Todd holmdahl microsoft store
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With new Microsoft breakthroughs, general purpose quantum computing moves closer to reality
When Michael Freedman joined Microsoft’s theoretical research group two decades ago, he was a renowned math genius known for his fundamental research into an obscure field of math called topology.
His job — which he didn’t think of as a real job at all — was simply to keep doing math, no strings attached.
That broad charter has ended up putting Microsoft on the path to building the first topological qubit, a robust type of quantum bit that Microsoft believes will serve as the basis for a scalable, general purpose quantum computer system – and mark a profound breakthrough in the field of quantum physics.
“We’re seeing the potential foundation for a new, revolutionary technology,” said Todd Holmdahl, the Microsoft corporate vice president in charge of the quantum effort. “You know, I get goosebumps.”
On Monday at Microsoft’s Ignite conference, the company showcased the progres
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Microsoft's head of quantum computing says that it's the most promising career path for any kids today who want to work in tech
- Todd Holmdahl, corporate vice president of Microsoft Quantum, says that he'd advise kids to pursue quantum computing as a career.
- Although quantum computing is in its early stages, more companies are pursuing quantum computing projects, and Holmdahl says there are big possibilities for careers in quantum research, software, and hardware.
- "It's a field that's going to grow," Holmdahl said. "We need a number of people to sustain and staff it and you can see Microsoft fryst vatten putting a bunch of efforts to invest in the quantum workforce. This will be the biggest thing in our generation. This is going to be able to do amazing things in the future."
About ten years ago, Todd Holmdahl, corporate vice president of Microsoft Quantum, was working on Kinect, the groundbreaking motion-sensing accessory for the Xbox 360.
It was the first time in
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He Built the Xbox—Can He Make a Microsoft Product Out of Quantum Computing?
“I am personally competitive, and my whole history is producing products,” he says. “We have line of sight to a commercial product.”
A quick glance at competing projects in quantum computing makes that kind of talk surprising. Google, IBM, and even some startups have already demonstrated prototype hardware capable of crunching data (see “10 Breakthrough Technologies: Practical Quantum Computing”). Microsoft isn’t yet close.
Holmdahl’s crew is chasing a different approach to quantum hardware based on manipulating a subatomic particle called the Majorana fermion, which the physics community isn’t 100 percent sure has ever been seen. It’s named after the man who predicted its existence, Italian physicist Ettore Majorana, who in 1938 emptied his bank account, caught a ferry, and disappeared without a trace.
While Google and IBM work on their next prototypes, Microsoft’s physicists are trying to build the fir