While there has been significant activity in developing technology that might enable the creation of a quantum computer, there has been less activity in the development of an operating system that might control what that computer does.
But Cambridge Quantum Computing (CQC) says it has done just that. Called t|ket>, the OS is said to be facilitated by a proprietary custom designed high speed supercomputer, also built by CQCL, that simulates a quantum processor.
In a press release, the company said 'CQCL is at the forefront of developing an operating system that will allow users to harness the joint power of classical super computers alongside quantum computers. The development of t|ket> is a major milestone'.
Quantum computers, when they are built, will take advantage of superposition, in which a qubit – the processing element – can hold a value of 0 or 1 or both simultaneously. According to some sources, a quantum computer with just 50 qubits would outperform any current supercomputer.
"Quantum computing will be a reality much earlier than originally anticipated," said CQC. "It will have profound and far reaching effects on a vast number of aspects of our daily lives."