Paranormalis
Think outside the mind
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The first piece of software to show the potential of quantum computing has finally been run on a real machine, 20 years after it was initially dreamed up. Although it doesn't do anything useful on its own, implementing the algorithm could lead to more practical computers powered by the strange properties of quantum mechanics.
Quantum computers should be much faster than ordinary ones, but only at tasks for which there is a quantum algorithm – software that takes advantage of the computer's quantum nature. Without these algorithms, quantum computers are just regular computers that are much harder to build.
One of the best-known pieces of quantum software is Shor's algorithm, which factorises large numbers into their prime components – a notoriously slow and difficult problem to solve classically. Shor's algorithm has been run in a limited way using photons sent through the air and on silicon chips – but a full-blown quantum computer capable of running it could threaten online encryption, which relies on large primes.
Designing an algorithm that takes advantage of a quantum computer is tricky, so there aren't many around. In 1994, Daniel Simon, then at the University of Montreal, Canada, came up with one of the earliest examples. Crucially, his was the first that showed a quantum computer could solve a problem exponentially faster than an ordinary computer. Previous algorithms had only shown a slight speed boost, or none at all.
Read more:
Historic quantum software is run for the first time - physics-math - 23 October 2014 - New Scientist
Quantum computers should be much faster than ordinary ones, but only at tasks for which there is a quantum algorithm – software that takes advantage of the computer's quantum nature. Without these algorithms, quantum computers are just regular computers that are much harder to build.
One of the best-known pieces of quantum software is Shor's algorithm, which factorises large numbers into their prime components – a notoriously slow and difficult problem to solve classically. Shor's algorithm has been run in a limited way using photons sent through the air and on silicon chips – but a full-blown quantum computer capable of running it could threaten online encryption, which relies on large primes.
Designing an algorithm that takes advantage of a quantum computer is tricky, so there aren't many around. In 1994, Daniel Simon, then at the University of Montreal, Canada, came up with one of the earliest examples. Crucially, his was the first that showed a quantum computer could solve a problem exponentially faster than an ordinary computer. Previous algorithms had only shown a slight speed boost, or none at all.
Read more:
Historic quantum software is run for the first time - physics-math - 23 October 2014 - New Scientist