Google's D-Wave 2X Quantum Computer 100 Million Times Faster Than Regular Computer Chip

[RagnarokDel]

 

Tapping into the ostensibly "magical fount" of quantum mechanics could possibly result to an outpouring of new and ground-breaking advancements in material science.

A team of Google and NASA engineers is at the heart of an incredibly significant finding that may someday lead to precisely that.

Deep within the space agency's Advanced Supercomputing center in Silicon Valley is a huge black box called D-Wave 2X Quantum Computer. It is a machine acquired by Google and NASA in 2013 which can decipher complex problems that classical computers cannot handle.

"We have already encountered problems we would like to solve that are unfeasible with conventional computers," said Google Vice President for Engineering John Giannandrea. "We want to understand the future that may lie ahead of us in non-conventional computing."

10,000 Years Of Computing Reduced To Mere Seconds

 

On Dec. 8, Google and NASA announced that the D-Wave 2X turned up with an answer for an optimization problem within mere seconds, a processing speed that is 100 million times faster than that of average computer chips.

Google Director of Engineering Hartmut Neven said that what the D-Wave 2X can process in a span of a second is something that a single-core classical computer can solve in a span of 10,000 years.

Quantum computers such as the D-Wave 2X are significantly faster because they run on quantum bits or qubits instead of simple 0's and 1's. For qubits, each 0 and 1 can be performed simultaneously. Because of that, the calculations can be accomplished at higher speeds.

I wonder how long it will take to be able to have this at home if ever?

 

imagine dat Cities:Skyline FPS

 

this thing is a beauty

 

 

The D-Wave 2X computer runs on 1,097 qubits, making it best suitable for optimization problems. Optimization problems are, in practical terms, instances when scientists have to find the best way to sift through a number of possible solutions.

Similar problems occur in air traffic control modeling and space missions, all of which NASA devotes computing resources to.

The optimization problem that the D-Wave 2X solved had about 1,000 variables. Systems with quantum effects would help solve more complex problems, scientists said.

Google and NASA engineers believe that the findings represent a step towards something extraordinary, but it comes with some warnings.

The D-Wave 2X computer can only perform a limited set of quantum calculations, scientists said. Manipulating optimization problems to become suitable for the quantum computer is not an easy task, and only a few know how to do it.

"We need to make it easier to take a practical optimization problem as it occurs on some engineer's desk," said Neven. "We need to make the input into the machine easier. That is not there yet."

The findings of this study are featured in a scientific paper which is yet to be peer-reviewed.

o I may finally have an answer on Pizza or Sushis!

 

 

http://www.techtimes.com/articles/114614/20151209/googles-d-wave-2x-quantum-computer-100-million-times-faster-than-regular-computer-chip.htm

[Chasem121]

In what applications is it 100 million times faster is the question, if its super fast at doing shit all its not that helpful

[The Benjamins]

editing in progress please stay tuned

 

 

http://www.techtimes.com/articles/114614/20151209/googles-d-wave-2x-quantum-computer-100-million-times-faster-than-regular-computer-chip.htm

 

of 1 core VS quantum processor, but still amazing.

 

 

In what applications is it 100 million times faster is the question, if its super fast at doing shit all its not that helpful

 

in applications that are writen to need  quantum annealers.

 

Original source http://googleresearch.blogspot.com/2015/12/when-can-quantum-annealing-win.html

 

 

This test was mostly to check if it even works correctly and then in that task compare it to 1 CPU core using  Quantum Monte Carlo or  simulated annealing.

[Kherm]

I love that they call the older single core chip a 'classical computer'

[Deletive]

In what applications is it 100 million times faster is the question, if its super fast at doing shit all its not that helpful

Whether, this "quantum" computer is designed mainly for disasters recovery, which is the safest way to handle a situation and stuff like that

also things like weather, where multiple outcomes are possible. 

[Syntaxvgm]

So I like how we don't have practical true quantum computers at room temperate, or really anything that's more than a proof of concept, yet this thing shows up like 

 

"yep, all figured out. Totally a quantum computer Since and shit".

[MrTiC]

Thats a sexy exterior ...

[SirNumbers]

Well "Classical Computers" Used to be that big, So Im fairly sure in 30 years itll be in our pocket

[ManWithBeard1990]

This only benefits certain workloads; it isn't a make everything better and faster kind of thing.

[Notional]

Wow! Maybe that can scroll a pdf document without stuttering.

[Syntaxvgm]

Wow! Maybe that can scroll a pdf document without stuttering.

nonsense. Adobe won't have that. 

[Lazmarr]

In what applications is it 100 million times faster is the question, if its super fast at doing shit all its not that helpful

Actually quantum computing is extremely helpful in the fields of Biomedical research; analyzing the functional and structural changes and properties of amino acid chains during protein folding is relevent in areas such as toxicology with the synthesis of pharmaceutical products. It's also of use in the monitoring the spread of infections and disease within populations or their migration panterns and could serve to better predict outbreaks, making it easier to curb or prevent their spread. 

[The_Stig]

I want a quantum GPU. I have no idea if this is possible or how if would perform, but I want it.

[Funtron5000]

But can it run Crysis Arkham Knight?

[Tech_Dreamer]

Nice, this is interesting news

[Swndlr]

I wonder if they could Fold on it

/s

[Stefan1024]

It is nice, but seriousely it's just a big ASIC that can do one task very well, but only this one. It's not a "general purpose" comper that can run any code.

[Snickerzz]

I love that they call the older single core chip a 'classical computer'

Depends on how you define computer. Just have to imagine how many cash registers, ATM machines, etc, are from 2003 with a single core CPU and running XP.

[aaro.peramaa]

Thats pretty cool, but I imagine the algorithm was heavily optimized for quantum computers. I remember reading about similar speedups in the past, but it turned out that, if well optimized, the pc version of the program ran at around 1/10 of the quantum computers speed. While it still is better for the qm (name of future pcs?) , its not as fast as stated.

Also, if someone knows better, how does a qubit actually work? Someone once said its basicly a 1 or a 0, but it can be also in a superposition between them. Doesnt that make it a... Analog bit?

Ps. Now give it x86 and benchmark minesweepper

[-BirdiE-]

I love how half of people's reactions are:

"What? This wouldn't help me run games? This technology is useless!"

[DigitalHermit]

Can it run crysis?

OT:

I'd like it to run a zero consequence simulation of the world...

[Robin88]

Thats pretty cool, but I imagine the algorithm was heavily optimized for quantum computers. I remember reading about similar speedups in the past, but it turned out that, if well optimized, the pc version of the program ran at around 1/10 of the quantum computers speed. While it still is better for the qm (name of future pcs?) , its not as fast as stated.

Also, if someone knows better, how does a qubit actually work? Someone once said its basicly a 1 or a 0, but it can be also in a superposition between them. Doesnt that make it a... Analog bit?

Ps. Now give it x86 and benchmark minesweepper

I'm no expert and I'll get this wrong I know it, but as I understand it, a qubit is not just a 1 or a 0, before it is measured a qubit is at the same time a 1, a 0, a -1, and a -0 which allows branching paths in code to be done at the same time without having to go through each one, one after the other, so you only need something like 300 qubits to basically simulate every possible location of every atom in the visible universe in a fraction of the time it would take a classical computer to complete.

Once a qubit is measured though, it collapses into just one of the aforementioned states and acts in the same way as a classical bit, but again, it can be any one of 4 possibilities and it requires further computation by a classical pc to check that the answer is the one we're looking for, and that might sound like it's be slow, but once we have the output from a quantum pc, we only need to check 1 answer and give us the answer in minutes as opposed to millennia.

Current quantum computers aren't true quantum computers depending on who you believe though, and I'm of the opinion that these so-called quantum computers aren't quite true quantum devices, but I'm just a monkey with only a minimum understanding of quantum theory, so you can ignore me if you want

[Altecice]

Take this whole article with a pinch of salt till we see some real data proving what they are saying.

[MrDynamicMan]

*first comment not "can it run crysis"*

TcT

The forum that I know and love is dead.

[Valentyn]

So can we finally play Crysis with just a CPU?