William Hurley is chair of IEEE Quantum Computing Working Group
Today IEEE announced the approval of the IEEE P7130—Standard for Quantum Computing Definitions project. The new standards project aims to make Quantum Computing more accessible to a larger group of contributors, including developers of software and hardware, materials scientists, mathematicians, physicists, engineers, climate scientists, biologists and geneticists.
While Quantum Computing is poised for significant growth and advancement, the emergent industry is currently fragmented and lacks a common communications framework,” said Whurley (William Hurley), chair, IEEE Quantum Computing Working Group. “IEEE P7130 marks an important milestone in the development of Quantum Computing by building consensus on a nomenclature that will bring the benefits of standardization, reduce confusion, and foster a more broadly accepted understanding for all stakeholders involved in advancing technology and solutions in the space.”
The purpose of this project is to provide a general nomenclature for Quantum Computing that may be used to standardize communication with related hardware, and software projects. This standard addresses quantum computing specific terminology and establishes definitions necessary to facilitate communication.
“Confusions exist on what quantum computing or a quantum computer means,” added Professor Hidetoshi Nishimori of the Tokyo Institute of Technology and IEEE P7130 working group participant. “This partly originates in the existence of a few different models of quantum computing. It is urgently necessary to define each key word.”
