Text 2. Quantum computers

http://www.futuretechnology500.com/index.php/future-computers/

PRE-READING

Activity 1. Read the following definitions of quantum: ”a unit used for measuring very small amounts of energy”, or “the smallest amount of a physical quantity that can exist independently, especially a discrete quantity of electromagnetic radiation” and say what you know about its application in science and technology.

Future computers are on the forefront of becoming mainstream. If you think computing is all about silicon chips and bandwidth then you may want to think again in a few years as this will be irrelevant.

Future quantum computers will make today’s desktops and laptops seem like wooden pegs and balls attached to sticks by strings. In the near future, computers will use nanotechnology to shrink the size of silicon chips, increasing speed and power with parallel processing.

But, this can go on only so long before a new technology steps in. The future quantum computers that are not based upon digital 1’s and 0’s are coming. Instead these future computers are based upon qubits (quantum bits). The power of magnetic forces at a subatomic scale will unleash the exponential power of future computers.

Scientists and researchers have always dreamed of artificial intelligence and computational neural networks and in the near future this will be so. Right now, silicon chips provide a limitation that will be overcome with the use of quantum mechanics in computing.

By manipulating the rotation of atoms, data can be transmitted and stored at an unprecedented rate. Qubits and kets are what future computers will be measured in, not gigabits or terabytes. Currently there is not enough computational power to pull off true artificial intelligence. There is also not enough computational power to decrypt complicated encryption methodologies.

But, with the exponential power of future quantum computers aided by nanotechnology and artificial intelligence there will be. Future computers will no longer have RAM or DRAM but rather MRAM (Magnetoresistive Random Access Memory) which is a present reality.

In today’s world, disabled people are being trained to work with computers using only their minds. When DARPA meets Sony and the brain-computer barriers come tumbling down, everyone will be able to command computers, robots, bionics and other quantum based electronics using only our minds. Future computers will interact with us on a neural level.

With the help of the qubit and the qubyte that can process 0’s and 1’s simultaneously in a process known as superposition, processing power will increase exponentially. Today’s gigaflops will be replaced by tomorrow’s teraflops, petaflops, exaflops all the way to lumaflops and beyond to words that haven’t even been created yet.

Future computers will allow us to communicate with others from a distance just by thinking. Researchers at IBM, UC Santa Barbara, Yale, Sony and many other companies are working on this now. Did I also mention DARPA is working on this?

Now, this may be scary for some people to know that the military is working on the next generation of future computers which could cause a doomsday scenario among the Super Powers. Or that countries that are not currently Super Powers could become ones by developing quantum computers for the military that become the bullies of the world.

But, there is a more likely scenario. And this scenario is that with the advent of future computers the world will become a more democratic place. We are already seeing the revolts in the Middle East and Far East because of the Internet and Social Media.

As communication lines are opened up and data is spread fast, the barriers between upper class and lower and middle classes start falling. Dictators who restrict communications cannot stop future technology from rising and people across the world from using new technology.

Because of the properties of quantum entanglement, communications around the world will become instantaneous and without geopolitical boundaries. Coups and revolts will be settled quickly as problems will be resolved with instantaneous communication globally. Future computers will aid in space travel, communications, medical technology and practically every level of our day to day lives. And this future is not as far away as you may now think.

http://www.futuretechnology500.com/index.php/future-computers/

LANGUAGE FOCUS

Activity 2. Fill in the table with derivatives:

Noun	Verb	Adjective	Adverb
	process
		resistive
interaction
		scary
Instant
	measure

Activity 3.Match the words to make collocations. Make you examples with them:

1. to become	a. on a neural level
2. shrink	b. a doomsday scenario
3. interact	c. mainstream
4. settle	d. coups and revolts
5. cause	e. the size of chips

Activity 4. Fill in the gaps with the missing prepositions:

1. Quantum computers are now ___ the forefront of the industry development.

2. New computers will be able to process and store information ___ an unprecedented rate.

3. Currently there is not enough computational power to pull ___true artificial intelligence.

4. Future devices will interact ___ us ___ a neural level.

5. The optimistic scenario is that ___ the advent of quantum computers the world will become more democratic.

Activity 5. Define the following words:

Quantum computers, mainstream, parallel processing, neural networks, MRAM, gigaflop, Super Powers. exponential

GRAMMAR FOCUS

Activity 6. Paraphrase the sentences using the Passive Voice:

1. Future quantum computers will make today’s desktops and laptops seem like wooden pegs and balls attached to sticks by strings.

2. In the near future, computers will use nanotechnology to shrink the size of silicon chips, increasing speed and power with parallel processing.

3. When DARPA meets Sony and the brain-computer barriers come tumbling down, everyone will be able to command computers, robots, bionics and other quantum based electronics using only our minds.

4. Tomorrow’s teraflops, petaflops, exaflops will replace today’s gigaflops.

5. Future computers will allow us to communicate with others from a distance just by thinking.

Activity 7. Put the verb into correct Future Tense, active or passive;

1. Quantum computers _______ (utilize) power of magnetic forces at a subatomic scale.

2. Future computers _______ (base) upon qubits.

3. They _______ (give) enough computational power to pull off true artificial intelligence.

4. 0’s and 1’s _______ (process) simultaneously in a process known as superposition.

5. In future the Super Powers _______ (endanger) by the next generation of computers.

WHILE-READING

Activity 8. Read the text and mark the statements true (T), false (F) or not given (NG).

1. Computers of the future will differ from modern ones mainly in size. ___

2. New computers will be developed on the basis of Artificial Intelligence. ___

3. Quantum computers will be comparatively inexpensive. ___

4. The author is pessimistic about the future scenario for mankind development. ___

5. Superposition is the ability of computers to process 0’s and1’s at the same instant. ___

POST-READING

Activity 9. Watch the video “Michio Kaku: The Future of Quantum Computing” at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YgFVzOksm4oand explain the work of quantum computers to your partner.

Activity 10. Summarize the text.