‘Building researchers is as important to me as building technology,’ says UCD’s Prof Madhusanka Liyanage. Prof Madhusanka Liyanage’s work at University College Dublin (UCD) involves researching how future communication networks can be secured and reinforced. Liyanage’s academic career has taken him across the world, beginning with a degree in electronic and telecommunication engineering at the University of Moratuwa in Sri Lanka, then postgraduate courses in telecommunications engineering at the Asian Institute of Technology in Thailand and ubiquitous networking and computing at Université de Nice Sophia Antipolis in France. Following this, he completed his Doctor of Science in Technology at the University of Oulu in Finland, focusing on scalable security in communication networks. Today, he works as a professor of network security at UCD and leads the university’s NetsLab – which he founded – where he work across the future network security. “A major part of my work is also building research communities. I have supervised and mentored researchers at different career stages, contributed to international standardisation and cybersecurity activities, and worked closely with industry,” he says. “I am particularly interested in ensuring that research does not remain only in academic publications but progresses towards technologies, standards and commercial solutions that can have a real-world impact.” What inspired you to become a researcher? I have loved mathematics since childhood. It was something that came naturally to me, and I particularly enjoyed solving difficult problems and finding answers that were not immediately obvious. One experience that had a strong influence on me was representing Sri Lanka at the International Mathematical Olympiad (IMO) in Athens in 2004. It gave me the opportunity to meet talented young mathematicians from around the world and experience an international scientific community at a very young age. I have also always loved travelling, meeting people and experiencing different
Sep 1, 2026 · via siliconrepublic.com
What if one of the most important emerging technologies for business is already available in Chattanooga? As home to EPB Quantum CenterSM, Chattanooga is the only city in the nation with both commercially available quantum computing and quantum networking infrastructure in one location, giving local organizations a home-field advantage in understanding and exploring this emerging technology. Why quantum matters to business As investment accelerates, business leaders are increasingly asking when quantum technologies will begin affecting their industries. The answer is that companies can benefit today, and by engaging early, they can begin developing expertise, so they can lead their industries as this paradigm-shifting technology gains the capacity to solve larger and larger problems. Leaders do not need to understand quantum physics for their companies to benefit from these innovations. What deserves focus is its potential to address difficult, time-consuming and costly business challenges that today's computers alone cannot solve. Organizations are already exploring how quantum technologies are drawing interest across a wide range of industries and prompting leaders to rethink innovation, efficiency and long-term competitiveness. According to the McKinsey Quantum Technology Monitor 2026, quantum computing could create trillions of dollars in economic value through industry applications, which is one reason organizations across multiple sectors are paying close attention to its development. * Financial institutions are exploring quantum applications for portfolio optimization and fraud detection. * Health care organizations and researchers are investigating opportunities in drug discovery and biological modeling. * Insurance companies are evaluating how quantum technologies could enhance forecasting and risk assessment capabilities. * Auto manufacturers are incorporating process optimization and predictive maintenance. * Logistics and transportation are transforming daily operations with route optimization and supply chain management. * Chemicals and new materials research are examining how quantum technologies may accelerate materials discovery, modeling, and simulation. While use cases
Sep 1, 2026 · via timesfreepress.com
Over the first 8 parts of this series we built quantum-safe VPN tunnels on your laptop, using containers. That’s how you learn protocols: in a clean environment where everything is under your control. But running a VPN in a container is not the usual setup in production. At some point the question changes from “does the protocol work?” to “does the platform work?”. This is where we go find out. The hardware The platform I’ve used for this exercise is part of the Cisco 8000 Series Secure Router, specifically the C8235-G2. Three of them, wired back to back, running IOS XE 26.2 with the “advantage” license (which unlocks all crypto features). Why 26.2? Because 26.1 gave you post-quantum key exchange (ML-KEM) and left authentication classical. 26.2 adds ML-DSA signatures for IKEv2, so a site-to-site tunnel can now be quantum-safe end to end. Both pillars in one box. The lab 3 routers, 2 VLANs, 1 hub-and-spoke topology that stays the same for everything that follows: ┌──────────────┐ ┌──────────────┐ ┌──────────────┐ │ R1 │ │ R2 │ │ R3 │ │ (Spoke-1) │ │ (Hub/Transit)│ │ (Spoke-2) │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ Vlan12 │ │ Vlan12 │ │ │ │ 10.0.12.1 │ │ 10.0.12.2 │ │ │ │ │ VLAN 12 │ │ │ │ │ Tw0/0/0 ├──────────┤ Tw0/0/0 │ │ │ │ │ 2.5 Gb │ │ │ │ │ │ │ Vlan23 │ │ Vlan23 │ │ │ │ 10.0.23.1 │ │ 10.0.23.2 │ │ │ │ │ VLAN 23 │ │ │ │ │ Tw0/0/1 ├──────────┤ Tw0/0/0 │ │ │ │ │ 2.5 Gb │ │ └──────────────┘ └──────────────┘ └──────────────┘ R2 sits in the middle as a Layer 3 transit router. The IPsec tunnel runs end to end between R1 and R3, traversing R2 as an intermediate hop to
Sep 1, 2026 · via blogs.cisco.com
Diraq will deploy a quantum computer featuring eight qubits within an Equinix data center in Sydney, Australia, marking the first time a silicon spin quantum computer of this type will operate in a shared commercial setting. The complete system requires less than 20 kilowatts of power and integrates easily into existing data center infrastructure. “Quantum computers are about to become as essential to data centers and computing infrastructure as data servers, CPUs and GPUs,” said Andrew Dzurak, Diraq Founder and CEO. This collaboration demonstrates how quantum computing can operate alongside AI, cloud, and high-performance computing environments. Diraq’s Eight-Qubit Silicon System Deploys at Equinix Sydney This installation differs from prior quantum computing tests by integrating directly into existing data center infrastructure, a critical step towards broader accessibility and scalability. The system’s design prioritizes seamless integration; the complete unit, including cryogenic cooling and control electronics, occupies a standard server rack footprint and requires less than 20 kilowatts of power. Diraq states that scaling the system beyond eight qubits will not necessitate infrastructure changes, only a chip replacement. This modular approach contrasts with many quantum computing designs and positions Diraq for rapid iteration and increased qubit counts. Jarrod Nink, Managing Director, Australia, Equinix, emphasized the importance of this operational compatibility, stating, “Quantum computing’s future depends not only on breakthroughs in hardware, but on proving how these systems can operate within the digital infrastructure enterprises rely on every day.” The choice of Sydney as the deployment location signals an expansion beyond the traditionally dominant US and European testing grounds for quantum technologies. Diraq’s silicon spin qubits, manufactured using existing semiconductor foundries, offer a distinct advantage in scalability and cost-effectiveness. Andrew Dzurak, Diraq Founder and CEO, explained that this approach allows for the potential of millions of qubits on a single chip, a density exceeding
Sep 1, 2026 · via quantumzeitgeist.com
Diraq and Equinix to deploy Australia’s first data center quantum computer Diraq is teaming up with Equinix to install a silicon spin quantum computer in a commercial data center in Sydney, in what the companies say will be a pair of industry firsts. The system will be Australia’s first quantum computer operating inside a commercial data center and the first silicon spin quantum computer deployed in a shared commercial facility anywhere in the world. For eeNews Europe readers, the project is notable because it moves silicon-based quantum hardware out of the laboratory and into the same infrastructure environment used for cloud, AI and high-performance computing. It could also provide an early indication of how quantum accelerators may eventually be integrated alongside conventional CPUs and GPUs in production systems. Eight-qubit system targets simple deployment The initial Diraq system will use a silicon chip containing eight qubits, with cryogenic cooling and control electronics integrated into a self-contained installation. According to the companies, the complete quantum computer can sit alongside conventional servers in the Equinix facility and will draw less than 20kW. Diraq says the architecture is designed so that higher qubit counts can be introduced by replacing the quantum chip without changing the surrounding infrastructure. “Quantum computers are about to become as essential to data centers and computing infrastructure as data servers, CPUs and GPUs,” said Andrew Dzurak, Diraq Founder and CEO. “The data center is where quantum computing goes mainstream, and that shift starts now. It’s a first, and the milestone is in the simplicity itself. Diraq’s quantum computers integrate into operational data centers like any other rack. That’s the advantage of Diraq’s silicon spin qubits: as we scale to millions of qubits, our system is deployable anywhere in the world, right next to the AI systems that are reshaping the
Sep 1, 2026 · via eenewseurope.com
Image: harvard.edu Quantum error correction codes now require circuit depths of O(log n), a reduction from previous requirements of O(log3 n) utilising complex gate sets. Emile Anand at Georgia Institute of Technology, Harvard University, the University of New Mexico, and colleagues have achieved this using more restricted distributions of two-qubit Clifford gates, fundamental building blocks in quantum computing. The method offers an improved way to build these codes by reducing computational steps without affecting performance. These codes are key for protecting information within future quantum computers; previously constructing them required substantial computational effort. This new approach lowers the required circuit depth, a measure of those computational steps, from a complex calculation to O(log n). This improvement relies on using more limited sets of two-qubit operations, the fundamental components used to manipulate qubits and is akin to simplifying a complicated machine by streamlining its core mechanisms. The team has demonstrated that equivalent codes can now be built with circuit depths reduced from a complex calculation to O(log n). They achieved this through an analysis based around what’s called a ‘Markov chain’, which models how error correction unfolds over time like steps in a game where each move depends solely on your current position; this allowed them to analyse the process mathematically. Optimal logarithmic scalability achieved for fault-tolerant quantum error correction circuitry The researchers University, and the University of New Mexico have dramatically reduced the circuit complexity required to build effective quantum error correction codes from O (log³ n ) to an optimal O (log n ). Achieving equivalent code performance previously demanded exponentially more computational steps, hindering progress towards scalable quantum computers. Their method carefully controls how information spreads through random circuits using fewer two-qubit operations than earlier designs allowed. A novel encoding method utilising random circuits constructed from just n/2
Sep 1, 2026 · via quantumzeitgeist.com
The U.S. National Science Foundation renewed its support for the UC Berkeley-led NSF Quantum Leap Challenge Institute for Quantum Computation, awarding the initiative $37.5 million. For the next five years, the funding will help the institute build quantum technologies, explore their applications and discover new ways quantum computing can be used to better understand nature. The initiative spans across California, encompassing research at UC Berkeley as well as at universities such as Caltech, UCLA and Stanford. “The idea behind a quantum computer is to build a computer that takes advantage of some of those weirder, strange aspects of quantum mechanics to do computations that are hard or impossible on the computers that we have today,” said UC Berkeley associate professor of physics Shimon Kolkowitz, who is conducting research on atomic clocks for the institute. Kolkowitz expressed his hopes for future applications of quantum computing, including its use in the discovery of new materials and drugs, as well as in the improvement of chemical reactions’ energy efficiency. Kolkowitz described the institute’s research as interdisciplinary, spanning many departments including chemistry, physics, electrical engineering, computer science and material science. “We feel like it’s really an honor and a privilege to be doing this work on behalf of the nation,” said Claire Cramer, executive director of NSF CIQC and Berkeley Quantum, campus’s hub for quantum research and application. Cramer described how NSF CIQC is trying to ensure that the United States is on the cutting edge of quantum development. Additionally, Cramer said the NSF’s financial support of CIQC’s quantum research indicates how promising the work has proven. “Our goal is pretty ambitious,” said campus physics professor and NSF CIQC director Dan Stamper-Kurn. “We want to open up an undergraduate degree program in quantum information science that would be available to all students across the
Sep 1, 2026 · via dailycal.org
Strange behavior in focused laser light could change how quantum computers control qubits A laser’s strongest interaction with a trapped ion can shift sideways, revealing a quantum effect with implications for qubit control. Paul Scherrer Institute Writer: Christian Heid - Physicists have directly observed the optical Magnus effect for the first time by mapping how a tightly focused laser interacts with a single trapped calcium ion. - The strongest atom-light interaction shifted sideways by several hundred nanometers instead of occurring exactly at the laser beam’s center. - The effect could create unwanted errors in laser-controlled qubits, but the same forces may also provide a new way to connect qubits during quantum computations. A spinning table tennis ball can veer sharply across a table even when its forward motion seems to point elsewhere. The same basic phenomenon helps bend football shots and curve baseballs. Physicists call it the Magnus effect, a sideways force produced when a rotating object moves through a surrounding medium. Now an international team has observed an optical counterpart at the scale of a single trapped ion. Instead of watching an atom curve through space, the researchers found that a tightly focused laser interacts most strongly with the ion slightly away from the beam's center. The first direct measurement of this optical Magnus effect appears in Physical Review Letters. Philip Leindecker of the Paul Scherrer Institute's Center for Photon Science and ETH Zurich led the work with collaborators from PSI, ETH Zurich, the University of Amsterdam and other institutions. The finding matters because tightly focused lasers are increasingly used to manipulate individual quantum bits, or qubits. A shift of only a few hundred nanometers can change how precisely those laser beams control trapped particles. The same effect, however, could also provide a useful force for linking qubits during
Aug 31, 2026 · via thebrighterside.news
SYDNEY, Aug. 31, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Diraq, the quantum computing pioneer, and Equinix, Inc. (Nasdaq: EQIX), the world’s digital infrastructure company®, today announced plans to deploy a Diraq quantum computer at an Equinix data center in Sydney, Australia. The deployment will mark the world’s first silicon spin quantum computer to operate in a shared commercial data center, bringing quantum computing one step closer to large-scale commercial adoption. The installed quantum computer will feature a silicon chip containing eight quantum bits (qubits), with all cryogenic cooling and control electronics self-contained. The complete system fits within Equinix’s existing data center alongside standard servers, requiring minimal integration and drawing less than 20kW of power. Scaling to higher qubit counts requires only a chip replacement, with no changes to the surrounding infrastructure, making the system easily upgradable. “Quantum computers are about to become as essential to data centers and computing infrastructure as data servers, CPUs and GPUs,” said Andrew Dzurak, Diraq Founder and CEO. “The data center is where quantum computing goes mainstream, and that shift starts now. It’s a first, and the milestone is in the simplicity itself. Diraq’s quantum computers integrate into operational data centers like any other rack. That’s the advantage of Diraq’s silicon spin qubits: as we scale to millions of qubits, our system is deployable anywhere in the world, right next to the AI systems that are reshaping the global economy.” The collaboration is designed to: Jarrod Nink, Managing Director, Australia, Equinix, said: “Quantum computing’s future depends not only on breakthroughs in hardware, but on proving how these systems can operate within the digital infrastructure enterprises rely on every day. Our collaboration with Diraq will demonstrate how quantum computing can be securely deployed alongside AI, cloud and high-performance computing environments. By combining Diraq’s pioneering silicon quantum technology with
Aug 31, 2026 · via markets.businessinsider.com
- SEALSQ Corp (NASDAQ: LAES) ("SEALSQ" or the "Company"), a global leader in semiconductor, PKI and post-quantum technologies, today highlighted the investment and commercialization strategy behind SEALQUANTUM, its initiative to build a Sovereign Quantum Vertical Stack (the "Stack") connecting complementary technologies across the emerging quantum economy. SEALSQ believes the quantum industry is entering a decisive new phase. After years of substantial investment in quantum research, processors, semiconductors, photonics, communications and cybersecurity, the industry's next phase is increasingly about industrialization, integration and monetization. SEALQUANTUM has been designed around this opportunity. Rather than viewing quantum companies exclusively as standalone entities, SEALSQ intends to build an interconnected industrial ecosystem in which investments and strategic partnerships can combine together on technology integration, commercial agreements, customers and revenues across the Stack. A central component of this strategy is SEALSQ's direct investment in pure-play quantum computing companies, including: - Quobly: an investment of €15 million (approximately $17.5 million) - EeroQ: an investment of $7.0 million Together, these represent approximately $24.5 million of strategic exposure to two differentiated pure-play quantum computing architectures, based on SEALSQ's current investment values. This pure-play quantum exposure sits within SEALSQ's broader SEALQUANTUM Sovereign Vertical Stack, for which SEALSQ has announced a target allocation of its own capital of $200 million with the goal of accelerating the development of a fully-integrated Quantum Vertical Sovereign Stack across quantum and post-quantum technologies. Two Quantum Computing Architectures, One Vertical Strategy SEALSQ's investments in Quobly and EeroQ provide strategic exposure to two different approaches to building scalable quantum computers. Quobly, based in France, is developing silicon-based quantum processors using spin qubits and semiconductor technologies. SEALSQ participated as a lead investor in Quobly's €115 million Series A financing, with an investment agreement providing for an aggregate investment of €15 million (approximately $17.5 million), which closed June 2, 2026.
Aug 31, 2026 · via investingnews.com
Diraq to deploy quantum computer in Equinix Sydney data centre The news: Quantum computing firm Diraq will deploy a silicon-chip based quantum computer in an Equinix data centre in Sydney, with installation expected to be completed in October 2026. The context: The deployment is being touted as âAustraliaâs first quantum computer to operate inside a commercial data centre, and the worldâs first silicon spin quantum computer to run in a shared commercial facilityâ by Diraq. Diraq will use the deployment to test how its quantum system operates in a data centre with open network connectivity including remote monitoring as well as integration with CPUs and GPUs. Diraq will also offer industry partners and customers the chance to explore potential applications for the technology. What they said: âThe data centre is where quantum computing goes mainstream, and that shift starts now. Itâs a first, and the milestone is in the simplicity itself. Diraqâs quantum computers integrate into operational data centres like any other rack,â Diraq founder and CEO Andrew Dzurak said. Equinix Australia managing director Jarrod Nink said: âQuantum computingâs future depends not only on breakthroughs in hardware, but on proving how these systems can operate within the digital infrastructure enterprises rely on every dayâ. âOur collaboration with Diraq will demonstrate how quantum computing can be securely deployed alongside AI, cloud and high-performance computing environments.â The source: Diraq media release
Aug 31, 2026 · via capitalbrief.com
KMT Technologies Ltd., a Matrix Group company, will act as the exclusive representative and distributor for Anyon Systems across a number of strategic international markets, beginning August 31, 2026. This partnership unites Anyon’s vertically integrated quantum computing technology, spanning processors, cryogenics, software, and more, with Matrix Group’s expertise in high-performance computing and data centers. Alireza Najafi-Yazdi, Founder and CEO of Anyon Systems, explains, “We believe the future quantum computer will operate as an accelerator within a heterogeneous computing environment, alongside CPUs and GPUs.” The companies aim to address growing demand for quantum computing integration within existing infrastructure for governments, research institutions, and enterprises. Anyon and Matrix Group Partnership Accelerates Quantum Computing Deployment Anyon Systems has already successfully deployed superconducting quantum computers within Canada, including the MonarQ system integrated into Calcul Québec’s high-performance computing ecosystem. This established foundation now underpins the company’s development of a 72-qubit quantum computer, with plans to exceed 100 physical qubits in subsequent systems. The partnership with Matrix Group aims to extend this deployment capability internationally, addressing a growing need for on-premises quantum infrastructure. Anyon will provide training and certification for KMT personnel, ensuring a consistent level of advanced engineering and product support globally. This commitment to a complete delivery capability distinguishes the partnership from standard technology distribution agreements, reflecting a focus on long-term operational support for clients. Yossi Vardi, Chief Business Officer of Anyon Systems, said that customers increasingly want quantum computing to become part of their strategic computing infrastructure, deployed on premises, integrated with HPC and AI resources, and supported locally. Anyon’s fourth-generation quantum control electronics are designed with direct Remote Direct Memory Access (RDMA) connectivity to GPU infrastructure, minimizing latency and maximizing bandwidth between quantum and classical computing resources. Moshe Azar, CEO of KMT Technologies, highlights the strategic alignment of this partnership, stating, “Entering
Aug 31, 2026 · via quantumzeitgeist.com
What's the deal? S-Transistors, a Finnish startup spun out of VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland, has raised €2.6 million in pre-seed funding to build a new class of integrated circuits based on superconducting transistors. Lifeline Ventures led the round, joined by an angel investor. What's the endgame? The company is developing what it calls quantum motherboards — hardware to orchestrate cryogenically cooled quantum computers more efficiently. Its superconducting transistors combine the computational power of transistors with the ultra-low power dissipation of superconductors. Why now? Today's superconducting quantum computers rely on multiple bulky cables per qubit, running from inside the cryostat out to room-temperature electronics. That approach is power-hungry and hard to scale, and unlocking the platform's potential will require machines with hundreds of thousands of qubits. What's the technology? S-Transistors' technology, already available at wafer scale, aims to bring classical control and interface hardware down into the cryostat, next to the quantum chip. "Superconducting transistors are exactly that missing piece of hardware for large-scale, energy-efficient quantum computing," said co-founder and chief executive officer Heorhii Bohuslavskyi. What's the money for? The startup will develop product prototypes for cryogenic signal control, set up its own cryogenic laboratory, and establish a manufacturing pilot line. It also plans to grow the team. Beyond quantum computing, the technology has potential applications in energy-efficient classical computing and spacecraft electronics. The signal: Cryogenic quantum computers are seen as among the most promising platforms for scaling, but they hit a hard wall when control electronics stay at room temperature. Moving that hardware into the cold — and making it energy-efficient enough to run there — is emerging as a central engineering challenge for the field. Read more: news.cision.com Image credit: Generated with Gemini
Aug 31, 2026 · via app.dealroom.co
Finnish startup S-Transistors raises $2.9M to scale quantum computers with superconducting transistors
● 6 hours ago
Finnish startup S-Transistors has raised €2.6 million in pre-seed funding to develop superconducting transistor technology for quantum computing. The company, which spun out of VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland, is creating integrated circuits that combine computational power with ultra-low power dissipation.
The technology addresses a critical scaling challenge in quantum computers: today's systems require multiple power-hungry cables per qubit running from cryogenic processors to room-temperature electronics. S-Transistors' solution operates at cryogenic temperatures alongside quantum processors, offering more energy-efficient control.
Lifeline Ventures led the round, joined by an angel investor. The funding will support prototype development, establish a cryogenic laboratory, set up a manufacturing pilot line, and expand the team.
The company's first product, a superconducting-transistor-based multiplexer, will ship to early customers within its first year of operation.
Source: news.cision.com
Aug 31, 2026 · via app.dealroom.co
S-Transistors raises €2.6 million pre-seed round to introduce a unique superconducting transistor platform for scalable orchestration of quantum computers Press release 31 August 2026 The new Finnish startup is disrupting the ways of controlling large-scale quantum computers by delivering a completely new class of electronic devices – superconducting transistors. These novel devices combine the computational power of transistors with the ultra-low power dissipation of superconductors. S-Transistors is developing first-of-its-kind quantum motherboards that will provide energy- and cost-efficient orchestration of cryogenic quantum computers at scale. Newly launched Finnish startup S-Transistors, originating from VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland, has raised €2.6 million in pre-seed funding to pioneer a fundamentally new class of integrated circuits based on superconducting transistors. The technology has several promising applications, from energy-efficient classical computing to spacecraft electronics, but quantum computing, in particular, stands to benefit most. Today's cryogenically cooled superconducting quantum computers need a paradigm-changing solution to break the scaling limit of the quantum processing unit (QPU) — the array of quantum bits that, by analogy to a conventional CPU, does the quantum computing. That limit comes from the power-hungry, poorly scalable way quantum processors are controlled today: multiple expensive, bulky cables per qubit, running from the processor inside the cryostat out to room-temperature electronics. This is exactly where S-Transistors' superconducting transistor technology, which is already available at wafer scale, offers a solution that is radically more energy-efficient and compact than existing alternatives. The funding round was led by Lifeline Ventures, a leading Nordic investor, and joined by an angel investor. S-Transistors is going to use the pre-seed funding to develop several product prototypes for cryogenic signal control and handling, set up its own cryogenic laboratory, establish a manufacturing pilot line for its unique integrated circuits based on superconducting transistors, and grow the team. "Today's efforts in
Aug 31, 2026 · via news.cision.com
Technical Section Editorial JPT’s Technical Section Editorial series features insights from committee members across SPE’s technical sections. Articles examine technical priorities, key activities, and emerging challenges within specific disciplines, providing SPE members with clear insight into how industry experts and volunteers are helping define SPE’s technical direction. Collectively, the series reflects the depth of SPE’s technical community and its continued commitment to advancing knowledge-sharing across the upstream energy sector. Learn more about the SPE Research and Development Technical Section (RDTS) on the RDTS SPE Connect Page. The rapid emergence of the disruptive technology of quantum computing (QC) opens up new opportunities for oil and gas computational problems. In response, the SPE Research and Development Technical Section (RDTS), in partnership with the Quantum Economic Development Consortium (QED-C), held a symposium at Rice University in May to identify the most prospective quantum computing use cases for oil and gas. Sponsored by QED-C, IBM, and SLB, the event brought together participants with a balanced mix of energy and QC expertise. Quantum computing industry representatives reviewed the current state and outlook for emerging hardware and software. Participants then examined how these technologies could be applied to oil and gas challenges. Quantum computing is not yet ready to replace high-performance computing in oil and gas workflows, but the industry needs to begin identifying where it may matter first. We identified the following use cases, which present long-standing challenges for the industry. - Seismic imaging: elastic waveform simulation - Simulation and modeling: new materials design and reservoir simulation - Production optimization: hydraulic fracture optimization and well intervention strategy Background For the past several decades, a fundamentally new and powerful computing technology has been emerging from laboratories across the world—QC. While quantum mechanics is fundamental to the behavior of semiconductors that are the physical basis of modern
Aug 31, 2026 · via jpt.spe.org
Elon Musk endorsed a physics theory capping quantum computers near 400 qubits, and Bitcoin (BTC) traders read it as proof the 835 qubits needed to break the network are unreachable. Key Points: - Musk endorsed a discrete-universe theory that caps usable qubits near 400, without mentioning Bitcoin. - Breaking Bitcoin's signatures takes an estimated 835 logical qubits, down from earlier published figures. - IBM targets 200 logical qubits by 2029, leaving both the physics claim and the attack estimate untested. Elon Musk Backs Palmer Quantum Qubit Ceiling Musk replied on Aug. 29 to an Institute of Art and Ideas post about the work of Oxford physicist Tim Palmer, writing that the universe is integer in units of Planck cubes. The post had gone up a day earlier. He said nothing about private keys, digital signatures or the Bitcoin network, and his comment addressed physics rather than cryptography. Investor Fred Krueger picked up the exchange the next day and argued that Bitcoin may already be quantum-safe, because current estimates put the attack requirement at 835 logical qubits. Krueger added that Musk and venture investor Steve Jurvetson had both commented favorably on the research. Palmer is a Royal Society fellow elected in 2003 who spent his career building weather forecasting models at Oxford. His paper, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences in March, swaps the smooth mathematics behind quantum theory for a discrete structure. It estimates a usable ceiling of roughly 200 to 400 qubits on current hardware and no more than 1,000 under any design. Also Read: Solana Faces $110 Test After Major Whales Add Fresh Demand Bitcoin Signature Attack Estimates Keep Falling A July paper by Han Luo and seven co-authors cut the logical qubit count for attacking Bitcoin's signature curve to 835, the lowest figure
Aug 31, 2026 · via yellow.com
Quantum-safe free-space connectivity? Still waiting for optical fiber at your home? For private households, this is an inconvenience. For critical infrastructure and cybersecure networks, it’s a make-or-break resource. Free-space optical QKD enables connectivity at sites and between platforms where fiber deployment is impractical or impossible—like connectivity with mobile users of critical infrastructures, across campuses, harbors, industrial areas, and temporary ad hoc networks. The critical part is to take free-space QKD out of the laboratory. Our latest demonstration shows how it can be integrated into a practical wireless communication stack, with encryption, broadband data transport, and monitoring working together. Why QKD? Classical public-key cryptography relies on mathematical problems that are difficult for today’s computers. Powerful quantum computers threaten widely used cryptographic methods. QKD takes another path by distributing keys using quantum states of light, so eavesdropping changes the physical system and can be detected. Properly implemented QKD provides security grounded in physics rather than computational assumptions. It doesn’t replace every security tool, but rather belongs in a hybrid future with post-quantum cryptography, classical symmetric encryption, and authentication to allow future cybersecurity certification. The goal is defense in depth for data that must remain confidential for many years. QKD on optical free-space channels KEEQuant adapted its commercial continuous-variable (CV) QKD devices for operation on optical free-space channels. This includes the optical coupling of a telecom-band CV-QKD signal into a free-space link, development of hardware and software interfaces for integration with key management, encryption applications, and network-management functions. This is relevant for security-critical environments because the result isn’t an isolated QKD experiment but rather a route toward deployable key delivery over line-of-sight links. This achievement was demonstrated during a recent German research project called QuINSiDa, which involved six partners from academia and industry. The consortium set out to answer a practical question: What
Aug 31, 2026 · via laserfocusworld.com
Inside China's Pioneering Quantum-Powered Demonstration Substation Discover how China's Houdian demonstration substation in Hefei integrates cutting-edge quantum technologies to enhance power grid safety, efficiency, and cybersecurity. Par Xu Jing, People's Daily Quantum technology is beginning to transform the way China's power grids operate. At the 220-kilovolt Houdian Quantum Application Demonstration Substation in Hefei, east China's Anhui province, a suite of advanced quantum technologies is now in use. These include diamond-based quantum sensing materials to monitor current fluctuations, quantum-dot gas sensors to detect potential cable fire hazards and partial discharge faults inside switchgear, and other innovations that strengthen the intelligence, safety, and efficiency of grid operations. Commissioned in November 2024, the facility is China's first demonstration substation dedicated to the systematic application of quantum technologies. It has deployed 85 independently developed quantum devices across 18 categories, covering quantum sensing, quantum communication, and quantum computing. The project represents a pioneering effort to integrate quantum technologies into power grid engineering, offering a new technological solution to the challenges faced by conventional power grids while supporting the development of a new-type power system. The substation also represents a new generation of fully unattended intelligent substations. "We have replaced many manual inspection tasks with high-precision quantum sensing equipment," said Tian Teng, a young engineer at the digitalization institute of the electric power research institute under State Grid Anhui Electric Power Co., Ltd. "The new system can identify and diagnose equipment defects much faster, reducing both inspection costs and operating expenses." Inside the high-voltage switchgear hall, rows of power equipment operated steadily. Standing beside an out-of-service switchgear cabinet, Tian pointed to a small device mounted on its side. "This is a quantum-dot multi-parameter sensor," he explained. "It continuously monitors the cabinet's internal environment and detects signals associated with partial electrical discharge, enabling us to assess the
Aug 31, 2026 · via alwihdainfo.com
Edward Farhi invented two of the most-studied algorithms in quantum computing. Both aim at optimisation, which is also the application the industry most often promises. He built the quantum adiabatic algorithm in 2000 and QAOA in 2014. Between them they shaped how the field thinks about hard combinatorial problems. What makes Farhi the right person to profile is not just that he built these tools, but that he has been among the clearest voices on their limits. He came to quantum computing after a full career in particle physics, and he brought with him a physicist’s insistence on knowing exactly what has been proved and what has merely been hoped. On the question the whole field turns on, whether quantum optimisation actually beats the best classical methods, the inventor of the leading algorithm is notably careful. Farhi built two landmark quantum algorithms. The adiabatic algorithm came in 2000 and QAOA in 2014. Both aim at approximate optimisation, the application quantum computing most often promises. He came from particle physics. As a student he introduced thrust as a QCD observable, a variable still used at the Large Hadron Collider, and he co-created the Farhi-Susskind technicolor model before turning to quantum computing. The adiabatic algorithm computes by staying in the ground state. Start in an easy state, deform the problem slowly, and the answer is where you end up, provided the change is slow enough. QAOA is its near-term cousin. It chops the smooth adiabatic evolution into a few tunable layers a noisy gate machine can run, which is why it is the most-run optimisation algorithm on real hardware. Neither has a proven advantage. Whether quantum optimisation beats the best classical methods on a useful problem remains open, and Farhi’s own group has published some of the sharpest results on where it
Aug 31, 2026 · via quantumzeitgeist.com