Chalmers Next Labs announces the opening of the Quantum Testbed, offering support with quantum technologies, for WACQT partners and researchers. The testbed will offer access to state of the art resources for both quantum hardware and quantum software testing. Following the agreement signed with IBM in January 2024, IBM’s top-of-the-line quantum computers are now also made accessible to WACQT collaborators.
The announcement means that the center’s partners — Saab, AstraZeneca, Ericsson, Jeppesen, Volvo Group, Hitachi Energy, KTH, Lund University, Stockholm University, Linköping University, Gothenburg University, and Chalmers — now may run algorithms on world-leading quantum computers. Through the testbed, researchers and developers have access to IBM’s 127-qubit Eagle and 133-qubit Heron quantum processors.
“With immediate availability, we are now ready to provide support and help with quantum algorithms and their execution on IBM Quantum Service, using a number of NISQ devices with sizes of up to 133 qubits. Our support team, the Quantum Helpdesk, can help to run quantum algorithms for partners, optimize algorithm performance, and interpret results,” says Miroslav Dobsicek, head of the Quantum Testbed at Chalmers Next Labs.
The agreement signed by Chalmers and IBM was made possible by a 50 million SEK grant from the Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundation with the purpose to offer a new opportunity for academia and Swedish industry to take the next step in exploring and utilizing quantum computers. The opening of the Quantum Testbed and the IBM Quantum Service to the center’s researchers and collaboration partners is seen as an important step forward.
Strengthening Swedish competence in quantum technology
The purpose of the testbed is to strengthen Swedish competence within quantum technology and lower the threshold for utilising quantum technologies, in both academia and industry. A key feature of the testbed is its support team, the Quantum Helpdesk, which will assist researchers and companies in using the Quantum Testbed.
The Quantum Helpdesk additionally offers consultancy in matters related to quantum technology and quantum computing. The aim is to help industrial partners understand and evaluate potential use cases.
Exclusive access for WACQT researchers
The Quantum Testbed is now in the process of hiring additional staff, equipping labs, and rolling out the first set of services – granting experienced WACQT researchers the ability to run quantum algorithms independently. While these services are currently exclusive to the center’s partners and researchers, the Quantum Testbed will in the future open to a broader Swedish userbase.
“The Quantum Helpdesk and access to IBM’s Quantum Service are offered for free to WACQT researchers, both from industrial partners and universities. At a later stage the Quantum Testbed will become accessible to other interested parties in society as well”, says Miroslav Dobsicek, head of the Quantum Testbed.
- Head of Unit, Chalmers Next Labs AB