D-Wave has announced the availability of the D-Wave 2000Q, a 2,000-"qubit" quantum annealer that it says can be used for optimization problems and machine learning. The first customer of the new machine will be Temporal Defense Systems Inc., a "cutting-edge cyber security firm". Aside from the boost in qubits, D-Wave is also touting faster annealing time and an "anneal offsets control feature":
Back in fall, last year, D-Wave announced its new 2,000-qubit quantum annealing computer that was up to 1,000 times faster than its previous 1,000-qubit computer. The company officially launched the new computer, as well as announced its first customer, Temporal Defense Systems, which is a cybersecurity company trying to use quantum computation to improve its security solutions.
"The combined power of the TDS / D-Wave quantum cyber solution will revolutionize secure communications, protect against insider threats, and assist in the identification of cyber adversaries and attack patterns," said James Burrell, TDS Chief Technology Officer and former FBI Deputy Assistant Director. "Combining the unique computational capabilities of a quantum computer with the most advanced cyber security technologies will deliver the highest level of security, focused on both prevention and attribution of cyber attacks," he explained.
The cost? $15 million.
Nature contends that some researchers have found uses for D-Wave's annealers, but there is a need for greater connectivity between the qubits.
D-Wave Press release, and new white papers.
(Score: 3, Informative) by FatPhil on Thursday January 26 2017, @05:39PM
Great minds discuss ideas; average minds discuss events; small minds discuss people; the smallest discuss themselves
(Score: 2) by bob_super on Thursday January 26 2017, @06:05PM
Honest questions:
- What does it "optimize" for your $15M?
- How does one actually program a thousand-Qbit machine?
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday January 26 2017, @07:30PM
With QBert of course!
http://store.steampowered.com/app/285960/ [steampowered.com]
(Score: 2) by FatPhil on Thursday January 26 2017, @08:32PM
Great minds discuss ideas; average minds discuss events; small minds discuss people; the smallest discuss themselves
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday January 26 2017, @08:21PM
Sure, if you gray out the definition until it fits. Of course, how that differs from any other computer at that point becomes a lot more vague IMHO.