NASA to use Quantum Computer

[MacLeod]

Nasa and others are to use a US$15m computer that uses qunatum physics.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-22554494

 

[sojourner]

The modern day equivalent of a Cray. Took about 15 years for Cray level computing to reach the common household. Should be interesting to see how long this takes.

 

[MacLeod]

Maybe 2025.

 

[Asbo Zaprudder]

This particular device, which uses quantum annealing, looks to be quite limited in the types of problems it can solve (basically, combinatorial optimisation ones like the travelling salesman problem) so the foundations of Internet security (where based on asymmetric key algorithms) look to be safe for the moment. If gate quantum computers are ever practical, then we can start to worry. It's a good job people have been working on post-quantum cryptography for a while now.