In the high tech world of computers and Computer Science, one can only dream of tapping the superlative awesomeness of Quantum Computing for any project. In this ongoing pandemic, you may have heard experts talking about the idea of using Quantum Computing to find solutions for us to survive the crisis.
What is Quantum Computing?
If there are real-world situations requiring calculations that are based on the probability of an object’s state before it is measured, you may need a quantum computer for this purpose.
Classical computers use 0s and 1s (binary numbers) for calculations and carry out logical operations using the definite position of a physical state. Quantum computers, on the other hand, perform calculations based on the probability of an object’s state before it is measured, showing its potential to process more data versus classical computers.
Using quantum phenomena like superposition and entanglement, Quantum Computing can help researchers and scientists compare more data to arrive at possible solutions to almost any problem.
Growth in Demand for Quantum Computing
Olivier Klein, Lead Technologist Asia-Pacific of Amazon Web Services (AWS) shared the growing demand for quantum computing during a media roundtable earlier this week.
“Quantum computing is really a complex subject as it brings a totally new dimension beyond 0s and 1s. We are now in a point where extremely difficult things to calculate suddenly can be done in a matter of minutes or even seconds,” according to Klein.
AWS highlights its position to democratize the most advanced, most complex technology and make it affordable, available, and understandable to as many people as possible.
In August 2020, AWS started to offer Amazon Braket, a fully managed quantum computing service that helps researchers and developers explore potential applications and evaluate current quantum computing technologies.
This quantum computing service from AWS provides a development environment to design quantum algorithms, test them on simulated quantum computers, and run them on different types of quantum computing hardware.
Cloud Will Be Everywhere
Werner Vogels, Chief Technology Officer of AWS, predicts 2021 is going to be a launchpad for change and that the cloud will be everywhere.
“The days of all cloud capabilities being centralized in data centers are beginning to disappear. You can find cloud-based applications helping to boost the performance of ships out at sea, aircraft traversing the sky, and in our cars and homes. Access to the compute and storage of the cloud is spreading out of dense data centers and reaching into rural communities, remote wilderness, and even near-earth orbit. Practically speaking, the cloud is going everywhere,” according to a blog post by Vogels.
As of today, AWS has Points of Presence (PoPs) and regions enabling cloud technologies to be closer than ever to its customers globally. Devices like AWS Snowball are being used by volcanologists in Hawaii and researchers in Antarctica. AWS Outposts extends cloud infrastructure and tools inside the premises and buildings of AWS customers, while AWS Local Zones are helping people in urban areas to rapidly shrink their cumbersome datacenters.