Quantum Leap: Computer to 'Make Computer History'
By NED POTTER, ABC News
Feb. 12, 2007 — "Quantum Computing." It's one of those things that bring a sparkle to the eyes of propellerheads — and make the rest of us just scratch our heads.
But it's been a holy grail in the arcane world of supercomputers — and a Canadian firm claims it will be unveiling one on Tuesday. Nevermind that most engineers thought quantum computers were decades away.
D-Wave Systems, Inc., based near Vancouver, is the company that's been working on the project. Its machine is described as a computer that can perform 64,000 calculations at once.
Following the odd laws of quantum mechanics, the digital "bits" that race through its circuits ...