A quantum chip processes information in qubits, or quantum bits, which, unlike the digital bits in a regular computer, can be both 0 and 1 at the same time. In theory, this ability should allow quantum computers to offer far speedier computation than current PCs – although devices that can definitely outperform standard machines don't yet exist.
Until now only a few labs around the world have had access to even basic quantum computers. Google recently purchased a D-Wave quantum computer and shares access with NASA and other select researchers, but not with the general public. Questions also remain over just how quantum D-Wave's machine really is, because it operates using a non-mainstream technique called adiabatic quantum computing.
Scientists at the University of Bristol, UK, were concerned that limited availability to any type of quantum computer would mean a dearth of skilled coders when the expected quantum revolution finally arrives.
"A quantum computer can do things faster for you, but someone has to program it, and at the moment there are only a handful of people around the world who would be qualified," says Bristol's Jeremy O'Brien, who led the development of the quantum chip being used in the cloud project.
Quantum sim
The more traditionally quantum chip made at the University of Bristol works by guiding two photons through a series of optical channels. As the photons pass through the chip they become entangled, meaning that a measurement on one influences the outcome when measuring the other. Programming the computer involves tweaking the extent of this entanglement to produce different computations.
Would-be quantum coders will first use an online simulator that lets them practise programming. A tutorial explains the key quantum-mechanical ideas that are central to the device, then guides users through the steps required to adjust the chip and change its output. Once experienced enough, users can ask for permission to connect to the real chip, which is sitting in a lab in Bristol. It will run programs and return results via the internet.
"You can sit on the bus with your mobile phone and do a quantum optics experiment which might never have been seen before," says team member Peter Shadbolt. The simulator is already online, but the ability to directly access the chip won't launch until 20 September.
Cloudy future
Exactly what a member of the public might want to use the quantum chip for is unclear. And the version being used online only has two qubits, so its processing power is a very limited.
"It's not going to calculate something that your PC couldn't calculate, because it's not at that scale by a long way," says O'Brien. His team has made 6-qubit and 8-qubit computers, but those projects are still in development. In the meantime, they are happy to let others use their older technology for free as a way to encourage engagement.
Read more at New Scientist
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