Quantum Machines Ltd. said today it’s trying to enhance its quantum computing hardware platform by integrating it with Q-CTRL Pty. Ltd.’s specialized quantum firmware.

Quantum computers can process information far faster than classic computers can do, and hold tremendous potential in areas such as drug discovery, artificial intelligence and industrial chemistry, to name just a few. But today’s early quantum systems are extremely fragile and bring extraordinary demands on the conventional electronic systems that are needed to make them run.

That explains why Quantum Machine will integrate Q-CTRL’s quantum firmware with its Quantum Orchestration hardware and software platform to add an extra layer of “control optimization” to enhance the performance of its prototype machines.

Quantum Machines, which is based in Israel and came to attention earlier this year when it raised $17.5 million in a Series A round of financing, says its Quantum Orchestration platform provides the classical computing hardware that’s needed to properly operate quantum processors.

It argues that classical hardware is still needed to perform mathematical operations on quantum bits, which it does by sending electromagnetic pulses to the qubits. The Quantum Orchestration Platform uses Quantum Assembly Language, a special quantum computing programming language, to translate classical code into quantum code that can program algorithms to run on any quantum processor.

As for Q-CTRL, it’s an Australian startup that’s dedicated to tackling the problem of reliability in quantum computing. Quantum computers are so fragile they must be kept in isolated containers at temperatures close to absolute zero in order to work reliably. Even then, most quantum systems can only run calculations for a short period of time before errors start occurring.

That’s because the “qubits” used in quantum computers are inherently unstable. Qubits are potentially superior to the “bits” used in traditional computing because they can be set as a one or a zero, and also both states simultaneously. This means they have an extra value to help with performing calculations, which makes them exponentially more powerful.

Q-CTRL’s software helps quantum computer engineers to stabilize those qubits. The company’s two flagship products, Black Opal and Boulder Opal, visualize processing errors in sleek dashboards that display detailed technical data about the root causes of a problem and include controls that engineers can use to reprogram their quantum computer’s circuitry to correct for errors. In turn, the qubits can execute computations with greater success, the company says.

Q-CTRL’s software is already used by quite a few of the companies that currently operate functioning quantum computers, including Rigetti Computing Inc., Bleximo Inc. and consulting powerhouse Accenture plc. Quantum Machines said that by integrating its platform with Q-CTRL’s software, it can give researchers more control over complex experiments and scale quantum computing more reliably.

Quantum Machines co-founder and Chief Executive Dr. Itamar Sivan told SiliconANGLE that the performance of both companies’ products would be improved through this partnership. For example, Q-CTRL’s software would be able to deliver new capabilities for end users that will ensure better performance from quantum processors, with longer qubit lifetimes and increased quantum volumes.

“At the same time, employing Q-CTRL’s platform, our Quantum Orchestration Platform can now deliver state-of-the-art optimization and calibration algorithmics, out-of-the-box,” Sivan said. “QM’s end-users will now be better equipped to optimize their pulses and pulse sequences. Altogether, this will allow them to realize the potential of their quantum processors through better gate fidelities and longer lifetimes, and will eventually increase the volume of their quantum processors.”

Constellation Research Inc. analyst Holger Mueller told SiliconANGLE that Quantum Machine’s partnership with Q-CTRL is more proof that the quantum computing industry is growing quickly and establishing subcategories, especially with software coming into play.

“Software can help to make the operation of quantum clusters easier to manage,” Mueller said. “Quantum Machines’ and Q-CTRL’s partnership is an encouraging step that will make it easier for enterprises to leverage quantum technologies sooner.”

Images: Quantum Machines