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At the end of last week, the FT published a guest article on quantum computing.

For those unfamiliar with quantum computing, it is the technology that will be capable of harnessing the powers of quantum mechanics to solve problems which are too complex for classical computers (the computers of today).

Classical computing employs streams of electrical impulses to encode information: an electrical impulse may be only 1 or 0 (i.e. on or off) a classical 'bit. In quantum mechanics particles can exist in more than one state at a time. In binary terms, this means that a quantum bit (known as a "qubit") can be both 1 and 0 at the same time. If a computer can be built that harnesses this quantum mechanical phenomena, then it should be able to solve complex problems much faster than classical computers or problems too complex for classical computers to solve.

In 1994, Peter Shor (a mathematician) wrote an algorithm (known as Shor's Algorithm) that could crack the Rivest-Shamir-Adleman (RSA) algorithm. RSA is a suite of cryptographic algorithms that are used for systems security purposes it secures huge amounts of sensitive data from national security to personal data within a firms systems and as it is being sent externally. Shors Algorithm is not capable of running on classical computers: it requires quantum computing to be effective.

Quantum computing is not a pipe dream: there are myriad firms working on developing it; and there are firms which do produce hardware with limited quantum computing capability at the moment (which works alongside classical computers). It may be decade before quantum computing becomes a reality (and many more years before it is commoditised), however, when it does, it will change the way in which we all need to secure our data. The security of both previous and future communications/storage will be at risk (or non-existent). In 2020, the UKs National Cyber Security Centre published a white paper Preparing for Quantum-Safe Cryptography. In its conclusions, it stated that there is unlikely to be a single quantum-safe algorithm suitable for all applications. In 2021, the NCSC announced its first quantum-safe algorithm. In 2022, the U.S. Department of Commerces National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) announced its first four quantum-resistant cryptographic algorithms.

The Digital Regulation Cooperation Forum bringing together four leading regulators in the UK published its Quantum Technologies Insights Paper earlier this year (June 2023). The paper considers the potential of quantum computing and the issues that need to be considered now as in now to prepare the world for this next big chapter in computing technology.

There are a few things to note:

The author of the FT article ended with a limerick written by Shor himself. We will end with an idiom. In binary.

01101001 01101110 00100000 01110100 01101000 01100101 00100000 01110111 01101111 01110010 01100100 01110011 00100000 01101111 01100110 00100000 01010011 01100101 01110010 01100111 01100101 01100001 01101110 01110100 00100000 01000101 01110011 01110100 01100101 01110010 01101000 01100001 01110101 01110011 00111010 00100000 01100010 01100101 00100000 01100011 01100001 01110010 01100101 01100110 01110101 01101100 00100000 01101111 01110101 01110100 00100000 01110100 01101000 01100101 01110010 01100101 00101110

Excerpt from:
Tackling the challenges of quantum computing seriously - Shoosmiths

Quantum computing will be one of the most defining technologies of the century. It will intersect and enhance capabilities across sectors such as climate change, manufacturing, biotechnology, and artificial intelligence.

China is ranked second to the United States in terms of research about this technology, according to the Australian Strategic Policy Institutes Critical Technology Tracker, and the race to achieve quantum supremacy is intensifying.

In particular, the United States must work to mitigate the risks that quantum computers pose to national and economic security. These computers will be able to surpass existing cybersecurity encryption standards in minutes, even in situations that would take a conventional computer years to solve, compromising the confidentiality and integrity of the security used for everything from banking to data storage and internet communication.

Preparations for such a scenario are already being undertaken in the United States by the National Institute of Standards and Technology, which has released its first batch of four cryptographic algorithms designed to withstand decryption by a future quantum computer.

However, the United States cant safeguard its leadership on quantum computing by acting alone. In a similar situation to the semiconductor industry, there is a limited global talent pool of expertise in the sector, and Washington needs to coordinate the human capital, research and development, and the advanced manufacturing capabilities needed to bring quantum computing online in a time frame conducive to the pacing threat that China poses.

The United States has already acknowledged the pressing need to secure advanced technology supply chains through the passing of the CHIPS and Science Act in August 2022. As the country looks to place similar export controls on advanced technologies such as quantum computing, it must not cut its allies out.

Instead, Washington needs to leverage the complementary strengths of each nations advanced technology ecosystems. That collaboration must begin with semiconductors.

Conversations on the security of advanced semiconductor supply chains and the importance of investment in quantum computing often occur independently. Yet, Washingtons ability to maintain global leadership in the quantum computing industry hinges on secure access to advanced semiconductor manufacturing.

Advanced semiconductors serve as the processors of quantum computers. They contain qubits (short for quantum bits) that enable these computers to process algorithms and equations significantly faster than standard computers. The more qubits that a quantum computer contains, the more powerful it is. In the global race to develop a useful quantum computer that is commercially scalable, access to advanced semiconductor manufacturing will be a determining factor in winning.

China is being forced into domestic manufacturing of advanced semiconductors due to U.S. export controls imposed under the CHIPS and Science Act. However, in August, Chinese telecommunication giant Huawei released its latest smartphone, containing an advanced, Chinese-manufactured 7 nanometer chip, which suggests that Chinas semiconductor industry is adapting to the export controls designed to slow its advancements. China is also developing its advanced foundry capabilities, which are used in the chip manufacturing process, and this will further aid its quantum computing industry.

Australia is a natural partner for the United States on quantum computing. Despite having only 0.3 percent of the global population, Australia is home to 10 percent of the worlds quantum scientists; these scientists are supported by a national quantum strategy. Announced in May, the strategy lays out the ambitious goal of building the worlds first error-corrected quantum computer and the importance of collaboration with trusted partners in the private sector to create it.

Collaboration between the United States and Australia in quantum computing sciences dates to the late 1990s, when there was engagement between the U.S. Army Research Office and Australian quantum computing research centers. In 2021, a landmark statement of intent was signed between the two governments to cooperate and share the benefits of quantum information and science technologies.

But commitment must continue to go beyond government-to-government engagement and involve academia and industry, as well. One example of these partnerships was made in September 2023, when Australia-based companies Q-CTRL, a quantum infrastructure software developer, and Diraq, a leading innovator in silicon-based quantum computing, announced a joint venture in pursuit of projects funded by both the U.S. and Australian governments, with the shared goal of accelerating the commercial adoption of quantum computing.

Alongside the U.S.-Australia bilateral relationship, the AUKUS security arrangement offers the two nations an endorsed pathway to deepen innovation ties and achieve scalability alongside the United Kingdom. Quantum computing has been identified as a priority for AUKUS partners under their technology-sharing agreement as one of eight specified areas of advanced capability collaboration. While global collaboration should not be limited to AUKUS partners, it provides a starting framework for coordinating strategic investment between the three nations.

U.S.-based quantum computing company PsiQuantum is a prime example of partnerships between the quantum industry and semiconductor manufacturers within an alliance ecosystem. With Australian origins and a presence in the U.K. quantum computing industry, PsiQuantum has established a strategic partnership with the U.S. semiconductor manufacturer GlobalFoundries.

Investment from the U.S. semiconductor industry alongside the Australian and U.K. quantum computing industry can facilitate access to the advanced manufacturing capabilities needed to develop quantum computing technologies. The collaboration utilizes otherwise disparate talent pools, provides U.S. industry with access to additional advanced research and development, and has the dual benefit of diversifying advanced manufacturing supply chains for the United States.

The United Kingdom and Australia host a range of quantum organizations that could be grown through similar partnerships with U.S. semiconductor foundries. In the U.K., the National Quantum Computing Centre is backed by government support. Similarly in Australia, there are several global quantum front-runners.

Beyond AUKUS, the United States can also look to other nations for examples of successful public-private partnerships, such as that of Canadian quantum company Xanadu, which has partnered with the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology in South Korea to develop a quantum workforce pipeline. The institute also undertakes advanced semiconductor research, and South Korea is, of course, a key player in global advanced chip manufacturing supply chains.

While industry players understand the technical needs of their technologies, support from government is key to accelerating these activities. It provides access to capital and markets that encourage industry growth where, under natural market conditions, it might have been slower.

The United States and allied governments therefore need to collaborate to provide investment incentives to encourage public-private partnership between quantum computing companies and mature U.S.-based chip manufacturers. Collaboration will require relationship building, infrastructure investment, and research and development coordination that should begin now.

Moreover, as global leaders in quantum computing, the United States and allies also can shape the industry as it develops through the establishment of international standards and norms, ensuring that the technology is brought online responsibly. This includes the ability to shape strategic supply chain development and ensure that infrastructure such as specialized data centers and a highly skilled workforce are built and cultivated within a trusted alliance ecosystem that can withstand geostrategic competition.

The United States is already throwing everything it can at slowing down Chinas access to the technology and the expertise it needs to gain a competitive advantage in key technology areas. Access to talent, research and innovation, and advanced semiconductor manufacturing are vital ingredients in achieving quantum computing leadership. As global technology competition continues to intensify, a strong history of allied partnership is an advantage that the United States holds over adversaries, and it needs to be bullish about leveraging it.

Read the rest here:
After Australian State Visit to D.C., Washington and Canberra Must ... - Foreign Policy

SHERBROOKE, Qubec, Oct. 31, 2023 PASQAL, a global leader company in neutral atom quantum computing, is proud to announce its support to the Faculty of Engineering, Universit de Sherbrooke (UdeS), a leader in education and applied research in Canada, to open a Professor Position in Applied Quantum Computing. The creation of this Chair is part of PASQALs strategy to delivering real-world applications to the industry and quantum advantage in the short term.

PASQAL is setting up a facility to manufacture quantum processors at Espace Quantique 1 of DistriQ Quantum Innovation Zone in Sherbrooke, Canada. In this new flagship installation, PASQAL-Canada will produce hardware for the North American market to accelerate the adoption of neutral atom quantum computing in the region.

Within this framework, PASQAL is contributing with $500,000 CAD to a full-time non-tenure-track position at the Electrical and Computer Engineering Department of the Faculty of Engineering. This contribution is to be used as a match with Canadian federal and/or provincial granting agencies, such as Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada Alliance program; and Regroupements sectoriels de recherche industrielle au Qubec.

The selected Chair holder will lead the development of neutral atom quantum software solutions for industry, by finding the most direct paths to deliver business value and quantum advantage.

About UdeS The Faculty of Engineering

The UdeS Faculty of Engineering is a leader in education and applied research. Recognized for its dynamism in collaborative research, it stands out particularly in terms of technology transfer and concrete impacts on society. It is also a faculty on a human scale, which favours rigorous and complete training of its students, particularly through the alternating study and internship program. In a friendly and highly collaborative environment, discovery and innovation are strongly encouraged. To foster its long-term growth, the Faculty of Engineering is particularly focused on interdisciplinary initiatives and emerging fields. The Faculty of Engineering has several research centers as well as the Interdisciplinary Institute for Technological Innovation (3IT), apart of the Integrated Innovation Chain along with the Institut quantique (IQ)and the Centre de collaboration MiQro Innovation (C2MI).

About PASQAL

PASQAL is a major player in the global race for quantum computing. The company is the leading manufacturer of neutral atom quantum computers and offers complete solutions for end-users. PASQALs products and services include quantum computers, cloud access and software solutions for the energy, mobility, healthcare, high-tech, aerospace and financial sectors. By leveraging the dual analog/digital nature of its quantum computers, PASQAL is propelling neutral-atom quantum technology with the aim of delivering a practical quantum advantage on early use cases within the next five years.

About the Electrical and Computer Engineering Department

The faculty members of the Electrical and Computer Engineering Department are active in the fields of classical and quantum embedded systems engineering, autonomous vehicles, robotics, embedded artificial intelligence, neuromorphic systems, instrumentation and digital communications. The Department has seven research chairs and offers masters and doctoral programs that allow students to work in infrastructures that bring together numerous cutting-edge research laboratories under the direction of internationally recognized researchers. The Departments facilities include clean rooms for microfabrication, development and characterization laboratories for integrated circuit packaging, smart antennas and software-defined radio, medical devices, instruments for particle physics, power electronics and electric vehicles, embedded systems and robotics, as well as a platform for the design, development and fabrication of printed electronic circuits, a 1MW solar infrastructure, and a space and immersive audio room. Of the Universitys six institutes, the Departments faculty members are notably involved at 3IT, IQ and the Research Center on Aging (CDRV).

Source: PASQAL

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PASQAL and Universit de Sherbrooke Forge Partnership to ... - HPCwire

What sort of computer can evaluate 67 million potential solutions in 13 seconds? Only a quantum computer. But what sort of problem has 67 million solutions to begin with?

Many manufacturing challenges do, from optimizing supply chain logistics to finding the most efficient way to load millions of pallets. In recent years, another mind-bendingly complex problem has begun to occupy the industry: how to get potentially dangerous chemicals in a category known as PFAS out of use and out of our environment.

Quantum computing firm D-Wave says that quantum holds the key, as its massive computing power could find new ways to remove or remediate the chemicals, or even help identify which of the thousands of chemicals in this class are indeed dangerous. We recently spoke to D-Wave Global Government Relations and Public Affairs Leader Allison Schwartz to get the details.

How it works: As Schwartz explains it, quantum is a completely different form of computing.

When quantum meets PFAS: So how does this help with PFAS? Schwartz told us that there are two different types of quantum computing that would prove useful.

Doing the research: Quantum could also play a role in determining which chemicals are harmful in the first place, added Schwartz. There are thousands of PFAS chemicals out there, but so far, only a few hundred have been studied.

Read the whole story here.

Read more here:
How Quantum Computing Can Combat Forever Chemicals - NAM

The Wellcome Trust has selected the Cleveland Clinic-IBM Discovery Accelerator to develop proof-of-concept demonstrations of quantum computing for biologic and health applications through the Wellcome Leap Quantum for Bio Challenge.

WHY IT MATTERS

Q4Bio by Wellcome Leap, a U.S.- based nonprofit organization aiming to accelerate and increase the number of breakthroughs in global health, seeks to codevelop health applications that demonstrate benefit from the use of quantum computers and are expected to emerge over the next three to five years.

In addition to an award for up to $40 million to fund two projects that focus on the manifestation of disease and use of quantum physics to prevent and treat cancer, the team may receive $10 million in challenge prizes for successful, scalable technologies and approaches.

Cleveland Clinic and IBM installed the first quantum system dedicated to healthcare research on the main campus earlier this year, according to Wednesday's announcement.

Since Cleveland Clinic and IBM announced their intentions to advance biomedical research through high-performance computing, artificial intelligence and quantum computing in 2021, the Cleveland Clinic-IBM Discovery Accelerator researchers have been working on a portfolio of projects that generate and quickly analyze large amounts of data for a wide range of disease-focused research.

Deployment of the quantum system was a key milestone in the organizations 10-year partnership, said Cleveland Clinic and IBM.

For Q4Bio, the accelerator will focus on protein-conformation prediction with quantum computing, which could lead to new insights into how proteins function and interact with other molecules to better understand the manifestation of diseases and develop more effective, targeted therapies.

The team will work to develop quantum algorithms and workflows to explore how they could contribute to the creation of universal, scalable methods for predicting protein structures more accurately and quickly.

For the second project, Algorithmiq joins the collaborators to create a set of computational tools that aims to explore how quantum computing could assist in the development of photon-activated drugs for cancer.

The quantum computing for photon-drug interactions in cancer prevention and cancer treatment will leverage Algorithmiqs drug discovery platform, Aurora, which uses IBMs quantum hardware, and Cleveland Clinics experience developing drug applications.

THE LARGER TREND

Quantum computing canturbocharge healthcare data analytics, benefitting medical imaging, pathology and more.

"This technology holds tremendous promise in revolutionizing healthcare and expediting progress toward new cares, cures and solutions for patients," said Cleveland Clinic CEO Dr. Tom Mihaljevic in a statement announcing the health system'sdeployment of IBM Quantum System One.

"Quantum and other advanced computing technologies will help researchers tackle historic scientific bottlenecks and potentially find new treatments for patients with diseases like cancer, Alzheimer's and diabetes," he added.

Theuse of quantum physics to help destroy cancer cellsin a study by Kyoto University, announced in 2021, used X-rays on tumor tissue containing iodine-carrying nanoparticles, triggering cancer cell death within three days.

At the time, researchers said they were able to produce a quantum-physics phenomenon inside a cancer cell by generating low-energy electrons close to DNA and inflicting damage difficult to repair, which eventually led to programmed cell death.

ON THE RECORD When the IBM supercomputerwas first deployedat Cleveland Clinic this past March, IBM CEO Arvind Krishna noted how Quantum System One would enable researchers to "explore and uncover new scientific advancements in biomedical research. By combining the power of quantum computing, artificial intelligence and other next-generation technologies with Cleveland Clinic's world-renowned leadership in healthcare and life sciences, we hope to ignite a new era of accelerated discovery."

Andrea Fox is senior editor of Healthcare IT News. Email:afox@himss.org Healthcare IT News is a HIMSS Media publication.

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Cleveland Clinic, IBM to lead new quantum computing for health ... - Healthcare IT News