Quantum Computing Researchers Tap Test & Measurement Tools
It should come as a surprise that the snoops at the US National Security Agency are running an $80 million research program with the aim of developing a quantum computer capable of breaking traditional encryption schemes. While quantum computing is very much in its infancy, that may be changing in the next few years as governments and private groups around the world embark on research efforts to take advantage of recent advances in micro and nano scale fabrication.
The interest in quantum computing is clear. For starters, factoring problems that would require time spans longer than the entire history of the universe to complete using conventional computing could be solved in minutes by a fully functional quantum computer. Furthermore, quantum computers could do much more than crack encryption codes. For instance, they could be used to study, in remarkable detail, the interactions between atoms and molecules that more accurately resemble real-world behavior. This, in turn, could enable researchers to design new drugs and new materials, such as superconductors that work at room temperature.
Full article by Chris Loberg, EE Times
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Roger Chu is the Marketing Coordinator at GSAmart, the leading GSA sales and marketing partner for technology companies.
