The Universities Space Research Association has upgraded to a D-Wave system with 2,031 "qubits":
The Universities Space Research Association (USRA), as part of joint an ongoing joint collaboration with NASA and Google Inc. to operate a Quantum Artificial Intelligence Laboratory, has upgraded its current quantum annealing computer to a D-Wave 2000Q system. The computer offers the promise for solving challenging problems in a variety of applications including machine learning, scheduling, diagnostics, medicine and biology among others.
The newly upgraded system, which resides at the NASA Advanced Supercomputing Facility at NASA's Ames Research Center, has 2031 quantum bits (qubits) in its working graph–nearly double the number of qubits compared to the previous processor. It has several system enhancements that enable more control over the adiabatic quantum computing process allowing it to solve larger and more complex optimization problems than were previously possible.
According to Dr. David Bell, Director of the USRA Research Institute for Advanced Computer Science, "The Quantum AI Lab, in its first four years of operation, has supported diverse research by industry, academia and government research organizations. This has included research on the use of quantum computing for a range of applications including machine learning, planning and scheduling, diagnostics, medicine, biology, and finance."
"Computer time" will be offered free of charge to researchers.
Previously: Google and NASA Still on Board With D-Wave, Upgrade to 2048 "Qubits"
IBM and D-Wave Quantum Computing Announcements
Related Stories
Google, NASA, and Universities Space Research Association (USRA) run a joint research lab called the Quantum Artificial Intelligence Laboratory (QuAIL). That partnership has used a 512-qubit D-Wave Two quantum annealer, upgraded to the 1,152-qubit D-Wave 2x, and is now upgrading again to the company's latest D-Wave 2000Q system (2048 qubits):
Google, NASA, and the USRA are now buying the latest generation D-Wave quantum computer, as well, to further explore its potential. The new D-Wave 2000Q is not just up to 1,000 times faster than the previous generation, but it also has better controls, allowing QuAIL to tweak it for its algorithms. QuAIL is now looking at developing machine learning algorithms that can take advantage of D-Wave's latest quantum annealing computer.
[...] D-Wave also announced that it will help the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech) establish a quantum computing research center for defense and intelligence purposes. D-Wave's role will be to aid the Virginia Tech staff in developing applications and software tools for its quantum annealing computers. [...] Because D-Wave is not a universal quantum computer, like what Google and IBM plan to build over the next few years, it is not expected to be useful in cracking encryption. Virginia Tech plans to also focus on developing machine learning algorithms for the D-Wave computers.
Previously: Trees Are the New Cats: D-Wave Used for Machine Vision
https://www.hpcwire.com/2017/05/18/ibm-d-wave-report-quantum-computing-advances/
IBM said this week it has built and tested a pair of quantum computing processors, including a prototype of a commercial version. That progress follows an announcement earlier this week that commercial quantum computer developer D-Wave Systems has garnered venture funding that could total up to $50 million to build it next-generation machine with up to 2,000 qubits.
[...] Meanwhile, IBM researchers continue to push the boundaries of quantum computing as part of its IBM Q initiative launched in March to promote development of a "universal" quantum computer. Access to a 16-qubit processor via the IBM cloud would allow developers and researchers to run quantum algorithms. The new version replaces an earlier 5-qubit processor.
The company also rolled on Wednesday (May 17) the first prototype of a 17-qubit commercial processor, making it IBM's most powerful quantum device. The prototype will serve as the foundation of IBM Q's commercial access program. The goal is to eventually scale future prototypes to 50 or more qubits.
The article also notes Hewlett Packard Enterprise's prototype of "The Machine", with 160 terabytes of RAM.
D-Wave Unveils Higher-Performance 2000Q Quantum Processor
D-Wave today debuted a new processor for quantum computing. With lower noise (noise in quantum computing is also known as quantum decoherence or error rate), the D-Wave 2000Q processor boasts up to 25 times better performance than its predecessor. It takes advantage of D-Wave's new and improved quantum computing platform announced earlier this year and is available now.
In February, D-Wave announced a new quantum annealing platform with a new qubit topology, lower noise, a higher number of qubits (for future D-Wave quantum computers), as well as hybrid software and tools that the company said it would deliver by mid-2020.
[...] D-Wave said that its customers have developed more than 150 quantum applications for the D-Wave quantum computer in areas such as airline scheduling, election modeling, quantum chemistry simulation, automotive design, preventative healthcare and logistics. Some have also developed new tools to improve the application development process.
Previously: D-Wave Announces Availability of a ~2,000 Qubit Machine and a Customer for It
Google and NASA Still on Board With D-Wave, Upgrade to 2048 "Qubits"
NASA and Google Collaboration Turns on D-Wave 2000Q System
(Score: -1, Spam) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday September 05 2017, @06:34PM
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(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday September 05 2017, @08:11PM (2 children)
Come on, guys! Let's escape the proprietary hardware!
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday September 05 2017, @08:14PM (1 child)
Woops.
I clicked on the wrong thread. I'd delete my Offtopic comment if could, but I cannot, because SoylentNews sucks as much balls as Slashdot;* I'm heading back to reddit. tata.
* Seriously. Copying Slashdot is like copying Windows 95. WHY?!
(Score: 0, Offtopic) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday September 05 2017, @09:07PM
Deleting and editing comments is a wonderful way to destroy any semblance of continuity of conversation.
> Seriously. Copying Slashdot is like copying Windows 95. WHY?!
'Cause it's a fork.
(Score: 2) by frojack on Tuesday September 05 2017, @08:30PM
Bad enough Google is involved, but do we need to have Publicly Funded Agencies working on Skynet components?
No, you are mistaken. I've always had this sig.
(Score: 3, Interesting) by HiThere on Wednesday September 06 2017, @12:22AM (1 child)
It's my understanding that the DWave Computer is not a general purpose quantum computer, but only handles a specialized subset of the general Quantum Computer operations. That doesn't mean it doesn't have huge advantages in some areas, like, IIRC, simulated annealing.
It's possible that a real general quantum computer isn't practical, but until we know that for sure I feel we should draw a distinction between specialized variants and the general quantum computer.
If I'm wrong, perhaps someone will inform me.
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(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday September 06 2017, @06:26AM
The summary only says "adiabatic quantum computing". That is what D-Wave says their "quantum annealer" does.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adiabatic_quantum_computation [wikipedia.org]