On the Cusp of Quantum Computing

Jan. 31, 2023
Machine Design's Steve Mraz and Classiq Technologies' Erik Garcell delve into the basics of quantum computing and programming.

This video appeared in Machine Design and has been published here with permission.

This video is part of the Electronic Design Library in the Quantum Computing section and in the TechXchange: Basic Quantum Computing.

The first video (above) starts off this video series. Below are the three following videos in the series.

The widespread use of quantum computers in academia and industry seems like it is less than decade away. Researchers are busy developing more powerful quantum computers while others are writing software languages and algorithms that will make it easier to program them. And some firms are striving to commercialize the technology.

But there are still more than a few issues that need to be addressed: How will engineering students learn about it? Who will teach them? What technology will be used to construct qubits? And when will quantum computing be economical and useful for designers and engineers?

To get a handle on these challenges and how they might be overcome, Machine Design talked with Erik Garcell, the technology marketing manager for Classiq Technologies. That company is trying to get ahead of the curve; it has already built a software platform that helps engineering teams automate the process of converting high-level functional models into optimized quantum circuits and develop quantum-computer programs.

Programming Languages for Quantum Computing

If you want to write a program today for a quantum computer, you need a good understanding of how quantum technology works. But that should change over the next five years, according to Classiq's Erik Garcell. Classiq has built a software platform that helps engineering teams develop quantum-computer programs.

In this interview, he explains that computer experts are developing software languages that will simplify programming quantum computers and that there will undoubtedly be several, with two or three becoming “standards.”

Challenges for Quantum Computing

In this interview, Garcell addresses some of the questions and challenges that must be addressed for the technology to become widespread. For example, should quantum computing be taught to grad students in science, math, and engineering? To undergrads? Maybe even high schoolers? Are there even enough qualified individuals who can teach the topic? And will quantum computers always be large, require cryogenic temperatures and vacuums, and cost millions of dollars?

The Future of Quantum Computing

How will engineers design quantum computers that are smaller than current versions? Are they really needed? And what will they cost? And who is the mother or father of quantum computing?

These are some of the questions concerning the future of quantum computing addressed by Erik Garcell in this video.

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