Engadget

While I am not sure if D-Wave is fooling everyone they claim to have the first quantum computer available for commercial use. They said it would be set to debut Tuesday!

Anywho it supposedly processes 16 qubits and is capable of 64,000 simultaneous calculations in quantum space.

If this is true it is the biggest breakthrough in technology since the invention of the computer. The only question now is can it run Duke Nukem Forever?

. I know I didnt understand that lol. What exactly would such a computer be used for? Just like regular desktop computers with an extra kick?

To my understanding Quantum computers will replace all current forms of computers. There will be no need for a bulky desktop when something the size of an I-Pod could be infinatly more powerful then any computer on the globe and store the entire information of the universe. Again if this is true it is a revolution in computing technology.

64,000 simultaneous calculations via a 16 qubit processor is a huge leap not expected for at least 10 to 20 years.

something tells me this wont be in anyones hands or desk for a few many many many years. If anything this is a big breakthrough for research and the such. Considering the size, imagine being able to link up hundreds of them for research with complex mathmatical equations. Imagine doing something that used to take months to compute, into the timeframe of a few seconds .... now THAT would be cool and exciting. We would be able to develop so many medical and scientifical breakthroughs..... space travel might be a much bigger possibility with advanced simulations and the such to give us the ability to bring technologies out faster and more efficiently.

They said it is ready for commercial use... Remember that this is only a 16 qubit first gen processor I can't fathom how awesome it will be whne they hit 1000 qubits and higher.

This is the biggest breakthrough in computing since the invention of the transistor.

You make it seem as if this won't be available for many years. Under normal circumstances you would have been right but now that someone has finally nailed it the developement of the technology will be full speed ahead. This was a necessity that came earlier then expected as we near the limitations size reduction in current computer technologies.

yeah, but like you asked earlier... can it play games?

I am sure once quantum computers replace current conventional technology the games on such a powerful machine will be more realistic then we can imagine.

Think about how awesome games would be on a computer that could make as many calculations as the universe has atoms.

awesome indeed


when these come out, will someone in these parallel universes be able to read my e-mail?... just wondering

I have to say that I think it is unbelievable that they could create something like that especially in this day and age. But why have they not announced this in the media? Where did you hear this? I would really like to know from where so that I can find out more. Just thinking about having something like that is incredible. But I bet it would cost an 'arm and a leg!'

Krys

never mind! I found the link!

Krys

LINK-> Quantum computer
LINK-> The Quantum Computer

I really really really really want one. :D It will certainly speed up Homework. You could create entire virtual planets in the gaming. Hook them up to a server, connected by wormhole broadband, and you have a virtual MMOG world.

It has been in the media and Tuesday is a live demonstration of it at work. Every technology news site has reported it including engadget, canada.com, techworld and these are just to name a few who reported on this last week. Now to the average person a quantum computer is not big news they would rather see what celebrity is sleeping with who etc. For us who have an appreciation for technology and a passion to see it move forward into a new age it is HUGE news.

Here is a pic of the quantum computer chip D-Wave created.


This is only 16 qubits once computers begin to process a 1000 qubits they will be able to make more calculations then there are atoms in the universe.

How much is it though? Looks expensive.

TeraLink Was Here!

I Didn't see them say when it will be fordable for the average citizen does any one know?

isn't quantum technology one of the defining technology's that can push artificial intelligence way beyond are own?
also what part of the computer is quantum technology? Is it just a possessor or have they developed other quantum technology for computers?

I have my reservations and suspicions w' regards to a commercial type quomputer (wow, we just may coin a new term ). Until it is confirmed (following tuesdays coming demo) by people in the right field, to me it so far falls into the same category as "free energy" claims etc. etc. I don't mean to say that quantum computing is metaphysics - it is real PHYSICS - I should know, I love quantum mechanics.

You've got to realise, from what I could find out on this matter, that this is only a demonstration (and seems like a "pay-per-view" demonstration/conference) to well, perhaps get more funding and interest in the company - not necessarily the quomputer. This type of stuff IMHO is easier to fake than free energy claims ie. show a large supercooled module with a tiny 'something' that they claim is the 16 q-bit processor, run a piece of commercial software that really seems to run fast, write specialised software that only reports (via fudging) this extraordinary performance - extend your hand and say "So, who wants to be an investor in a commercial plant to mass produce them?". Then.....they actually employ people in-the-know to try and make a real one whilst throwing around a whole lot of excuses to the investors.

We shall see, but I wouldn't hold my breath because real physicists AFAIK haven't gotten that close.

Just my 0.02 for what it's worth.

Cheers

I hope that such a quomputer is possible I would like to see a computer that would help researchers find a cure or create a robotic limb for a wounded war vet.

But they have to figure out, if they haven't done that already, how to make the chip operate in a body of chips. A qchip can be on and off at the same time, which means it can be a virtual chip. In a body of chips, the main processor cannot operate on three types of chips at one time. It can only operate sections of 'on' and 'off.' In a robot, the muscle reactions are on, off; on, off. On for awhile to pick up something and off. This is all in a central processing unit.
To incorporate the qchip into the other chips is a challenge. All new circuitry. More research. More peanut butter and jelly sandwiches that cost $500 and guess who pays for it? Bill Gates of Microsoft? That's right, but who is going to pay him back? The people who run Microsoft Widows. They are coming out with the new Vista program for Windows. All the time the computers are getting smarter. But who is supporting the changes that have to be made? The people that were satisfied with the dinosaurs. But now they have to take quantum physics classes at their community colleges now to compete with their sons and daughters.

They already know how to do that.

To answer the first part as simply as I can, I don't know. This technology is still in it's infancy, but now that it has been accomplished in such a way it can be utilized and taken advantage of we should see consumer quantum computers in a decade give or take...This is my opinion anyway.

The CPU on a computer is essentially it's brain, it is what makes a computer work the way it does by processing information. While other parts of a computer are vital like hard drives, video cards, and memory every single peice of data is organized by the cpu. It works very much like our brain/central nervous system.

Conventional cpu's work via binary code sent and received...think of it like a post office, mail is sent in organized then distributed non stop. Instead of mail however it is electrons.

Quantum processors do not process electrons they process qubits. As opposed to using conductive pathways to send and receive information the qcpu teleports the qubit via alternate universe instantaneously (faster then light). The purpose is pretty much the same as a conventional cpu but works on different principles and capable of processing endless information.

BTW quantum computers will put AI within our grasp.

I will give D-Wave the benifit of the doubt....

Now according to physics free energy is impossible, quantum computers on the other hand aren't a question of if but rather when. The scientific community predicted that the quantum computer is 20 years off, I had predicted back in 2000 that we would see the birth of the quantum computer before 2025, Infact I predicted in a post last year that quantum computers will start to become common place in 2015.
read post here
I predicted in 2000 that the quantum computer would be invented by 08....This one I never posted....



I never said it's a for sure thing but at the same time they already get millions in funding from some big names. Funding would have been cut if investors never seen progress in their work. While many are skeptical and you have to be regarding this claim, there are a lot of people who are also very optimistic. D-Wave made it in the news in 04 when they had announced that they were entering the race to make the first quantum computer, 3 years later and millions in investments and tireless efforts and they may have done just that.

IBM, NEC, and the US dept of defense are all also in the race to build a qcomputer as well. D-Wave is certainly the underdog, that being said underdogs are ussually more determined to accomplish their goals as well.

CNN

In 04 he had originally planned to have a 32 qubit machine up and running this year but i guess he only made 16.

think of the GAMES!

not to be a little infantile, but i only have 512 megs of ram, and well...THE GAMES!

but on a serious note, being able to compute that much data at once could be the birth of TRUE AI. having a robot that will respond to different situations and variables, this is truly amazing. it will open up an entirely new world. this, is big.

So the viewing is supposedly Tuesday? Is there a way we can watch the viewing?

It was first come first serve for the seating and all the seats are now booked up..... I tried to get a seat.

really they can make a robotic limb?

I meant find a cure allot faster.

Saying that this would lead to the birth of AI is like saying thinking you can get an A in your worst subject by writting faster. It will definitly give researchers more arm room, but algorithm research and not more computing power is where the future of AI lies.

Is this thing going to run with the ole' Von Neumann architecture? Or have they finally found a way to put the computer's brain in one chip?

Alrighty, their (new) D-Wave site is up! Includes 'their' news release of the demonstration. Peruse at your leisure

Just some things from their site that are noteworthy (source)...
With regards to the last snippet there, remember me mentioning the extending out of the hand

And here about the hardware of the technology (source)...


The QCs (sounds like Queens Council ) are best suited to solving mathematically intensive simulations in sciences (Bioinformatics, Optimisation, Quantum Simulation etc.) so they won't be running your games any time soon. What perfect timing though, I have some qm problems etc. that need solving and of course the answer to life, the universe and everything! Oh, wait 6*7 = 42. J/k

But IMO this is rather ironic, QCs solving problems to QM that make better QCs - sort of like exponential growth

I'd be interested to know how they're going to scale down the SUPER COOLING component that brings the 'cpu' to near absolute 0. I'd like to play with BEC (Bose-Einstein Condensate) - that'd be SUPER COOL!

Cheers

Quantum computers will allow fo better algorithm research since most advanced mathimatical calculations are already done on computers. This solves the major problem of having to wait for the computer to solve advanced equations.


A computers brain is already one chip the CPU which processes all information. As far as I could tell the quantum processor is designed to work with existing technologies it merely processes the information differently.

This is only 16 qubits, once computers begin to process a 1000 qubits they will be able to make more calculations then there are atoms in the universe.

Think about it, a video game that uses atoms to create its visible envirnement.

Now days video games are programed from 3d polygons with textures painted on them, and each have to have its own physics that govern how it reacts with the rest of the programed envirnment, how far a car will ramp, how high and long you can jump, ect.

the more angles the more curved and detailed it looks (there is no such thing as a circle because everything is made of pixles on a screen and they cant bend)

Imagine if we could just make tons of small round specs of polygons and programed them with the 4 invisible laws of nature that exist in the real world.

The Strong Nuclear force
The Weak Nuclear force
Gravity
Electro-magnetic force

From here we have 2 choices

Allow ceartain masses to be controlled by different players able to control the body in any way that atomic particles and electricty allow. Even like the matrix, Multiple players could be playing at the same time, but not all life would have to be a player because you alaready have 4 formulas that will simulate anything given the chance. This could explain why animals are not being controlled by something "real".

Or we can simply press go and just run a free simulation and observe how each atomic particle you programed reactes given its starting positions. Explaing why the big bang has no determinable epicenter
Thus explaing why our particles are made of imaginary, unexplainable, non physical energy much like the visible surface of the master chief's armor. lol...its there, but its not real!

But which are we, the ones discovering how to simulate our real world, or a simulated copy of someone elses world.......... muhahahah that was fun



PS:

u can think of the "impossible circle because of pixels" like pi.....

think of a octagon being described as a 8 sided circle and so forth. Pi is what a infinate sided circle would be. pi is the number that describes the curvature of a circle or how many sides....oh and by the way, pi is not a real number.... 3.14 is how we normally use it, but thats rounding. its even worse than 1/3. which is .3 repeating. pi on the other hand has never been shown to repeat. they have computers calculating pi's decimal places out millions of spots but it has never had a repeating sequence. because to make a circle you would need an infinate number of sides on a polygon, which doesnt exist. pi represents what a circle would be if it was real. In our everyday scenereo it would not be practical to even calculate the circumfrence of a circle using millions of decimal places of precision. (which would still never be exact)

This bodes well for robotics. Perhaps a thinking computer is on its way and we will have answers to some tough questions. Lets hope though that it takes far more then 1000 qubits for consiousness to occure or else terminators will start time travelling and nukes will start dropping.

OMG people!!! Think of the Games.

Wow. Finally a Quantum Computer.
A super computer the size of a salt cracker!
[img]http://www.physorg.com/newman/gfx/news/chipCarrier.jpg [img]
When will it be in stores?