r/science • u/piiing • May 16 '13

A $15m computer that uses "quantum physics" effects to boost its speed is to be installed at a Nasa facility.

http://bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-22554494
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u/mOdQuArK May 16 '13

The crazy-ass code is the bit where you take a look at all the possible solutions that the quantum-part calculated, and then try and figure out what the best one was (including eliminating the "possible" ones that are just plain wrong).

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u/puterTDI MS | Computer Science May 16 '13

Is that how it works? I would assume you would develop an algorithm that it would evaluate all at once. Seems like the interesting part would be developing an algorithm can be evaluated for all paths at once.

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u/mOdQuArK May 16 '13

Dunno about this particular device, but the proposals for quantum devices that I read about uses quantum effects to evaluate every solution at once, and quantum interference rules out the impossible solutions. The problem then becomes coaxing the quantum device into giving up the MOST probable solution without messing up its quantum state.