IBM (NYSE: IBM) and the University of Tokyo announced today an agreement to partner to advance quantum computing and make it practical for the benefit of industry, science and society.

IBM and the University of Tokyo will form the Japan IBM Quantum Partnership, a broad national partnership framework in which other universities, industry, and government can engage. The partnership will have three tracks of engagement: one focused on the development of quantum applications with industry; another on quantum computing system technology development; and the third focused on advancing the state of quantum science and education.

Under the agreement, an IBM Q System One, owned and operated by IBM, will be installed in an IBM facility in Japan. It will be the first installation of its kind in the region and only the third in the world following the United States and Germany. The Q System One will be used to advance research in quantum algorithms, applications and software, with the goal of developing the first practical applications of quantum computing.

IBM and the University of Tokyo will also create a first-of-a-kind quantum system technology center for the development of hardware components and technologies that will be used in next generation quantum computers. The center will include a laboratory facility to develop and test novel hardware components for quantum computing, including advanced cryogenic and microwave test capabilities.

IBM and the University of Tokyo will also directly collaborate on foundational research topics important to the advancement of quantum computing, and establish a collaboration space on the University campus to engage students, faculty, and industry researchers with seminars, workshops, and events.

"Quantum computing is one of the most crucial technologies in the coming decades, which is why we are setting up this broad partnership framework with IBM, who is spearheading its commercial application," said Makoto Gonokami, the President of the University of Tokyo. "We expect this effort to further strengthen Japan's quantum research and development activities and build world-class talent".

Developed by researchers and engineers from IBM Research and Systems, the IBM Q System One is optimized for the quality, stability, reliability, and reproducibility of multi-qubit operations. IBM established the IBM Q NetworkTM, a community of Fortune 500 companies, startups, academic institutions and research labs working with IBM to advance quantum computing and explore practical applications for business and science.

"This partnership will spark Japan's quantum research capabilities by bringing together experts from industry, government and academia to build and grow a community that underpins strategically significant research and development activities to foster economic opportunities across Japan", said Dario Gil, Director of IBM Research.

Advances in quantum computing could open the door to future scientific discoveries such as new medicines and materials, improvements in the optimization of supply chains, and new ways to model financial data to better manage and reduce risk.

The University of Tokyo will lead the Japan IBM Quantum Partnership and bring academic excellence from universities and prominent research associations together with large-scale industry, small and medium enterprises, startups as well as industrial associations from diverse market sectors. A high priority will be placed on building quantum programming as well as application and technology development skills and expertise.

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IBM and the University of Tokyo Launch Quantum Computing Initiative for Japan - Quantaneo, the Quantum Computing Source

Its not easy to say that any particular space or astronomy development was the most important in a given year. But if we had to choose some highlights, wed opt for these unforgettable events and findings.

You probably know the broad outline of the story: 66 million years ago, a giant meteorite landed in what is now the Gulf of Mexico, and ended the dinosaurs. This year, various teams of scientists, working independently, helped fill in the picture of exactly what happened on that fateful day.

The biggest discovery was a site in North Dakota that preserved a jumble of fossilized fish and plant life that may have been thrown together by a tsunami on the very day of the meteorite strike. Closer to the impact site, scientists also cataloged a geological timeline of disasters that befell Earth that day. And researchers detailed evidence found in Europe that the Chicxulub event acidified the ocean in a flash, extinguishing much of Earths ocean life at the time.

An exhaustive analysis of hundreds of bird species in the United States and Canada contained a warning: The majority of bird species are in decline, many by huge numbers. The likely culprits? Habitat loss and pesticides.

This year we met a new extinct human relative, Homo luzonensis. It was discovered in a cave on Luzon Island in the Philippines, and adds further complexity to the story of human evolution.

It really does. Clive Wynne, a psychologist specializing in dog behavior, contends that what makes your furry friend special is not its intellect but its ability to bond with you. And not just with you. The dogs ability to bond across species with sheep, goats, even (horrors!) cats makes them an evolutionary success story.

Your cat may or may not like-like you. But it is strongly bonded to you, and in an unfamiliar situation, when it feels threatened, it is likely to turn to you for comfort.

Almond milk is over. Oat milk is canceled. Whats in? Spider milk. Burying beetle milk. Great white shark milk. Flamingo milk. Which raises the question: what exactly is milk? Not all experts agree, but some scientists say that if a substance is synthesized or highly modified by a parent, and the offsprings life depends on it, thats milk. Now excuse us while we put out cookies and pink flamingo milk for Santa.

At home, Russia, like the United States and other countries around the world, has embraced the promise of 5G, the next generation of cellphone technology. But in the U.S., RT America, the broadcast network run by the Russian government, has been warning American viewers that the telecommunications technology will kill and disable children. Many alarming claims about 5G technology are linked to bad, debunked science. The U.S. intelligence agencies describe RT America as the Kremlins principal international propaganda outlet. The network has taken aim at fracking, vaccination and even the U.S. electoral process; now it has applied its playbook to cellphones.

Thirteen species of salmon and steelhead trout are considered threatened or endangered in the Northwests Columbia basin region. Wild Chinook salmon could disappear within the next 20 years, according to one Forest Service expert. The fish are a keystone food source for other species, and an endangered population of orcas may be starving for lack of enough wild salmon to eat. Many scientists favor removing dams on some rivers to save the orcas and the fish. But the idea faces resistance from government agencies that manage the rivers.

A video of salmon traveling through a long tube went viral in 2019. You probably watched it. But the Whooshh cannon its actual name is a serious tool that conservationists are testing not only to help fish migrate, but to contain invasive carp that foul North American waterways. If it doesnt work, scientists have other ideas, like koi herpes.

Robert Ballard, the ocean explorer who found the wreck of the Titanic, set his sights on solving the enigma of Amelia Earharts fate. Following an irresistible hint, his crew headed to the Pacific island nation of Kiribati, spending weeks searching for her crashed plane by air, land and sea. They returned empty-handed, but with one bit of solace: A blurry clue from an old picture, which had driven years of speculation about Earharts final resting place, can probably be dismissed for good.

The north magnetic pole, the point on the Earth where a compass needle would point down, is sliding about 35 miles closer to Russia each year.

The North Pole is at the very top of the world, right? Actually, the planets magnetic north is a considerable distance from 90 degrees north, and it moves around. Lately it has moved more than expected, requiring scientists to update the World Magnetic Model a year earlier than planned. The tinkering ensures that modern navigation tools will continue to function properly, but it is a reminder of the geoscience mysteries deep beneath Earths surface.

When does life end and death begin? Scientists seem to have blurred that line when they managed to restore cellular activity in brains removed from slaughtered pigs. Although the pig brains did not exhibit any higher functions, some cells regained metabolic activity. The research is preliminary, but it upends standard medical thinking about the brain and raises more than a few metaphysical conundrums.

Happy 150th birthday to the Periodic Table of Elements! As scientists celebrated Dmitri Mendeleevs enduring array of chemical elements this year, some also wondered whether there might be a better way to organize the stuff of the universe. A New and Improved Table could come in handy: As more superheavy elements are discovered, their behaviors could challenge the integrity of Mendeleevs memorable chart.

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What We Learned in Science News 2019 - The New York Times

Dec 17, 2019

Intel Labs has unveiled what it believes to be a first-of-its-kind cryogenic control chip code-named Horse Ridge that is aimed at speeding up the development of full-stack quantum computing systems.

According to Intel, Horse Ridge will enable control of multiple quantum bits (qubits) and set a clear path toward scaling larger systems a major milestone on the path to quantum practicality.

Developed together with Intels research collaborators at QuTech, a partnership between TU Delft and TNO (Netherlands Organization for Applied Scientific Research), Horse Ridge is fabricated using Intels 22nm FinFET Low Power (22FFL) technology. In-house fabrication of these control chips at Intel will dramatically accelerate the companys ability to design, test and optimize a commercially viable quantum computer.

Quantum computers promise the potential to tackle problems that conventional computers cant handle by leveraging a phenomena of quantum physics that allows qubits to exist in multiple states simultaneously. As a result, qubits can conduct a large number of calculations at the same time dramatically speeding up complex problem-solving.

While there has been a lot of emphasis on the qubits themselves, the ability to control many qubits at the same time had been a challenge for the industry," said Jim Clarke, Intels director of Quantum Hardware. "Intel recognized that quantum controls were an essential piece of the puzzle we needed to solve in order to develop a large-scale commercial quantum system. Thats why we are investing in quantum error correction and controls. With Horse Ridge, Intel has developed a scalable control system that will allow us to significantly speed up testing and realize the potential of quantum computing.

Intel says that in the race to realize the potential of quantum computers, researchers have largely focused extensively on qubit fabrication, building test chips that demonstrate the exponential power of a small number of qubits operating in superposition.

However, it says, in early quantum hardware developments including design, testing and characterization of Intels silicon spin qubit and superconducting qubit systems it has identified a major bottleneck toward realizing commercial-scale quantum computing: interconnects and control electronics.

With Horse Ridge, Intel says it is introducing an elegant solution that will enable the company to control multiple qubits and set a clear path toward scaling future systems to larger qubit counts a major milestone on the path to quantum practicality.

For more information, go to http://www.intel.com.

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Intel Achieves Milestone in Quantum Practicality with 'Horse Ridge' - Database Trends and Applications

Dublin, Dec. 16, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "The Future of Quantum Computing, Quantum Networking and Quantum Sensors" conference has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

The World of Quantum Technology Business Opportunities

Quantum technology is developing rapidly, from interesting technology to use-cases to business development. Some quantum technologies are already earning money. According to the research division, Quantum Key Distribution (QKD), will reach revenues of around $140 million in 2020 and the market for Quantum Computers will reach approximately $110 million. Quantum technology now embraces quantum computing, QKD, post-quantum cryptography (PQC) and quantum sensors; and of course, all the related software.

As these markets evolve Business people and Professionals in the quantum technology field must keep track of all relevant information to make strategic choices. This third quantum technology event will be held in New York, at one of the city's most modern conference facilities. It will be a must-attend event for strategic planners, marketing executives, designers, product managers, engineers, investors, government executives, and others in the quantum technology field. New York is the center of the financial world and this means enhanced attention to the conference from both investors and media outlets.

This NY event is a follow-on to the highly successful 2019 events in Boston and Europe in 2019. The event in New York in April 2020 will offer:

The Future of Quantum Computing, Quantum Networking, and Quantum Sensors - New York will provide comprehensive insights into the commercial future of all areas of quantum technology, presenting both opportunities available today and future applications for businesses and government.

The Future of Quantum Computing, Quantum Networking, and Quantum Sensors - New York will be jointly organized with 3DR Holdings, which organized the other highly successful quantum technology events. It will be a major learning experience on how quantum technology is evolving, in which marketing and deployment strategies are being pursued and which near-term steps will be taken by everyone from researchers to end-users.

Topics Covered

Quantum Computing Hardware & Software

Specifically:

Quantum Computing Applications

Specifically:

Agenda

April 2nd, 2020

8.30 am Plenary: Keynotes

Symposium I: Quantum Computing Hardware

9:15 am Panel 1: When will quantum supremacy arrive? What will it mean? 9:55 am Panel 2: Whither quantum annealers? 10:35 am Panel 3: Future uses of quantum simulators 11:15 am Coffee break 11:35 am Panel 4: Quantum computing hardware startups: What are the opportunities? Speaker: John Randall Zyvex - President Zyvex Labs 12:15 pm Talk: Quantum Computing Hardware Forecasts

Symposium III: Quantum Networks

9:15 am Panel 1: Second generation QKDs and QRNGs: New products and market forecasts 9:55 am Panel 2: Quantum-based cybersecurity in mobile networks and payment systems 10:35 am Panel 3: What will the Quantum Internet look like? 11:35 am Panel 4: Early-stage quantum networks: Some case studies

12:35 pm Lunch

Symposium II: Quantum Computing Software

2:05 pm Panel 1: Evolution of quantum computer operating systems: Proprietary or multi-vendor 2:45 pm Panel 2: Applications software for quantum computers: Types and market prospects 3:25 pm Coffee break 3:45 pm Panel 3: AI, machine learning and quantum computing 4:25 pm Panel 4: Post-quantum encryption software Speaker: Reza Azarderaksh - PQSecure - Co-founder and President 5.30 pm Networking Reception 6.30 pm Startup Forum

Symposium IV: Quantum Sensors

2:05 am Panel 1: New quantum sensor technologies and materials 2:45 pm Talk: Quantum network applications and forecasts 3:45 pm Panel 2: Atomic clocks: Quantum directions 4:25 pm Panel 3: Quantum lidar and quantum radar Speaker: Maria Thoma Hall - Velodyne - President

April 3rd, 2020

8.30 am Plenary: Keynotes

Symposium V: End Users and Applications

9:15 am Panel 1: Quantum technology for healthcare: imaging, therapy, and planning 9:55 am Panel 2: Quantum technology for the materials sector: pharmaceuticals, the chemical industry, and oil and gas Speaker: Govinda Bhisetti Biogen - Head of Computational Chemistry 10:35 am Panel 3: Quantum technology for automotive, aerospace and transportation planning Speaker: Dr. William Clark - General Dynamics Mission Systems - Technical Director of Quantum R&D 11:15 am Coffee break 11:35 am Panel 4: Quantum technology in banking and financial services Speaker: Carlos Kuchkovsky Jimenez - BBVA - Chief R&D and Technology Officer - New digital business 12:35 pm Lunch

Symposium VI: Policy, Regulation, and Standards

9:15 am Panel 1: Quantum processors -- architectures 9:55 am Panel 2: Quantum processors -- materials 10:35 am Panel 3: New developments in cooling: components, materials, and systems Speaker: Jacob E. Grose - BASF Venture Capital - Investment Manager 11:35 am Panel 4: Quantum repeaters, quantum memories, and trusted nodes Speaker: Mehdi Namazi - Qunnect - CEO 12:35 pm Lunch

Symposium V (part 2): End Users

2:05 pm Panel 5: Quantum computing software for the financial services industry 2:05 am Panel 1: Quantum technology and the China question 2:45 pm Panel 6: Quantum computing and optimization applications 2:45 pm Panel 2: US national quantum technology policy Speaker: Terrill Frantz - Harrisburg University - Associate Professor of eBusiness and Cybersecurity 3:25 pm Coffee break 3:45 pm Panel 7: Early users of QKD and quantum networks 3:45 pm Panel 3: Quantum technology policy in Europe 4:25 pm Panel 4: The quantum technology business worldwide: Where to next?

For more information about this conference visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/lrnk75

Research and Markets also offers Custom Research services providing focused, comprehensive and tailored research.

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2-Day Conference: The Future of Quantum Computing, Networking & Sensors (New York, United States - April 2-3, 2020) - Benzinga