By Leah Crane

Honeywell

A company that used to make home thermostats is now building a quantum computer. Honeywell, which is known for making control systems for homes, businesses and planes, says it has big plans for the quantum future.

You would have never suspected Honeywell was doing this, says Tony Uttley, the president of Honeywell Quantum Solutions. The company has been working on its plans for a decade, he says. We wanted to wait until we could just show people how good we are at this instead of telling them about it.

Now the wait is over: on 3 March, the company announced that its computer will be open for business within the next three months, with customers able to access it over the internet.

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Like all the quantum computers currently available, it will probably be used to more easily solve problems that involve huge amounts of data, like optimising aeroplane routes or simulating molecules. It isnt expected to outperform ordinary computers at this point.

Honeywell measures its computers efficacy using a metric coined by IBM called quantum volume. It takes into account the number of quantum bits or qubits the computer has, their error rate, how long the system can spend calculating before the qubits stop working and a few other key properties.

IBMs System Q One, its first commercial device, has a quantum volume of 16, which the company claims makes it the most powerful quantum computer in existence. Honeywells new computer had a quantum volume of 16 when the firm began testing it in January, but Uttley says the company expects to reach a quantum volume of up to 64 when the computer becomes available for commercial use.

While IBMs computer used 20 qubits to reach a quantum volume of 16, Honeywells only used four. That is an indication that Honeywells qubits are longer-lasting with fewer errors than IBMs, but this kind of system can also be difficult to scale up.

Honeywells quantum computer uses trapped ions charged particles held in place by precise electromagnetic fields as its qubits. Many of the other big players in quantum computing, such as Google and IBM, use superconducting qubits instead, which are based on supercooled electrical circuits. Superconducting qubits are easier to mass-produce and can run calculations faster, but trapped ions tend to be more accurate and they have longer-lasting quantum states.

The firm also announced an ambitious promise: Honeywell plans to add additional qubits to their computer each year for the next five years, increasing its quantum volume by a factor of 10 each time. This is not a science project for us, says Uttley. Were doing this because we believe we can make that step to value creation with a useful quantum computer.

It isnt clear yet how Honeywells computer will compare with those that are already available, says Scott Aaronson at the University of Texas at Austin. Several other major companies already have quantum computers, and some of these have had a years-long head start, he says.

Thanks to its longer-lasting trapped-ion qubits, Honeywell does have one thing that the other firms dont, says Uttley something known as mid-circuit measurement. This essentially lets you redirect a quantum calculation as it is being executed.

We can stop the calculation, take one qubit, ask what are you right now, are you a 1 or a 0? and change the rest of the calculation based on that answer, says Uttley. Its like putting an if statement in an algorithm, and its something thats unique to us.

One can easily imagine situations where mid-circuit measurements would extend what one is able to do, says Aaronson, at least in the near-term. Mid-circuit measurements also play a central role in the proposals for how to someday achieve quantum error-correction, he says, which is the next major milestone in the growing field of quantum computing.

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Honeywell no longer makes home thermostats

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Surprise contender Honeywell enters the quantum computing race - New Scientist News

Aravind Ajad Yarra and Saji Thoppil, fellows at Wipro Limited, answer frequently asked questions about quantum computing

What should be kept in mind when implementing quantum technology?

Todays leaders are inundated with the disruptive power of quantum computing and its potential applications in AI, machine learning and data science. Gartner data reveals that by 2023, 95% of organisations researching it will utilise quantum-computing-as-a-service (QCaaS) to minimize risk and contain costs. Also, 20% of organisations will be seen budgeting for quantum computing projects, compared to less than 1% today.

We, Aravind Ajad Yarra, fellow, Wipro Limited and Saji Thoppil, fellow and chief technologist cloud and infrastructure Services, Wipro Limited, bring you the basics of quantum computing and demystify some of its unknown facets in todays evolving scenario.

Lets look at the commonly asked questions:

A: Most of us would have read quantum mechanics at high-school level physics and probably been baffled by its strange characteristics. Quantum mechanics is the physics that applies at atomic and subatomic levels. Thought of using the physics of quantum mechanics to computing is what has led to quantum computing.

Our present-day computing is largely based on Boolean logic, represented using binary bits, which assume the value of either 0 or 1. Quantum computing, on the other hand, uses quantum bits (qubits), which behave differently from classic bits and use quantum superposition state where each qubit can assume both 0 and 1 at the same time.

To get better clarity, I suggest reading this short article on quantum computing.

A: Quantum computing is one of the most exciting developments in recent computing history. For years, Moores law has been helping us to keep the innovation cycle in computing going and push the boundaries of what computing can offer to business, so much so that software is what is driving digital businesses. With Moores law reaching its saturation point, everyone is eagerly looking for whats next in computing. This is seen as something that can keep the computing innovation cycle going, hence this buzz.

If you hear the general hype, you might believe quantum computing might replace classic computing soon. However, that is far from reality. The superposition property that we mentioned earlier gives quantum computing some unique capability that traditional computing doesnt have. Simply put, qubit superposition allows quantum computing to solve certain classes of problems promptly, which might otherwise take years for classical computers.

IBM has established a roadmap for reaching quantum advantage and concluded that: for significant improvement over classical systems, the power of quantum computers must double every year. Read here

A: Quantum computers are not bigger or faster versions of existing computers. Quantum computing is fundamentally different from existing computing. The problems for which quantum computers are most useful are problems that classical computers are not good at.

Some of the classes of problems that quantum computers currently look at are optimisation problems, for example, addressing the classic travelling salesman problem. As the number of cities that have this problem increases, classic computers find it exponentially hard to find an optimum solution. Quantum computers proved very useful for these classes of problems. Solving such problems make quantum computers super useful in areas like gene analysis, drug discovery, chemical synthesis, weather simulations, newer types of encryption, unstructured search, and better deep neural networks, to name a few.

What is AI? Information Age has created a simple guide to AI, machine learning, neural networks, deep learning and random forests. Read here

A: There are two major approaches to quantum computing that are currently in use: circuit-based computers (aka universal quantum computers), and adiabatic computers.

Universal quantum computers are based on logical gates and work similar to the underlying logic foundations of classical computers. Hence, universal quantum computers are extremely useful for computing problems improving on our current knowledge base of solutions. However, qubits required for universal quantum computers are extremely difficult to realise physically because qubit instability makes it hard to produce universal quantum computers.

Adiabatic computers are analog, but are easier to produce. These are more relaxed with respect to qubit state stability. Hence, it is easier to produce 1000s of qubits on adiabatic computers. However, adiabatic computers can be used for limited use cases such as optimisation problems.

A: While most platform companies that are working to build quantum computers are taking bets on one or the other, enterprises can probably explore both of the models. While adiabatic computing is limited, there are production-ready adiabatic computers using real quantum bits (such as those from DWave), as well as digital annealers, which use digital qubits (from Atos and Fujitsu).

Its emerging technologies month on Information Age, that means augmented and virtual reality, quantum computing and blockchain. Read here

Circuit-based quantum computers are much more general purpose. While these have more utility for enterprises, no production-grade problems can be currently solved with the current state of these machines. I would suggest exploring both classes of computers, based on the case that one is trying to solve.

A: The best way to start with identification of use cases for quantum computing is to explore areas where classic computers are currently not good at. Optimisation problems are the best starting point for most enterprises. Based on the industry, different kinds of optimisation use cases can be considered for exploring quantum computers. These could be risk modelling, inventory or asset optimisation, among others.

Cryptography is another area where robust use cases can be identified by enterprises. Quantum computers, when production-ready, can potentially break current methods of encryption, leading to exposure of sensitive data. Identifying data that is very sensitive and has longer term value, and considering safe encryption methods using quantum key generation and distribution are other ways in which it can be used.

Machine learning is also a very promising use case. Quantum machine learning, as it is called, can use special purpose quantum circuits that can significantly boost the efficiency of machine learning algorithms.

A: Industries that are process-centric, such as pharmaceuticals and oil & gas exploration, are the early adopters. These industries can benefit from quantum computing in complex optimisation problems they need solve from time to time.

Apart from these asset-heavy industries, the manufacturing industry is also actively exploring quantum computing. Banks and other financial services companies, which have risk modelling needs, also rely a lot on quantum computing.

A: It is probably too early to talk about real-world scenarios where quantum computers have made an impact. While there are demonstrations by research labs to use quantum communication methods to send instant data transfer from satellite and breaking various encryption methods, these still look good in labs.

The reason for this is the current state of reliability in quantum computers. Qubits are highly sensitive, and they are prone to errors. Error correction methods that we currently use reduce the effective working qubits, but early results have been seen with digital annealers, which simulate adiabatic quantum computing using traditional digital computers.

Wipros Topcoder, for example, is currently working with Fujitsu to run crowdsourced challenging using Fujitsus digital annealer to solve real-world problems. Additionally, Airbus has been running open innovation challenges to solve some of its problems using quantum computing.

Quantum technologies also has appeal in the areas of communication, cryptography, sensors and measurements. Unlike quantum computing, where practical use cases are still in exploratory stages, these areas have industry-ready products that enterprises can put to use.

Quantum communication takes advantage of the nature of photons in flight and is able to detect if a photon has reached the recipient uninterrupted; this can ensure secure communications.

While quantum key generation (QKG) is used to generate truly random keys, quantum key distribution (QKD) is used for securely distributing keys. Both of these are essential for using a one-time pad cryptography technique, which is considered the holy grail in encryption.

Generating true random numbers for the quantum computing era, or indeed the pre-quantum era, is the aim. Crypta Labs reckon they have cracked it. Read here

Additionally, quantum sensors have niche applications where there is a need for highly accurate measurements of gravity, electric fields, time, position and magnetic field. In a fiercely competitive world, we can expect more enterprises wanting to leverage these to create unique offerings.

Given the nature of its evolution, it is hard to make an upfront business case for quantum computing. However, given the potential, I suggest that the business case be made in two parts.

The first part is to focus on near-term (1-2 years) use cases such as optimisation and encryption by using digital annealers for optimisation and photon-based ASICS for key generation. Digital annealers, or even simulators running on cloud, can solve several practical optimisation problems.

On the other hand, centres of excellence can be set up, leading to building expertise and solving relevant problems. Returns from these investments would set the stage for the second part, focusing on mid & longer term (2+ years) use cases, such as exploring machine learning and unstructured data search as part of centres of innovation and open innovation communities with small investments, but with longer period on returns.

Written by Aravind Ajad Yarra, fellow at Wipro Limited, and Saji Thoppil, fellow and chief technologist cloud and infrastructure Services at Wipro Limited

Original post:
Cracking the uncertainty around quantum computing - Information Age

The future is here. Or just about. After a number of discoveries, researchers have proven that quantum computing is possible and on its way. The wider world did not pause long on this discovery: Goldman Sachs, Amazon, Google, and IBM have just announced their own intentions to embark on their own quantum developments.

Now that its within our reach we have to start seriously considering what that means in the real world. Certainly, we all stand to gain from the massive benefits that quantum capabilities can bring, but so do cybercriminals.

Scalable quantum computing will defeat much of modern-day encryption, such as the RSA 2048 bit keys, which secure computer networks everywhere. The U.S. National Institute of Standards and Technology says as much, projecting that quantum in this decade will be able to break the protocols on which the modern internet relies.

The security profession hasnt taken the news lying down either. Preparations have begun in earnest. The DigiCert 2019 Post Quantum Cryptography (PQC) Survey aimed to examine exactly how companies were doing. Researchers surveyed 400 enterprises, each with 1,000 or more employees, across the US, Germany and Japan to get answers. They also conducted a focus group of nine different IT managers to further reveal those preparations.

SEE ALSO:DevSecOps Panel Best DevOps Security Practices & Best Tools

An encouraging development is that 35 percent of respondents already have a PQC budget, and a further 56 percent are discussing one in their organisations. Yet, many are still very early in the process of PQC planning. An IT manager within a manufacturing company said, We have a budget for security overall. Theres a segment allotted to this, but its not to the level or expense that is appropriate and should be there yet.

The time to start preparing, including inquiring of your vendors readiness for quantum computing threats, is now. One of the respondents, an IT Security manager at a financial services company, told surveyors, Were still in the early discussion phases because were not the only ones who are affected. There are third party partners and vendors that were in early discussions with on how we can be proactive and beef up our security. And quantum cryptology is one of the topics that we are looking at.

Others expanded upon that, noting that their early preparations heavily involve discussing the matter with third parties and vendors. Another focus group member, an IT manager at an industrial construction company, told the group, We have third party security companies that are working with us to come up with solutions to be proactive. So obviously, knock on wood, nothing has happened yet. But we are definitely always proactive from a security standpoint and were definitely trying to make sure that were ready once a solution is available.

Talking to your vendors and third parties should be a key part of any organisations planning process. To that end, organisations should be checking whether their partners will keep supporting and securing customers operations into the age of quantum.

The data itself was still at the centre of respondents minds when it came to protection from quantum threats, and when asked what they were focusing on in their preparations, respondents said that above all they were monitoring their own data. One respondent told us, The data is everything for anybody thats involved in protecting it. And so you just have to stay on top of it along with your vendors and continue to communicate.

One of the prime preparatory best practices that respondents called upon was monitoring. Knowing what kind of data flows within your environment, how its used and how its currently protected are all things that an enterprise has to find out as they prepare.

SEE ALSO:As quantum computing draws near, cryptography security concerns grow

To be sure, overhauling an enterprises cryptographic infrastructure is no small feat, but respondents listed understanding their organisations level of crypto agility as a priority. Quantum might be a few years off, but becoming crypto agile may take just as long.

Organisations will have to plan for a system which can easily swap out, integrate and change cryptographic algorithms within an organisation. Moreover, it must be able to do so quickly, cheaply and without any significant changes to the broader system. Practically, this means installing automated platforms which follow your cryptographic deployments so that you can remediate, revoke, renew, reissue or otherwise control any and all of your certificates at scale.

Many organisations are still taking their first tentative steps, and others have yet to take any. Now is the time for organisations to be assessing their deployments of crypto and digital certificates so they have proper crypto-agility and are ready to deploy quantum-resistant algorithms soon rather than being caught lacking when it finally arrives.

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The view of quantum threats from the front lines - JAXenter

Scientists have observed a new state of electronic matter on the quantum scale, one that forms when electrons clump together in transit, and it could advance our understanding and application of quantum physics.

Movement is key to this new quantum state. When electric current is applied to semiconductors or metals, the electrons inside usually travel slowly and somewhat haphazardly in one direction.

Not so in a special type of medium known as aballistic conductor, where the movement is faster and more uniform.

The new study shows how in very thin ballistic conducting wires, electrons can gang up creating a whole new quantum state of matter made solely from speeding electrons.

"Normally, electrons in semiconductors or metals move and scatter, and eventually drift in one direction if you apply a voltage," says physicist Jeremy Levy, from the University of Pittsburgh. "But in ballistic conductors the electrons move more like cars on a highway."

"The discovery we made shows that when electrons can be made to attract one another, they can form bunches of two, three, four and five electrons that literally behave like new types of particles, new forms of electronic matter."

Ballistic conductors can be used for stretching the boundaries of what's possible in electronics and classical physics, and the one used in this particular experiment was made from lanthanum aluminate and strontium titanate.

Interestingly, when the researchers measured the levels of conductance they found they followed one of the most well-known patterns in mathematics Pascal's triangle. Asconductanceincreased, it stepped up in a pattern that matches one of the rows of Pascal's triangle, following the order 1, 3, 6, 10 and so on.

"The discovery took us some time to understand but it was because we initially did not realise we were looking at particles made up of one electron, two electrons, three electrons and so forth," says Levy.

This clumping of electrons is similar to the way that quarks bind together to form neutrons and protons, according to the researchers. Electrons in superconductors can team up like this too, joining together in pairs to coordinate movement.

The findings may have something to teach us about quantum entanglement, which in turn is key to making progress with quantum computing and a super-secure, super-fast quantum internet.

According to Levy, it's another example of how we're reverse engineering the world based on what we've found from the discovery of the fundamentals of quantum physics building on important work done in the last few decades.

"Now in the 21st century, we're looking at all the strange predictions of quantum physics and turning them around and using them," says Levy.

"When you talk about applications, we're thinking about quantum computing, quantum teleportation, quantum communications, quantum sensing ideas that use the properties of the quantum nature of matter that were ignored before."

The research has been published in Science.

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Scientists Have Discovered a Brand New Electronic State of Matter - ScienceAlert