In 1981 the American physicist and Nobel laureate Richard Feynman gave a lecture at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (with) near Boston, in which he outlined a revolutionary idea. Feynman suggested that the strange physics of quantum mechanics could be used to carry out calculations.
The field of the quantum computer was born. In the several years since then, it has become an intensive research area in computer science. Despite years of hectic development, physicists have not yet built a practical quantum computer that are well suited for daily use and normal conditions (e.g. many quantum computers work at very low temperatures). Questions and uncertainties still remain about the best ways to achieve this milestone.
What exactly is quantum computing and how close we see, how you enter a wide use? Let's take a look at the classic computing, the type of computer that we rely on today, like the laptop that I use to write this piece.
Classic computers process information using combinations of “bits”, its smallest data units. These bits have values of 0 or 1. Everything you do on your computer, from writing e -mails to the website, enables combinations of these bits to be processed in usable signs and their.
Quantum computers, on the other hand, use quantum bits or qubits. In contrast to classic bits, qubits not only represent 0 or 1. Thanks to a property called Quantum Superposition, qubits can be in several conditions at the same time. This means that a qubit 0, 1 or both can be at the same time. This gives quantum computers the opportunity to process massive amounts of data and information at the same time.
Imagine you could examine any possible solution for a problem at once instead of one after the other. This enables you to navigate through a labyrinth by trying out all possible ways at the same time to find the right one. Quantum computers are therefore incredibly quick to find optimal solutions, e.g. B. the shortest way, the fastest way.
Different qubits can be linked to the quantum phenomenon of entanglement.
Jurik Peter / Shutterstock
After a delay or an unexpected incident, think of the extremely complex problem of the rescheduling of airlines. This happens with regularity in the real world, but the solutions used may not be the best or optimal ones. In order to determine the optimal answers, standard computers would have to take into account all possible combinations of moving, redirecting, delays, cancellation or groups.
Every day there are more than 45,000 flights organized by over 500 airlines and combine more than 4,000 airports. This problem would take years for a classic computer to be solved.
On the other hand, a quantum computer could try all of these options at the same time and create the best configuration organically. Quibits also have a physical property called entanglement. If qubits are involved, the condition of a quBis can depend on the condition of another, no matter how far they are apart.
This is something that in turn has no counterpart in the classic computer. Due to the complication, quantum computers can solve certain problems exponentially faster than conventional computers.
A common question is whether quantum computers completely replace classic computers or not. The short answer is no, at least not in the foreseeable future. Quantum computers are incredibly powerful to solve specific problems – e.g. B. the simulation of the interactions between different molecules, to find the best solution from many options or to deal with encryption and decryption. However, they are not suitable for any kind of task.
Classic computers process a calculation at a time in a linear order and follow algorithms (sentences of mathematical rules for carrying out certain computing tasks) that were designed for use with classic bits that are either 0 or 1. This makes them extremely predictable, robust and less susceptible to mistakes than quantum machines. Classic computers continue to play a dominant role for everyday computer needs such as word processing or searching the Internet.
There are at least two reasons for this. The first is practical. It is extremely difficult to create a quantum computer that can carry out reliable calculations. The quantum world is incredibly volatile and qubits can be easily disturbed by things in your area, such as: B. disorders from electromagnetic radiation, which makes it vulnerable to errors.
The second reason lies in the inherent uncertainty in dealing with qubits. Since qubits are overlaid (neither a 0 nor 1) they are not as predictable as the bits used in the classic computer. Physicists therefore describe qubits and their calculations regarding probabilities. This means that the same problem that uses the same quantum algorithm is executed several times on the same quantum computer can return a different solution each time.
In order to tackle this uncertainty, quantum algorithms are usually carried out several times. The results are then statistically analyzed to determine the most likely solution. This approach enables researchers to extract meaningful information from the inherent of probable quantum calculations.
From a commercial point of view, the development of quantum computers is still in the early phases, but the landscape is very diverse because many new companies occur every year. It is fascinating to see that in addition to large, established companies such as IBM and Google, new contributions such as IQM, Pasqal and startups such as Alice and Bob join. They all work to make quantum computers more reliable, more scalable and accessible.
In the past, the manufacturers have drawn attention to the number of qubits in their quantum computers as a measure of the powerful machine. Manufacturers are increasingly prioritizing opportunities to correct the errors for which quantum computers are susceptible. This shift is crucial for the development of a large scale, fault -tolerant quantum computers, since these techniques are essential for improving their user -friendliness.
The latest quantum chip from Google, Willow, recently showed remarkable progress in this area. The more qubits Google is used in Willow, the more it reduced the errors. This performance is a significant step in the establishment of economically relevant quantum computers that can revolutionize fields such as medicine, energy and AI.
After more than 40 years, Quantum Computing is still in its infancy, but considerable progress is expected in the next decade. The probabilistic nature of these machines is a fundamental difference between quantum and classical computing. It is what makes them fragile and difficult to develop and scale.
At the same time, it is what makes you a very powerful tool in order to solve optimization problems and examine several solutions at the same time, faster and more efficient, the classic computers can.
Domenico Vicinanza, extraordinary professor of intelligent systems and data science, Anglia Ruskin University
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