Neutral Atom captured, photographed - Quantum computing much closer than ever before

mrk

mrk

mrk

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This is some pretty big news with some big things to look forward to in the near future.

The entrapment of the Rubidium 85 atom is the result of a three-year research project funded by the Foundation for Research, Science and Technology, and has already prompted world-wide interest in the new science which will flow from the breakthrough.
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Dr Andersen says that unlike conventional silicon-based computers which generally perform one task at a time, quantum computers have the potential to perform numerous long and difficult calculations simultaneously; they also have the potential to break secret codes that would usually prove too complex.

"Our method provides a way to deliver those atoms needed to build this type of computer, and it is now possible to get a set of ten atoms held or trapped at the one time.

"You need a set of 30 atoms if you want to build a quantum computer that is capable of performing certain tasks better than existing computers, so this is a big step towards successfully doing that," he says.
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The next step is to try and generate a "state of entanglement" between the atoms, a kind of atomic romance which lasts the distance, he says.
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The full article is here and I very much look forward to playing Crysis at 60fps with my Quantum Computer in 15 years time, oh and deciphering Soviet Russian coded messages in no time ¬_¬

It's pretty amazing though, we will have lived through some pretty amazing technological times, the growth and death of the Silicon Chip for example!
 
I'm trying to think what i'd do with that power

The potential is there... the opportunity.. the possibility...

But it'd probably mean I could just have more firefox windows open at once :(
 
Not in this lifetime I'm afraid.

Simple technological innovations take between 10-20 years to reach the market, let alone scientific discoveries at such an early stage.

Anyone remember the RFID tags and how they would revolutionise your shopping and whatnot? The tech was developed about 20 years ago but you don't see them in your everyday transactions almost anywhere (due to costs etc).

So I wouldn't hold my hopes high for quantum computers..
 
The current trend is to make things faster and smaller, and it's not a trend that looks set to slow down and the only way to continue it is to go forward with this kind of new computing surely!

The researchers who photographed this atom say currently 10 Atoms put together can be done and that 30 is what is needed for a quantum computer - seems like steady progress no?
 
What was that about decoding Russian meesages:

decode.jpg
;)
 
kgi said:
Not in this lifetime I'm afraid.

Simple technological innovations take between 10-20 years to reach the market, let alone scientific discoveries at such an early stage.

Anyone remember the RFID tags and how they would revolutionise your shopping and whatnot? The tech was developed about 20 years ago but you don't see them in your everyday transactions almost anywhere (due to costs etc).

So I wouldn't hold my hopes high for quantum computers..
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I wouldn't be so pessimistic. Think what we had 50 years ago. In 1960 computer engineering was only just becoming into existence.
 
Even 10 years ago things were dramatically slower than they are today. We're turning technology from scifi into reality! Heck even CSI's famed "zoom in! enhance!" is a reality now with Adobe's plenoptic lens technology and Canon are working on cameras that have near infinite depth.
 
Exciting news indeed. Feel sorry for my father who has spent a lot of time researching this area, and will die before it becomes a reality :(.
 
Heh yeah I'd imagine cracking WPA passwords would be a walkover for a QC :p
 
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