Quantum technology has been one aspect of science that has always been assumed to be too futuristic for consumer use.
However, British Columbia-based company D-Wave Systems, Inc. have announced that they have started to sell their commercial quantum computers which is targeted at big corporations and institutions which have a high demand for such devices.
The first of their D-Wave Quantum Computers was sold to security company Lockheed Martin, based in Bethesda for a sum of $10 million, which means normal guys like you and I would not be able to afford it. However, the amount includes maintenance and service for several years. The idea is to further develop the D-Wave and use it to construct cyber-physical systems. D-Wave One, as it is currently known is a quantum computer that is targeted at fortune 500 companies which usually encounter industrial issues.
It is also targeted at governmental set-ups and academic institutions. The D-Wave One uses a 128-qubit processor chip which also uses superconductors. It would be housed in a cryogenic system in a shielded room that measures 10 square meters. Of course, the size may prove to be a bit of a hindrance but slowly over the years the size may reduce and we may start seeing quantum computers that are commercially manufactured, and also within the range of the average consumer.
At least, we can now hope for quantum computers that would be available commercially, and now we know for sure that this particular technology is not just a futuristic notion, but something that is very real and tangible. You could also take a look at the 33rd Largest Computer in the world, which contains a ton of PS3s. This sure should be a good competition for even the D-Wave One! I would say, it would be really cool to have quantum computers that could be used in research departments so that one could dwell deeper into the arena of quantum physics.
