We are at an exhilarating point in the Silicon Age, where computers seem to have the answers for everything from the mysteries of the human genome to starting colonies on faraway planets. However, the evolution of computing hardware still lags behind the evolution of our data needs; while researchers have crafted equations that could answer more complex questions, today’s computers may struggle to process them.
For computer scientists, quantum computers may be the answer. Where classical computing uses a binary system of ones and zeroes to encode information in units called bits, quantum computing uses subatomic particles such as electrons or photons, which can exist in multiple states at the same time. The result? Computing power in quantum units, or qubits, that (at least in theory) can effortlessly solve large-scale calculations that would take classical computers millions of years.
Currently available quantum computers are still difficult to use for real-world engineering problems such as simulating electromagnetism, explained Wei-Bin Ewe, a Senior Researcher from A*STAR’s Institute of High Performance Computing (IHPC). For one, slight environmental changes can affect the hardware, causing ‘noise’ or calculation errors; for another, today’s most advanced machines still only contain a relatively low number of qubits.
Read the full article published on
A*STAR Research.