The pan-European supercomputer LUMI (“Snow”), by CSC – IT Center for Science, has been integrated with Finland‘s first quantum computer HELMI (“Pearl”), the 5-qubit hosted by VTT Technical Research Centre. The fusion has become the most effective utilization of the quantum computer’s computing capability. This hybrid service linking a supercomputer and a general-purpose quantum computer is being made available to scientists for the first time in Europe.
“VTT wants to do applied research using the quantum computer and learn more about these possibilities. We see great potential in quantum computing for accelerating innovation for the benefit of companies and the whole society. We will continue to build bigger and more powerful quantum computers, which will also become available for users through the same gateway”,
Pekka Pursula, Research Manager at VTT
While quantum computers have the potential to be exceedingly effective at specific tasks, they require supervision by ordinary classical computers. The successful collaboration of HELMI and LUMI paves the way for a future in which quantum computers and traditional high-performance computers collaborate to solve the most challenging problems that neither can solve alone.
Integrating HELMI with LUMI allows for hybrid computing projects and accelerates the creation of necessary quantum algorithms and software. From here, a knowledge of the technology’s potential for solving real-world use-cases will emerge.
“LUMI is now the most powerful quantum-enabled supercomputing infrastructure in the world, in addition to being a leading platform for artificial intelligence. This means that we have all the drivers of the future of computing seamlessly integrated and ready to be utilized
Pekka Manninen, Director of LUMI.
While supercomputers are extremely powerful in their own right, some problems can only be solved faster, more accurately, or with less energy when partially solved on quantum computers. These issues include the development of new products and materials, such as in the pharmaceutical, chemical, and battery industries. Artificial intelligence will reach new heights thanks to quantum machine learning. The process of developing new materials could be considerably accelerated by the combined computing power of machine learning algorithms for producing novel molecular structures based on current molecular data.
“Quantum computers are in many respects strange and unfamiliar, and it will be exciting to see how our customers end up using them. New technology tends to find uses in areas no-one even thought of before!”
Mikael Johansson, Quantum Strategist at CSC.
Pilot access to the infrastructure will now be provided to users from Finnish universities and research organizations through an open Call. This enables testing and experimentation with quantum computing for a variety of purposes. The objective is to make the connection available to a larger audience after the academic pilot. The newly formed relationship offers insightful information on the potential of quantum computing as well as practical know-how on how to effectively use the new technology.
“We are creating the basis for future large-scale quantum computing infrastructure in Finland with this initiative. The first generation of quantum computers will be most valuable for training researchers and students in quantum algorithms and computing, and related technologies”,
Tapio Ala-Nissilä, Professor of physics at Aalto.
Read more about it here.