From PC World: Microsoft is accelerating its efforts to make a quantum computer as it looks to a future of computing beyond today’s PCs and servers.
Microsoft has researched quantum computing for more than a decade. Now the company’s goal is to put the theory to work and create actual hardware and software.
To that effect, Microsoft has put Todd Holmdahl—who was involved in the development of Kinect, HoloLens, and Xbox—to lead the effort to create quantum hardware and software. The company has also hired four prominent university professors to contribute to the company’s research.
Quantum computers, in theory, can significantly outperform today’s supercomputers. The ultimate goal is to create universal quantum computers that can run all existing programs and conduct a wide range of calculations, much like today’s computers. Early quantum computers can be used to run only a limited number of applications.
Companies like IBM, D-Wave, and Google are researching quantum computing. IBM researchers have said a universal quantum computer is still decades out, so their focus is on creating hardware targeted at solving specific problems.
View: Article @ Source Site
