Hack the Multiverse! Quantum Computing Talk in Open Source Virtual Reality

Hack the Multiverse blogger Suzanne Gildert gave a talk about quantum computer programming last weekend. The talk took place in teleXLR8, now powered by OpenQwaq, a new opensource version of the original engine. teleXLR8 is a virtual environment where you can watch talks and have discussions. It’s awesome (think TED in Second Life, plus webcam videoconferencing and video session recording).

Dr. Gildert outlined the basics of Quantum Computing, described the the D-Wave One quantum computer, and explained how to program it. The talk covered an introduction to quantum computing and the technology of building quantum computers, then moved into a tutorial discussing Energy Programming: A new way of programming unlike anything else in existence, with a special treat for those attending the talk: A chance to navigate one’s avatar around a lifesize virtual copy of the D-Wave One quantum computer.

More than 30 participants attended the talk and asked many interesting questions in a lively Q/A session after the talk. For those who missed it, the full video coverage is on the teleXLR8 video channel on YouTube:

VIDEO A – 1h 33 min, recorded by Giulio Prisco (shown above)
VIDEO B – 1h 43 min, recorded by Frederic Emam-Zade, includes 10 min of chat before the talk, taken mostly with a zoom on the viewgraphs
VIDEO C – 1h 50 min, recorded by Jameson Dungan, includes 18 min of chat before the talk, taken from a fixed point of view

The same videos are available on the teleXLR8 video channels on Blip.tv and Vimeo.

Abstract: William Gibson famously said: “The future is already here — it’s just not very evenly distributed.” The same is true of quantum computing. This mysterious subject is often relegated to ivory tower discussions and shrouded in a language of complex mathematics. Yet there are many people out there who feel an itch to start hacking with quantum computers — a desire to program the very fabric of reality — no matter how early the adoption may seem.

This talk will be a call to arms — I’ll excite you about quantum physics – our deepest understanding of the Universe. I’ll explain why quantum computing is not as mysterious as everyone thinks. And I’ll show you how to become a quantum computer programmer in less than 10 minutes… Join me for an hour of both deep learning and fun, as I proudly stand up for those who are turning an abstract science into a powerful computational resource, and deliver the message that quantum computing is not spooky, it’s just misunderstood.