizations is no more difficult than gassing up the car and packing a cooler full of junk food. And they dont even need to do that! The replicators will crank out a bologna sandwich just like mom used to make. All thats left is to go, but what happens then?

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This Week's Awesome Tech Stories From Around the Web (Through February 29) - Singularity Hub

According to Moore's law, since the introduction of the first semiconductors, the number of transistors on an integrated circuit has doubled approximately once every 18 months.

However, now that transistors are starting to reach near-atomic sizes, their reduction is becoming increasingly problematic, and as such, this doubling effect is beginning to plateau.

One technology research institute, CEA-Leti, is developing techniques to increase the power of semiconductors.

But what are these new technologies and how will they affect modern electronics?

Developers are increasingly searching for efficient ways toreplace portable power sources that require charging or replacement.

However, such a feat is only possible if power can be extracted from the local environment, like in the instance of a device from the University of Massachusetts Amherst that powers small electronics from moisture in the air.

A more conventionalmethod for energy extraction is using the Peltier effect, which requires a heat differential (such as cold air on a warm wrist), but these are often cumbersome and require heat sinks.

Another method is the use of vibration energy from motion, whereby a cantilever vibrates a piezo element, converting the mechanical energy to electrical energy.

Butthese systems are problematic because they are often tuned for one frequency of vibration. This means that their efficiency is only maximized when external mechanical energy is of the same frequency.

This is where CEA-Letis energy harvesting system comes in.

The energy harvesting systemconverts mechanical energy into electrical energy to power an IC. While similar to a cantilever system, which converts mechanical motion into electrical energy using a piezo effect, the cantilever is electrically tunable, allowingit to match its resonant frequency to the peak frequency of the external mechanical force.

Using an adjustable resonant system increases the harvesting bandwidth by 446%from typical cantilever systems and increases energy efficiency by 94%. The energy needed to control the system is two orders of magnitude lower than what the system harvests; the system requires around 1 W while the energy harvested is between 100 W and 1 mW.

While quantum computing will bring some major changes to the field of computation, they are far from becoming commercialized.

Many hurdles, such as low-temperature requirements, make them difficult to put into everyday applications. But one area, in particular, that is problematic is their integration into standard circuitry.

In a study on energy-efficient quantum computing, researchers explain thatqubits, which are bits in superposition states,must be kept well away from external sources of energy. This is becauseany exposure to external energy puts the qubits at risk ofcollapsing their wavefunction. Such sources of energy can include magnetic field fluctuations, electromagnetic energy, and heat (mechanical vibration).

To make things more complicated, quantum computer circuitry is at some point required to interface with traditional electronic circuitry, such as analog and digital circuits. If these circuits are external to the quantum circuitry, then the issue of space and speed become an issue; remote circuitry takes more room, and the distance reduces the speed at which information can be accessed.

To address these issues, CEA-Leti hasdeveloped a quantum computing technology that combines qubits with traditional digital and analog circuitry on the same piece of silicon using standard manufacturing techniques.

The 28 nm FD-SOI process combines nA current-sensing analog circuitry, buffers, multiplexers, oscillators, and signal amplifiers with an on-chip double quantum dot whose operation is not affectedeven when using the traditional circuitry at digital frequencies up to 7 GHz and analog frequencies up to 3 GHz.

The IC, which operates at 110 mK, is able to provide nA current-sensing while operating on a power budget to prevent interference with the quantum dots, which is 40 times lower than competing technologies.

As the number of transistors on a chip increases, the chances of one failing also increases, thusdecreasingthe yield of wafers. One workaround is to make chips smaller and include fewer transistorswhile also connecting multiple chips together, thus increasingthe overall transistor count.

However, PCBs have issues with connecting multiple dies together. These issues may involve limited bandwidth and the inability to integrate other active circuitry required by the dies, such as power regulation.

CEA-Leti hasmade a breakthrough in IC technology with its active interposer layer and 3D stacked chips.

Namely, the team has developed a 96-core processor on six chiplets, 3D stacked on an active interposer.

Just like the PCB topology, CEA-Leti uses a layer with metal interconnects that connect different dies on a single base. Butunlike a PCB, the interconnection layer is a piece of semiconductor only 100 m thick.

What makes the interposer more impressive is that it isactive. It alsohas integrated circuitry, including transistors. Therefore, the interposer can integrate power regulators, multiplexers, and digital processors, meaningthat the diesdirectly attached to the imposers operate at high-speeds. They alsohave all their needed handling circuitry next to them.

The use of the active imposer also means that smaller ICs with reduced transistor counts can be combined to produce complex circuitry.This improves wafer yields, reduces their overall cost, and expands their capabilities.

These three technologies coming out of CEA-Leti give us a glimpse intoa future where ICs may generate their own power oreven be able to integrate quantum circuitry.

The energy harvesting technology may struggle to find its way into modern designs because most portable applications require relatively large amounts of power (compared to 1 mW) and these devices are often stationary.

The use of quantum circuitry with traditional construction techniques means that quantum security (which may become essential) can be integrated into everyday devicessuch as smartphones, tablets, and computers. Until quantum computing becomes commercial, though, this technology will likely remain niche.

Technologies such as the active imposer may be the first technology of the three discussed here to become widespread as it easily solves modern transistor reduction-related issues.

Is there a specific functionality you can't seem to find in an IC? What limitations do you feel are keeping researchers from making your "dream" IC breakthrough? Share your thoughts in the comments below.

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IC Breakthroughs: Energy Harvesting, Quantum Computing, and a 96-Core Processor in Six Chiplets - News - All About Circuits