Ministry of Defense Buys Room-Temperature Quantum Computer

Over a year-long collaboration, the MoD plans to use Orca’s PT-1 model, believed to be the first computer of its kind to operate at room temperature and be based on-premises. 

The Orca PT-1 uses photonic qubits – single units of light – and does not require bulky refrigeration. This means it may be mounted into a compact, plug-and-play rack-mounted system built with readily available components, such as standard optical fiber.

The ministry plans to work with partners to develop applications for PT-1.

Orca has developed software for PT-1 that enables it to be used for complex machine learning and optimization tasks, including image analysis, handwriting recognition and decision making. 

Sign up to receive the

Enter Quantum

newsletter here:

https://get.knect365.com/enter-quantum-newsletter-subscribe/

“This work with Orca Computing

“We expect the Orca system to provide significantly improved latency, the speed at which we can read and write to the quantum computer. This is important for hybrid algorithms, which require multiple handovers between quantum and classical systems.” 

Orca CEO Richard Murray added: “We’re delighted to be working with the MoD. This represents a significant vote of confidence, particularly given the critical importance of national defense.

“While there has been much discussion and debate in the industry over the realities of near-term quantum computing, our partnership with MoD gives us hands-on close interaction, and working with real hardware will help us to jointly discover new applications of this revolutionary new technology.”   

Orca recently announced a $15M Series A funding round.