8 Dec
2007
8 Dec
'07
1:23 p.m.
Sorry...I'm just a little sceptical...'faster' and 'reversible' don't really go together in quantum computation as the power of a quantum computer derives directly from wavefunction collapse. Sounds a little perpetual motion machine-ish. -TD> Date: Sat, 1 Dec 2007 17:33:54 -0800> From: coderman@gmail.com> To: cypherpunks@al-qaeda.net> Subject: D-Wave Slides from SC07 progress in quantum computing panel> CC: cypherpunks@jfet.org> > http://dwave.wordpress.com/2007/11/26/slides-from-sc07-progress-in-quantum-co mputing-panel/> > click on Mr. T for the power point file. (hah!)> > i love the prominent featuring of Google partnership on this project.> surely Google / In-Q-Tel dollars will surge through the floodgates of> measured skepticism shortly...> > some highlights:> > ---> > D-Wave approach: Superconducting adiabatic quantum computer> > - Extremely fast: Special purpose processor; superconducting> electronics are naturally fast (700+ GHz)> > - Extremely low power: In principle reversible (zero heat generation);> in practice power consumption & heat generation drastically reduced> (factors of millions)> > - At the limits of physics: Universal quantum computer can't do better> > ---> > slides 14-21 are nice visualizations of the adiabatic QC implementation and use.> > ---> > adiabatic quantum computation model:> > - Computer initialized in "easy to reach" (convex) ground state> > - Answer encoded in final state> > - All currents adjusted slowly enough so that system remains in ground> state at all times> > - AQC can be universal for QC [ed: this is the crux, algorithms to> express some problems in AQC model difficult (right now)]> > - AQC is exact by definition> > ---> > quantum annealing computation model:> > - Computer initialized in ground state> > - Answer encoded in final state> > - All currents adjusted over period of time fixed by user [ed: key> difference wrt AQC]> > - QA is a heuristic algorithm [ed: key difference wrt AQC]> > ---> > D-Wave processors can implement either AQC or QA models of computation.> > ---> > Summary of preliminary result> > - A set of progressively more powerful superconducting quantum> processors have been built [ed: 28 qubits in demo]> > - Next generation Q3/2008 targets competition with incumbent QUBO> solver methods (500+ qubits)> > - Web services architecture operational at several levels of> abstraction from hardware; APIs documented and available _________________________________________________________________ Share life as it happens with the new Windows Live.Download today it's FREE! http://www.windowslive.com/share.html?ocid=TXT_TAGLM_Wave2_sharelife_112007