Quantum Computing

Classical computers that we use today can only encode information in bits that take the value of 1 or 0. This restricts their ability. Quantum computing, on the other hand, uses quantum bits or qubits. It harnesses the unique ability of subatomic participles that allows them to exist in more than one state i.e. a 1 and a 0 at the same time. Superposition and entanglement are two features of quantum physics on which these supercomputers are based. This empowers quantum computers to handle operations at speeds exponentially higher than conventional computers and at much lesser energy consumption. 

“While the classical computer is very good at calculus, the quantum computer is even better at sorting, finding prime numbers, simulating molecules, and optimization, and thus could open the door to a new computing era,” a Morgan Stanley report notes.

According to the Institute for quantum computing at the University of Waterloo, the field of quantum computing was kick-started in the 1980s. It was then discovered that ‘certain computational problems’ could be tackled more efficiently with quantum algorithms than with their classical counterparts.

Quantum computing can contribute greatly in the fields of finance, military affairs, intelligence, drug design and discovery, aerospace designing, utilities (nuclear fusion), polymer design, Artificial Intelligence (AI), and Big Data search, and digital manufacturing. 

Its potential and projected market size has engaged some of the most prominent to work in the field of quantum computing, they are IBM, Microsoft, Google, D-Waves Systems, Alibaba, Nokia, Intel, Airbus, HP, Toshiba, Mitsubishi, SK Telecom, NEC, Raytheon, Lockheed Martin, Rigetti, Biogen, Volkswagen and Amgen.