Google Researchers Make Quantum Computing Components More Reliable

A solution to one of the key problems holding back the development of quantum computers has been demonstrated by researchers at Google and the University of California, Santa Barbara. Many more problems remain to be solved, but experts in the field say it is an important step toward a fully functional quantum computer. Such a machine could perform calculations that would take a conventional computer millions of years to complete.+

The Google and UCSB researchers showed they could program groups of qubits—devices that represent information using fragile quantum physics—to detect certain kinds of error, and to prevent those errors from ruining a calculation. The new advance comes from researchers led by John Martinis, a professor at the University of California, Santa Barbara, who last year joined Google to set up a quantum computing research lab (see “Google Launches Effort to Build Its Own Quantum Computer”). Martinis now holds a joint position between UCSB and Google, leading work on superconducting aluminum chips that operate at a fraction of a degree above absolute zero. Most of the work behind the new results, reported today in the journal Nature, took place before Martinis joined Google.+

Google has been exploring quantum computing since 2009, when it began collaborating with D-Wave Systems, a startup that sells what it calls “the first commercial quantum computer” (see “The CIA and Jeff Bezos Bet on Quantum Computing”). Microsoft also has a sizable quantum computing research program (see “Microsoft’s Quantum Mechanics”).+

To make a quantum computer requires wiring together many qubits to work on information together. But the devices are error-prone because they represent bits of data—0s and 1s—using delicate quantum mechanical effects that are only detectable at super-cold temperatures and tiny scales. This allows qubits to achieve “superposition states” that are effectively both 1 and 0 at the same time, allowing quantum computers to take shortcuts through complex calculations. It also makes them vulnerable to heat and other disturbances that distort or destroy the quantum states used to encode information and perform calculations.3

Much quantum computing research focuses on trying to get systems of qubits to detect and fix errors. Martinis’s group has demonstrated a piece of one of the most promising schemes for doing this, an approach known as surface codes. The researchers programmed a chip with nine qubits so that they monitored one another for errors called “bit flips,” where environmental noise causes a 1 to flip to a 0 or vice versa. The qubits could not correct bit flips, but they could take action to ensure that they did not contaminate later steps of an operation.+

“More work needs to be done before we can say that all the elements required for fault-tolerant quantum computation are in place, but I do think this work shows that we are close,” says Daniel Gottesman, who works on quantum error correction at the Perimeter Institute in Waterloo, Ontario.+

The elements still required are not trivial, though. The bit flips that Martinis and colleagues took on can be addressed using classical algorithms that work on a conventional computer. A trickier kind of error, where a quantum property of a qubit known as “phase” is altered by environmental noise, can only be tackled using more complex algorithms that exploit quantum effects. Austin Fowler, a quantum electronics engineer with Google, says the group is now working on that, and on demonstrating error checking on more than nine qubits.+

Still, recent results from Martinis and others make Gottesman optimistic that the full set of error correction techniques is within reach. “I think there is a good chance we will see such a demonstration by someone, possibly the Martinis group, within the next few years,” he says.

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Dampak dari Hidup Menyendiri

Sahabat Web-Uniks, Ada sebuah penelitian / riset yang mengakatan bahwa  hidup menyendiri akan menyebabkan kematian, Bagaimana menurut shabat semua tentang penelitian ini ?.

Ada sebuah penelitian baru-baru ini yang menyatakan jika kondisi kesepian yang di alami oleh seseorang dapat meningkatkan peluang terjadinya kematian sekitar 30 persen.

Sama seperti sahabat Web-Uniks yang selalu menemani perjanan Web -Uniks dalam memberikan informasi terkini, Kita sebagai makhluk sosial tentu saja membutuhkan orang lain dalam kehidupan kita.

Menurut penelitian baru-baru ini, hidup menyendiri dan merasa kesepian meningkatkan peluang kematian dini sekitar 30 persen.

Julianne Holt-Lunstad, dari Brigham Young University, yang mengulas penelitian, mengatakan kepada CNN bahwa merasa sendiri dan sendirian, keduanya harus dianggap sebagai hal serius.

"Data penelitian menyatakan umur panjang akan dirasakan apabila Anda terhubung secara sosial dengan baik," katanya.

"Tapi kita juga harus mempertimbangkan saat-saat seseorang yang mungkin dikelilingi oleh orang lain namun masih merasa kesepian."

Faktor lain yang diperhitungkan adalah usia dan penyakit. Usia rata-rata peserta penelitian adalah 66 tahun, yang menunjukkan perlunya penelitian lebih lanjut di kelompok usia yang lebih muda.

Temuan ini diterbitkan jurnal Perspectives in Psychological Science edisi Maret.

Penelitian ini menyatakan betapa besarnya manfaat persahabatan dan hubungan sosial sesama manusia.

Kelompok peneliti di Mayo Clinic menyarankan, meskipun persahabatan memiliki tantangan tersendiri tetapi punya manfaat yang berdampak besar bagi kehidupan.

Dalam studi 2013 terhadap lebih dari 3.000 pasien kanker payudara, para peneliti menemukan bahwa perempuan yang terisolasi secara sosial memiliki gejala kanker payudara yang lebih tinggi dan perasaan rendah diri berlebih.

Penelitian itu memiliki kesimpulan yang sama: memiliki sseorang sahabat dan menjalin hubungan sosial yang baik akan membantu Anda hidup lebih lama dan lebih baik.

Untuk menghindari orang merasa sendiri dan kesepian, beberapa negara seperti Hong Kong, Tokyo, dan Finlandia, melakukan berbagai upaya yang unik.

Salah satunya, jika Anda mau makan di restoran sendirian, Anda bisa minta ditemani boneka binatang yang imut, tertarik?

Ini yang Terjadi Jika Ibu Hamil Merokok
Pil Ini Membuat Orang Berbuat Baik
Cara Mudah Menguak Bahaya Gorengan
Ikat Pinggang Terlalu Ketat Risiko Kanker Tenggorokan
Pelukan 20 Detik Cegah Pasangan Selingkuh
Tak Tahan Suara Bising, Tanda Anda Jenius?
Sering Minum Soda Bikin Umur Pendek.

Bagaimana pendapat sahabat semua ? Silahkan  berikan pendapat sahabat pada komentar di bawah , Terima kasih.

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Join Our Kickstarter Campaign and Make ModMath 2.0 A Reality!

This post has been written by Dawn Denberg, creator of ModMath. She recently started a Kickstarter campaign to raise funds to add additional features to the iPad version and also create an Android version in the near future.

If you�re a regular reader of this blog, you may recall my post last September about ModMath, a new iPad app my husband and I created to help kids with dysgraphia complete math homework without pen or paper.

We built this app out of desperation. Our son, who is dyslexic and dysgraphic, was falling behind in math because his handwriting is so terrible, even he can�t read it. And if you can�t write math problems, you can�t solve the math problems.

 So we created a free app that uses the iPad touch screen and an on-screen keypad to set up and solve math problems. Assignments are laid out on virtual graph paper that can be e-mailed to the teacher. The response to ModMath from the LD community has been overwhelming. Thousands have shared our story with their social media communities. And, to date, we�ve had more than 26,000 downloads.

We continue to receive a steady stream of letters thanking us for creating ModMath. But we receive an equal number of queries asking for additional features like a keyboard with buttons for variables, coefficients, integers, exponents and other advanced math concepts. Imagine a scientific calculator, and you�ll get the picture. However, like the original app, it won�t do the calculations for the student. It just sets up the problems and and keeps their work legible. We hope to level the playing field, not give dysgraphic kids an unfair advantage.

Also on our agenda: Once we establish the more advanced iPad version, we�ll duplicate the functionality and make it available for Android tablets as well. Other possible upgrades include the ability to save your work to Drop Box or Google docs.

We are committed to adding whatever enhancements we can afford. However, we�ve already tapped out our personal funds on the beta version. We�ve launched a Kickstarter campaign, where anyone moved to do so can make a donation. We set our goal at $20,000. That�s enough to cover the enhanced iPad version. But we�ll need additional funds to get that Android version built. So, feel free to overfund us. Kickstarter uses an all or nothing model, meaning if we aim to high we get nothing. So we settled on the minimum we need and hope to get much more.

 Give if you can. And if you can�t, just promoting our story on social media will help us reach our goal. Kids with learning disabilities have enough challenges. Please help us to help them around one of their many obstacles.

ModMath Kickstarter Campaign 

Image source: Flickr

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Ripchair Provides Full Independence To Wheelchair Users So They Could Enjoy The Outdoors Again

When summer comes, the first thing we think of is the great outdoors! Some like to hike, swim, bike whereas others like to go fishing or hunting (which can be done in winters too!). However, it may not be very easy for those who are on a wheelchair. Navigating the rugged terrain in some locations may be very challenging for a wheelchair with all sorts of rocks of varying sizes, uneven terrain, hills, rivers, mud and so many other elements that can make maneuvering extremely difficult.

To overcome all these obstacles and to give wheelchair users the independence and confidence to  venture out and participate in their favorite outdoor activity and sport , Howe and Howe Tech, a small business run by two brothers out of Waterboro, ME have invented the Ripchair. Currently at version 3.0, Ripchair is an "extreme"  vehicle that has a ramp and an area big enough for a wheelchair (and its occupants) to fit in. The ramp helps the user back into the Ripchair where they get locked in and secured. Customized left or right electronic control, cup holders, lighting and other add-ons for recreational pleasure. With all the controls, accessories and add-ons, the user has full comfort and control of the vehicle that provides them great maneuverability and sturdiness. Whether it's the riverside they want to go to or on top of a mountain, Ripchair will get them there!

Ripchair 3.0 specifications

Watch the following videos to see what all Ripchair can do and where all it can take you. 

To know more about Ripchair, visit their website. Unfortunately, there is no pricing information available anywhere on the website but the order form on the website suggests that 60% of the total price is due upfront.

Source: Legendary Speed [Thanks for sharing, Teresa!]

Image Source: TrackChairExtreme

Website: TrackChairExtreme

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Calming Chair For Children On The Autism Spectrum

Quite often, children on the Autism spectrum find it extrremely hard to deal with stress and anxiety, resulting in tantrums, meltdowns and hyperactivity. It is also well known that hugging or snuggling with them (applying deep touch pressure) can calm them down, thus resulting in reduced tantrums and meltdowns.

To provide comfort to children in the form of non human touch pressure, there are solutions available in the market. However, these solutions are clunky, noisy, impractical and of course, expensive. Such "squeeze machines" or "hug machines" are 5 feet by 5 feet, weigh 300 lbs, have big industrial sized compressors, and cost several thousand dollars.

To come up with a practical and more affordable solution, Stuart Jackson, father of Joshua who is opn the Autism spectrum, challenged some engineering students to design a chair that was quiet, light and pleasing to the eye.

After a lot of brainstorming and ideas, the students came up with a design that involved a papasan chair and several other items. Inflatable air bags were put on top of the chair, topped by vinyl covers and a swimming noodle around the edges for cushion. The pressure in the air bags is regulated by a hand held remote that controls an air mattress pump. This entire arrangement is covered by a removable stretch fabric.

This chair, which has been checked for safety, weighs 30 to 40 lbs and costs less than a thousand dollars. There is a "lounger" as well that weighs 70 lbs for around the same price.

The students took it to an elementary school to test it and noticed that children, although a little uneasy in the beginning, started embracing and enjoying it as the chair inflated around them.

Now that they have the concept and substantial testing has been done, the students will interview parents of children on the Autism spectrum to gauge if there is indeed a bigger market for this chair. Once that's established, mass production of this chair will begin.

Let's wish these students the best and hope we get to see these chairs in the market soon!

Source: Disability Scoop

[Thanks for sharing, Bridget!]

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Microsoft's 3D Soundscape Technology Can Change The Way Blind People Navigate

The 21st century has introduced us to so many technologies, platforms and tools that help us live in a world of "constant connect and contact". Instant messaging on all devices, sending and receiving photos whenever and wherever, notifications of all sorts all the times from mobile apps and wearables - we are getting information from various sources constantly. In terms of practical uses, this is great for an able bodied person who can use these notifications for, let's say commuting from one place to another, if their wearable or phone notifies that the next bus is in 10 minutes so it's okay if they walk and don't run! However, can blind people take advantage of such mechanisms in a similar fashion? Commuting and traversing through a neighborhood or community is always stressful for blind people, however experienced they may be. First of all, they have to spend a lot of time learning routes, and even then, there are silent cyclists, smart cars, low hanging branches from trees, construction in the area amongst other things that may be overwhelming and take them by surprise. Is there a way around these obstructions that can add ease, comfort and independence to the way blind people navigate? Can we have a "constant contact and connect" system for blind people that can
make them aware of their surroundings and make daily living and moving around a breeze?

A few months ago, Microsoft, in collaboration with Guide Dogs in UK and Future Cities Catapult, an urban innovation and integration company, launched a very interesting pilot program that has potential to change the way blind people navigate.

"No. 9 bus is approaching."

"Your chiropractor is 10 meters ahead."

"Your favorite Chinese restaurant is around the corner."

"Beware: this is a main road."

Microsoft's 3D Soundscape Technology is designed to help blind people fully experience their environment without worrying about surprises and stress, and providing more independence when they are out and about. This technology consists of a location that has wifi and bluetooth powered sensors in the physical environment that will communicate with a blind person and give them verbal cues so they know where they are and what they are approaching.

There are three components to this technology:

1. A Windows phone that will listen to external and internal sensors around the person.
2. A pair of bone conducting headphones that sends sounds and verbal cues directly to their inner ear, leaving their ears free for environmental noise.  These headphones rest against the sides of their head.
3. "A boosted" route: a route that has a lot of sensors in the physical environment.

As a blind person is walking through a neighborhood, they will receive all sorts of notifications and verbal cues from the sensors - turn by turn direction, nearest drug store, bus  schedule, warnings, etc. It is also capable of guiding them to the aisle that has their favorite cookies once they are inside a store. Once they are there, they can use their phone to scan the barcode on the item and find out the price! With 3D Soundscape Technology, they are practically hands-free. 

Jarnail Chudge, Microsoft employee, is seen standing at Tamerisk Avenue and holding a pair of bone conducting headphones. This is where testing for 3D Soundscape technology took place.

This technology can be used by itself or as a complimentary asset along with a walking dog to enhance someone's experience in their daily environment, and can bring a paradigm shift in the way blind people operate. This is still in the very initial stages of development and there are many hurdles to be overcome, but just knowing that there is someone who is giving very thoughtful consideration to the way blind people navigate is truly refreshing and exciting.

Hit the source link to read a very fascinating story on how this project came into existence and all the people involved including the designers and testers.

Source: Microsoft
[Thanks for sharing, Ken!]

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A Wearable That Can Help Blind People Understand Their Surrounding

�This system could allow someone like me to focus on social interactions versus environmental aspects. It would lessen the tradeoffs I have to make whenever I�m multitasking.� - Darryl Adams, Intel employee

We saw in our last post how wearables like Reemo are taking gesturing to a totally new level. Intel, in a not so secret lab is also working on designing a wearable that will help the blind and visually impaired get a better sense of their surrounding so they could take the right actions.

This wearable, called environmental sensing system, consists of a camera and six sensors attached to

various points of a jacket. As objects or people approach the wearer, the sensors on the shirt detect the distance and direction of said object and vibrate, thus giving the wearer a sense of their immediate environment and letting them take necessary action. Here's a simple example - a blind person with this wearable is being approached by someone from the left to greet them. With the left sensors detecting the direction and distance of the person approaching and vibrating, the wearer can immediately turn to their left and extend their hand out to greet. Similarly, in social situations, the wearer can stay engaged and focused on a conversation with someone and not worry about what's approaching them because they know that their jacket will inform them. This is especially important for people who are always in a state of mild anxiety because they are trying to figure out what's around them so they don't bump into them or fail to react to social cues.

The video below shows Intel CEO Brian Krzanich talk a bit about this wearable. In the middle of the video he also brings in Darryl Adams, an Intel employee who was diagnosed with Retinitis Pigmentosa 30 years ago and has lost almost all of his vision (he can see less than 20% of what sighted people see). Darryl explains how this wearable has helped him in day to day life and changed his life by making him more aware of his environment.

This technology will be made open source later this year and anyone can build upon it to improve the technology, the products it will be used with, and bring more comfort and convenience to visually impaired people.

Hit the source link to learn more about the prototype and what went behind the scenes to make it happen.

Source: Intel

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