Simula is spearheading efforts to establish European standards for quality assurance in quantum software as part of the Q-VERSE project, with Dr. Shaukat Ali and Dr. Paolo Arcaini leading the charge. The team is tackling a fundamental challenge in quantum computing: probabilistic outputs that demand automated testing and noise mitigation, unlike traditional software debugging. Simula is employing Graph Neural Networks and Reinforcement Learning to create intelligent workflows that efficiently divide tasks between quantum processors and classical supercomputers.
Q-VERSE Project Unifies Quantum Software Development Across Hardware
Simula researchers are designing a comprehensive performance-tracking system to measure quantum application performance in real time, enabling developers to identify slowdowns or hardware degradation as they occur. This system moves beyond simple execution metrics to assess how applications function within the complex interplay of quantum and classical computing resources. The project addresses a critical bottleneck in quantum computing development.
This hybrid approach aims to maximize computational speed and efficiency by assigning each component the work it performs best, a departure from traditional single-processor paradigms. The team’s focus extends beyond mere speed, however, to ensure applications can run reliably across diverse quantum hardware configurations.
Unlike conventional software debugging, quantum programs yield probabilistic outputs presenting a unique challenge for quality assurance, Simula says. Simula is building a flexible testing framework to automatically detect software flaws and mitigate the effects of real-world hardware noise. “Our focus will be to apply rigorous software engineering principles; automated testing, intelligent hybrid orchestration, and noise mitigation so that developers can build trustworthy quantum applications ready for real-world use,” Dr. Arcaini stated.
This automated testing assesses the probability distribution of results to identify inconsistencies and errors, moving beyond simply verifying a single output. The Q-VERSE project, a 36-month initiative supported by the European Union’s Horizon Europe programme will validate these tools across five industrial use cases, including applications in railway scheduling and pharmaceutical drug design.
Quantum hardware is evolving rapidly, but software tools have lagged behind.
Dr. Shaukat Ali, Head of Department for Engineering Complex Software Systems at Simula
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