Quantum Computer To Launch Next Week

judgecorp writes "D-Wave Systems of British Columbia is all set to demonstrate a 16-qubit quantum computer. Simple devices have been built in the lab before, and this is still a prototype, but it is a commercial project that aims to get quantum devices into computer rooms, solving tricky problems such as financial optimization. Most quantum computers have to be isolated from the outside world (look at them and they stop working). This one is an 'adiabatic' quantum computer — which means (in theory, says D-Wave) that it can live with thermal noise and give results without having to be isolated. There's a description of it here — and pretty pictures too."

Comments

Re:Computer is snake oil

[MindStalker]

Umm. No duh. Its been speculated for a long time that general purpose quantum computing would be near impossible. Quantum computers will for a long time be co-processors that do special task that regular computers can't do. This one is built for quadratic equations. Which is exactly what Babbage's "computer" was initially built for. Sorry but we are still a long ways away but snake oil this is not..