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Quantum dots make for more pleasing LED lamps
Many who grew up beneath a warm, inefficient incandescent or halogen glow are having a hard time coming to grips with the stale, stiff, efficient illumination provided by CFL or LED bulbs. Two companies, Nexxus Lighting and QD Vision, have paired up to change that, with the former providing an 8 watt (75 watt equivalent) LED bulb, and the latter providing a thin film of quantum dots that can precisely control its color. The dots are microscopic particles that filter light into different colors depending on their size, from red to blue as the dots get smaller -- some only 10 atoms in diameter. The first bulbs are due later this year, and while no word on price is given, Nexxus's current LED bulb costs $100 on its own and surely that layer of dots won't come cheap. Also, no word on whether you'll need to use a Handlink to turn the thing on and off.[Via Physorg]
Quantum cryptography: now ready for space travel
It's been awhile since we've heard of any major advancements in the world of quantum cryptography, but at long last the silence is being broken by a squad of jubilant Austrian physicists. As the story goes, a team from Austria's Institute for Quantum Optics and Quantum Information (IQOQI) managed to send "entangled photons" 90 miles between the Spanish islands of Las Palmas and the Balearics. Calling the ephemeral test successful, the crew has boldly asserted that it's now feasible to send "this kind of unbreakable encrypted communication through space using satellites." Funny -- last we remember, quantum cryptography still had a few kinks to work through here beneath the stratosphere.
UK researchers take us one step closer to quantum computing
You know, at some point we're going to grow tired of just getting closer and demand that we arrive, but thankfully for a smattering of UK-based researchers, we're not yet to that point. Reportedly, brainiacs from Edinburgh and Manchester University have created a molecular machine that could be used to develop quantum computers for making "intricate calculations" far more quickly than current supercomputers. Essentially, these gurus relied on molecular scale technology instead of silicon chips; more specifically, they achieved the so-called breakthrough by "combining tiny magnets with molecular machines that can shuttle between two locations without the use of external force." Not surprisingly, there's still more work to be done, with Professor David Leigh of Edinburgh University noting that "the major challenges we face now are to bring many of these qubits together to build a device that could perform calculations, and to discover how to communicate between them." In other words, check back in 2012.
New nanotechnology augments vision, optic blasts not included
It wouldn't be as much of an icebreaker as saying you have a bionic eye, but University of Colorado Hospital's Jeffrey Olson has developed a procedure for improving eyesight that involves injecting nano-sized semiconductors called "quantum dots" into the retina. These dots stimulate electrical activity in working parts of the eye and slows degradation in the rest, and early tests on rats have been shown to successfully increase perception. Although intended for those with damaged vision, this might be just the thing for watching your neighbors' HBO from the comforts of your windowsill -- hey, we won't judge you.[Via New Scientist]
Researchers demo "unbreakable encryption" based on quantum cryptography
Call us devilish, but we just can't help but love these types of stories. Here we have yet another overly confident group of researchers grossly underestimating the collective power of the hacking underground, as gurus from all across Europe have joined together to announce "the first commercial communication network using unbreakable encryption based on quantum cryptography." Interestingly enough, quantum cryptography has already been cracked in a kinda-sorta way, but that's not stopping these folks from pushing this claim hard to government agencies, financial institutions and companies with distributed subsidiaries. We've no doubt this stuff is pretty secure, but the last time we heard someone utter a claim similar to this, we saw him uncomfortably chowing down on those very words merely months later.[Via Physorg]
Another breakthrough purportedly brings us closer to quantum computing
In reality, quite a bit of time has passed since we've heard of the next great leap in the (seemingly) never-ending journey towards quantum computing, but we're incredibly relieved to learn that at least someone is still out there, somewhere, pressing on. An international team of researchers have reportedly shown that they can "control the quantum state of a single electron in a silicon transistor, even putting the electron in two places at once." Essentially, the team is using tiny semiconductor transistors to "control the state of a quantum system," but there is still a long ways to go before any of this is meaningful. The crew managed to discover a few things by chance, yet to create a quantum computer, they would need to "position atoms of arsenic (or some other material) in the transistors more reliably." For those of you way too geeked out, fret not -- we'll let you know when all of this technobabble finally amounts to something.[Thanks, Chris]
Cisco's quantum shift
When I see the terms "quantum shift" or "quantum leap", I immediately think "the smallest possible discrete motion that can exist" -- basically because that's what we were taught in high-school all those decades ago. Cisco is announcing a "quantum shift in networking", with a short machinima video (it's only around 9 or 10 seconds long, and contains no romance, explosions or Linkin Park), and an launch event in Second Life. Cisco's Quantum flow processor is (we believe) a 40-core beast that can handle 160 threads and 49 billion transactions per second. While that's a very impressive workload specification, we don't believe the processor actually uses any quantum computing technology -- which makes the whole "quantum shift in networking" seem like dubious marketing on two fronts. Nevertheless, there will be a launch event for the processor in Second Life on Cisco Systems' island on Tuesday, 4 March at 9 AM SLT (US Pacific).
Researchers create light-based quantum circuit that does math
It looks like quantum computing could now be one step closer to some form of practicality, as a team of researchers from the University of Queensland have announced that they've created a light-based quantum circuit that's capable of performing basic calculations. According to ZDNET Australia, that was done by using a laser to send "entangled" photons through a linear optical circuit, which allowed them to create a circuit consisting of four "qubits," (or quantum bits, pictured at right), which in turn allowed them to calculate the prime roots of fifteen, three and five. Somewhat interestingly, the university's research is funded in part by none other than DARPA, which the researchers themselves admit may be due to the technology's potential for cracking otherwise uncrackable codes. [Via Slashdot, image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons]
Researchers develop semiconductor for manipulating electron spin
Quantum computing isn't exactly synonymous with mainstream (yet), but a team of engineers at the University at Buffalo are looking to overcome some of the most prominent hurdles "that have prevented progress toward spintronics and spin-based quantum computing." Apparently, these gurus have conjured up a semiconductor that "provides a novel way to trap, detect and manipulate electron spin," the latter of which is the most notable. Essentially, the UB group's scheme could open up "new paradigms of nanoelectronics," and it manages to stand out from prior efforts by requiring fewer logic gates and promising to operate in much warmer (20-degrees Kelvin versus 1-degree Kelvin) conditions. Now that they've figured out how to dictate single spin, the subsequent step would be to "trap and detect two or more spins that can communicate with each other" -- you know, a vital precondition for quantum computing.[Thanks, Jordan]
Scientists take first step in ceramic-based quantum computers
One of the many challenges facing quantum computing is finding a practical material from which to process the quantum information -- the material must not be so exotic such that it becomes too prohibitive and expensive to use for mass calculations. That's why a recently discovered hidden magnetic "quantum order" in ceramic has scientists in such a tizzy. By heating or doping the material with a variety of impurities, scientists from the London Center for Nanotechnology have found a way to propagate magnetic excitations over long chains of atoms in the otherwise magnetically disordered material. Armed then, with the ability to break the chains into independent sub-chains, each with it's own hidden order, scientists have taken the first step towards engineering spin-based quantum states from ceramics. Right, the quantum analogy to those good ol' 1 and 0 state changes used by today's not-so-super computers.[Thanks, Scott S.]
Scientists perform quantum computer simulation on vanilla PC
We've seen what (little) a quantum computer can do, but a pair of curious scientists flipped the equation around and sent a humdrum PC to do a supercomputer's work. Professor Peter Drummond and Dr. Piotr Deuar were able to "successfully simulate a collision of two laser beams from an atom laser using an everyday desktop computer," which would typically only be attempted on a substantially more powerful machine. Notably, the achievement wasn't entirely without flaw, as the purported randomness in the testing eventually "swamped everything" and forced the simulation to be halted in order to gather any useful data whatsoever. Unfortunately, we're all left to wonder exactly what kind of machine was used to chew through such grueling calculations (Compubeaver, perhaps?), but feel free to throw out your suggestions below. [Via Physorg, image courtesy of ACQAO]
Virtually Overlooked Special: A bunch of NES games I get mixed up with each other
Welcome to our weekly feature, Virtually Overlooked, wherein we talk about games that aren't on the Virtual Console yet, but should be. Call it a retro-speculative. Last week, I asked for reader suggestions for this week's Virtually Overlooked. One reader suggested The Guardian Legend, and I thought that was a perfectly reasonable suggestion. The Guardian Legend was one of the biggest sleeper hits of the NES era, and something that is definitely worth checking out, especially for fans of Ys and Faxanadu.It was only later that I realized that I was thinking of Legacy of the Wizard. I get those two mixed up a lot. They both fall into that "sleeper" category, they were both published by Brøderbund, and they both have "Leg" in the title. They're practically the same game, except that one's a hybrid vertical shooter/Zelda-style adventure developed by Compile, and the other is a side-scrolling action RPG from Nihon Falcom. But other than that, the same game.Inspired by my inability to keep two similar things separate, I thought this week we could look at some more NES games I get confused about, either because they're so similar or because I'm so dumb.
NEC wires up a quantum circuit
The quantum computing train keeps rumblin' on as researchers at NEC have managed to develop a "tunable coupler," enabling them to wire up what they're saying is the world's first quantum "circuit." The coupler connects two qubits, quantum bits that can be set to either 1, 0, or "both" (that's where the power of quantum computing lies), but unlike previous coupling attempts, does not significantly shorten the useable lifetime of the qubit. NEC says the microwave-controlled circuit is theoretically capable of scaling up to a system comprising enough qubits to outperform most modern supercomputers, but further development in preserving qubit lifetimes is necessary to make the tech viable. Better hurry up, guys -- D-Wave is already solving Sudoku.
Quantum cryptography kinda sorta hacked
It's always only a matter of time. A little less than a year after the first quantum cryptographic network was demoed, a group of researchers at MIT have announced a working implementation of a hack that's been around in theory since 1998 but never implemented. Skirting around ol' Wernie Heisenberg and that Principle of his, the team exploited quantum entanglement to read the encryption keys encoded in photon polarizations from their momentums, avoiding detection by either end -- in other words, doing what was once thought impossible by cryptographers. The system isn't perfect, however -- in this early incarnation it can only nab 40% of transmitted data before giving itself away, and more importantly, it requires the invention of a "quantum non-demolition box" before the attacker can be anywhere but the same room as the receiver, since right now both attacker and receiver need to be using the same photon detector. Sounds like that might put a damper on that whole "undetectable" thing. Still, the researchers sound upbeat -- they're saying the work proves that no secret is truly safe. We're just wondering if they're pushing MIT to rename their department SETEC ASTRONOMY.
Research project could help create computers that run on light
Attosecond technology -- tech that enables light pulses to be fired every billion-billionth of a second -- could be the key to making computers that run on light. A team of physicists at the University of Bath in the UK are to carry out research into this high frequency technology which could potentially bust through the upper limit of Moore's Law. The ultimate aim of the research is to find a way of manipulating light waveforms into different shapes, and expanding the area known as "photonics" (in other words, getting light to usefully convey information). Currently it's only possible to create lightwaves in a conventional sine form: the hope is to create waves that are square or triangular, which have far greater value for communication within a computer. The fine details of the research project go way above our heads, but it's safe to say that it involves a bunch of crystals, fibres, and friggin' lasers (minus the sharks). Right now attosecond tech isn't the only platform that looks to light to solve problems like Moore's Law's limit: check out previous posts where we look at condensing light for super storage, using lasers to boost computing power, and slowing light to create photonic computers. From where we're sitting, the future of computing is full of light: whether or not that light is full of hot air is still unconfirmed.
Italy to get first DVB-H PMP courtesy of 3
Italians have been getting a taste of that sweet over-the-air digital TV since last year, with tiny phone screens being their primary and possibly sole method of content intake. Well that won't be the case for too much longer, as mobile carrier 3 has announced a partnership with manufacturer Quantum that will bring a dedicated, 4.3-inch portable DVB-H device to the TV-mad public. Called the QTM 1000, this PMP will be able to pull down 12 live stations including Sky, RIA, and Mediaset, and is said to function as a navigation unit as well (details on that aspect of its functionality are slim to none, however). Also no word so far on pricing, but perhaps we'll learn more as the scheduled release window of "this spring" gets closer.[Via PMP Today]
Lockheed Martin eyes quantum entanglement radar
We've got quantum dot lasers, cryptographic data networks, teleportation (saywha?), and a pesky company to boot, but the (in)famous defense contractor Lockheed Martin has apparently hit the loony sauce a bit too quickly on its latest patent application. In a proposed effort to concoct the ultimate omniscient radar, the firm is suggesting that it can break the boundaries of theoretical physics and create a "quantum entanglement" scanner that can "penetrate any type of defense to identify hidden weapons and roadside bombs from hundreds of miles away." The theory -- which hasn't been realized in a product just yet -- suggests that two particles can be joined so that whatever happens to one must also happen to its partner, however far apart they are, which could be used to detect contraband from faraway locales (or peek through suspicious garb). Interestingly, it doesn't seem that we're the only ones wondering just what type of Kool-Aid the outfit's R&D department is sipping, as a physicist at Manchester University has reportedly insinuated that even in the far-reaching world of quantum physics, "the mechanics are just wrong." Seriously, isn't a Big Brother blimp enough for you guys?[Via Wired]
Quantum / AvMap's QTM 1000 Nav handheld touts DVB-H and GPS
Quantum and AvMap are teaming up to produce what they dub the "world's first" DVB-H capable Pocket TV with SAT NAV functionality, and while we've seen a touch of DVB-H in handheld devices before, it's good to see yet another creation joining the do-it-all fray. Announced at 3GSM, the Linux-based QTM 1000 Nav boasts a 4.3-inch WQVGA widescreen display, 400:1 contrast ratio, 80-degree viewing angle, DVR functionality, 128MB of Flash memory, 64MB of onboard RAM, an SD card slot, dual stereo speakers, a four-hour rechargeable battery, SiRF Star III receiver, Tele Atlas maps, and USB 2.0 connectivity. Aside from playing back DVB-H signals at 25 frames-per-second, it also allows viewing / purchasing of Pay TV channels, and it plays nice with H.264, MPEG4, AAC, MP3, JPEG / GIF / PNG, M4V, and AVI files when not tuning in to a broadcast. Unfortunately, there weren't any details regarding price or future availability, but those kicking around in Europe should give this one some serious consideration if you're looking to consolidate.
World's first "commercial" quantum computer solves Sudoku
As expected, Canada's D-Wave Systems has announced "the world's first commercially viable quantum computer," and they seem to be pretty stoked about it. The achievement is notable, since they've managed to build a whole 16 qubit computer that actually does some simple computations, even if it's far less powerful than even the most basic of home computers. Qubits are quantum bits that can be in an "on," "off" or "both" state due to fuzzy physics at the atomic level, and up until now the best anyone had done was get three qubits together for computing. This 16-bit version can solve Sudoku, create a complicated seating plan and search for molecular structures, but quantum computers will need to be in the range of thousands of qubits to be able to solve puzzles -- such as encryption -- that current computers cannot. D-Wave is planning to have a 1,000 qubit version ready by the end of next year, but scientists in the field are skeptical. The adiabatic method used by D-Wave, which cools electronic circuits into a superconducting state, with the resulting qubits being slowly varied in a magnetic field, might not be able to keep its speed when on that large of a scale. "It probably won't work but it's not quixotic," says Seth Lloyd of MIT. "If it works then they can solve really hard problems and they'll be very much in demand," he says. But it's a long shot: "It's certainly not the kind of company I'd invest my money in." To raise awareness, D-Wave will be opening the computer up to computational problems over the internet after the results of the project are peer-reviewed. More pics after the break.[Via Digg]
Atomic "transistor" proposed using quantum cloud material
Intel might be oh-so-smug about its fancy new insulators and 45nm process, but doesn't have nothing on these upcoming atomic transistor dealios -- other than that whole "shipping" thing, of course. Scientists working at the Worcester Polytechnic Institute in Massachusetts and compadres at the University of Colorado Boulder have proposed implementing a "Bose-Einstein condensate" to pull this off -- a super-cold gas cloud of atoms all in the same quantum state -- which is manipulated with three adjacent chambers that are created by trapping atoms with magnets or laz0rs. By swapping atoms between the two side chambers, and controlling that action with the center chamber, a behavior is created similar to that of an electronic field-effect transistor. Which is apparently a good thing. So yeah, the tech definitely flies over our heads, but if this works it sounds like it's a pretty big breakthrough in building atomic "circuits" some day by connecting basic atom elements and should hopefully keep Moore's law alive and well a few decades down the road.[Thanks, Jeremy]