Atlantic Quantum joins the QED-C

Standards are important to the emerging quantum field.

Author: Simon Gustavsson, CTO

Standards Create a Language

Standards are an essential concept in engineering.  They provide a common language and a set of guidelines for engineers to follow, which promotes consistency and uniformity in the field and ensures that products and designs are effective, reliable, and safe.   

A Time for Standards

One of the earliest examples is the concept of standard time.  For thousands of years, cities would set their clocks using a sundial to measure the position of the sun, but that meant that every town would be on a slightly different time.  However, in the mid-19th century the railroads began pushing for the same time to be used at all stations, which led to clear practical advantages for communication and travel.  Eventually, standard time was adopted throughout society and enacted into law in most countries by the early 1900s. 

Similar to the state of standard time in the 1800s, the field of quantum computing is still in its infancy.  Quantum computers have the potential to revolutionize many industries and change the way we think about computing.  Using the principles of quantum mechanics, a large-scale quantum computer will have the ability to perform calculations that would be impossible for today's supercomputers to perform in a reasonable amount of time.    

We Want to Help Create an Enduring Industry

However, there are many different approaches to both building and using quantum computers, and there is still uncertainty about what the right solution will be.  This can make it difficult to compare and evaluate different quantum computing systems, and it can hinder collaboration and progress in the field.  

This is why Atlantic Quantum has joined The Quantum Economic Development Consortium (QED-C®) and why we are strongly supportive of their work.  By establishing standards for things like performance metrics, testing algorithms and benchmarking protocols, we can ensure that our work is compatible with the work of others, and that our results can be reproduced and verified by others.  The work that QED-C is doing is crucial for making the promises of quantum computing a reality. 

About QED-C

QED-C is an industry-driven consortium managed by SRI International with the mission to enable and grow a robust quantum-based industry and related supply chain