Communications of the ACM
Tiny Quantum Computer Solves Real Optimization Problem
Chalmers University of Technology researchers have demonstrated that a small but well-functioning quantum computer could solve a small portion of a real logistics problem in the aviation industry.
Credit: Roche.com
Researchers at Sweden's Chalmers University of Technology showed that a small but well-functioning quantum computer was able to solve a small portion of a real logistics problem in the aviation industry.
Quantum computers already have shown their ability to surpass ordinary computers in solving certain tasks, but until now, those tasks have had no practical use.
The researchers successfully executed the Quantum Approximate Optimization Algorithm (QAOA) on a quantum computer comprised of a processor with two qubits to solve the problem of assigning aircraft to routes in practice.
Although their demonstration involved just two airplanes, they simulated solving the same optimization problem for up to 278 aircraft, which would require 25 qubits.
Chalmers' Giulia Ferrini said, "The results remained good as we scaled up. This suggests that the QAOA algorithm has the potential to solve this type of problem at even larger scales."
From Chalmers University of Technology (Sweden)
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