A breakthrough which brings us closer to solving problems more complex than any current supercomputer can address, in codebreaking, physics, and clean energy, has been achieved by researchers from the University of Sydney and Dartmouth College in the US.

“This work brings us closer to creating a quantum computer powerful enough that it could one day be used in developing new materials for clean-energy distribution or in rapidly searching through massive amounts of unsorted data to identify security threats online: problems on which even today’s most powerful supercomputers fail,” said Dr Michael Biercuk, Director of the Quantum Control Laboratory in the University of Sydney’s School of Physics and ARC Centre for Engineered Quantum Systems.

The details of how the researchers developed an entirely new way of designing a practically useful quantum memory, a key need for future quantum computers, will be published in Nature Communications on Thursday, 19 June.

Ever since Nobel Prize winner Richard Feynman highlighted the potential of quantum computing in the 1980s, scientists have been attempting to build and design the hardware for large-scale quantum computers.

Quantum computing is an alternate way of performing computations which uses quantum physics to represent and process information which is stored in quantum states – for instance the “spin” of an electron in a trapped atom.

Unfortunately the very same physics that makes quantum computers potentially powerful also makes them likely to experience errors, even when quantum states are just being stored idly in memory.

The research team has demonstrated a path to what is considered a holy grail in the science community: storing those quantum states with high fidelity for exceptionally long times – even hours according to their calculations. Today, most quantum states survive for tiny fractions of a second.

“The simple-sounding task of effectively preserving quantum information in a quantum memory is a major challenge,” Dr Biercuk said.

“Our new approach addresses key issues in engineering a useful quantum memory. It allows us to simultaneously achieve very low error rates and very long storage times. But our work also addresses a vital practical issue – on-demand retrieval with only a short time lag to extract the stored information,” said Dr. Biercuk

The researchers have developed quantum ‘firmware’ appropriate to controlling a practically useful quantum memory.

“Vitally, we’ve shown that with our approach a user may guarantee that error never grows beyond a certain level even after very long times, so long as certain constraints are met,” said Dr Biercuk.

The new results continue the team’s success in bringing quantum computers closer to practical reality. Last year Dr Biercuk and colleagues demonstrated a special-purpose quantum simulator with computational potential so extraordinary it would take a standard supercomputer larger than the known universe to match it.

The team led by Dr Biercuk includes University of Sydney Honours student Jarrah Sastrawan, research fellow Dr David Hayes, and PhD student Todd Green, with the work carried out in collaboration with colleagues from Dartmouth College, Dr Kaveh Khodjasteh and Professor Lorenza Viola.

Thanks to Mint Technology’s Qi Wireless Charging Solutions

Imagine a world where you can sit in your local café, deli, restaurant or food court and not only utilise free WiFi, but actually surf the net and access your emails on a tablet, smartphone or laptop while it charges. It sounds futuristic but the technology is already available to do just that – wireless charging via electromagnetic induction.

It’s called Qi (pronounced ‘Chee’) and it’s an interface standard developed by the Wireless Power Consortium – a group comprising over 140 well-known global companies who have joined forces to make wireless charging universal.

What it means is that you can keep your electronic device charged and at the ready at all times, without connecting cables to your device – you simply place your Qi compliant device on a Qi charging surface and charging commences.

Mint Technology is making wireless charging available to all owners of Samsung, LG[1] and Nokia[1]

Qi compatible devices, thanks to their iStyle Qi Wireless Charging Pad Range..

“For less than $30, you can turn a Samsung Galaxy S3 phone into a Qi compliant device, with the purchase of an iStyle Qi Wireless Charging Card (available now) which very easily fits within the casing of the phone and adds no weight or bulk to the phone at all,” said Kuni Ishii, Mint Technology’s managing director.

“With the addition of this ultra-thin card, the Samsung Galaxy S3 will charge when it comes into contact with any Qi charging station. Mint Technology offer a number of such charging stations – single and dual iStyle Wireless Charging Pads with an additional 2.1A USB port (making them unique) which retail from $59.95.

“But the exciting thing about this new inductive electrical power transfer technology,” continues Ishii, “is that being the new industry standard, Qi charging stations will soon be available everywhere, fitted within tables in cafes, restaurants and airports – all manner of public places, enabling Qi compliant devices to remain in charge wherever you go.”

The iStyle S4 Qi Wireless Charging Card will be available in July, and will enable current owners of Samsung Galaxy S4 phones to give their device Qi charging compliance using their existing back cover.

“Mint Technology’s iStyle Qi Wireless Charging Range provides instant Qi compliance and you don’t have to discard the old case that the phone originally came with to get all the features of Qi Charging convenience,” he said.

Mint Technology’s iStyle range of Qi Charging pads and Qi Charging Cards are available from Harvey Norman, JB Hi-Fi and selected retailers. For stockists and further information, visit www.mint-technology.com.au or contact Mint Technology on 1300 761 811.