Time Odyssey

Quantum entanglementis another aspect to quantum computing which I think is probably the more relevant of the two quantum mechanisms to have an impact if / when we ever get to working quantum computer systems. Essentially entanglement is a process by which two quantum particles are linked regardless of distance so that if you know the quantum information of one particle, the other can be derived.

So to some extent we can imagine a process whereby there then exists the possibility that in quantum software, the master copy can be retained at a head office and the quantum copy is what is distributed. You have automated verification that what you are working with is a verifiable copy. Also updates to the software can be made at the head office and since quantum entanglement means that what you do to one set of quantum information the other set mirrors, software updates are automatic.

Take this process further – You could have a set of quantum disk drives where the master file record is contained in a central repository and when the remote copy is updated so is the master without the need to connect via the Internet.  The process can be extended to other mechanisms that we typically take for granted but are vital for current day to day living. Router and switch software updates, BIOS updates for example. Nanotechnology which uses small specialized programs to do things such as monitor health or conduct internal tissue repair could auto update without ever having to be extracted and reprogrammed.

This is the real holy grail of quantum computing. Its not going to be in the amount of processing power although that will have definite impacts. Its going to be in the fact that once you have loaded your quantum computer with your applications the need for Internet communications leads towards a world in which Internet based communications disappears. Science being what it is, you can kind of figure that if we can figure out how to develop quantum states between two particles that we can figure out how to do it with n particles.

Essentially where this is leading is towards a world where communications can occur instantaneously without the need for satellites, fibre optics, fixed wired, or wireless communications. This will be the next huge technological leap forward and the one that is going to open up vistas never before imagined. Putting this into perspective - Scientists at a future version of JPL / NASA will be able to remotely explore planets in real time without having to account for time lags due to speed of light communications. Robots could be sent to Mars, Jupiter’s and Saturn’s moons, and we could work as easily there in real time as there would be no immediate need to send people to those planets to build initial infrastructures along with the associated risks inherent in their creation. – K