Waterloo non-profit creating open-source quantum computer

A Waterloo, Ont. team is building what they say is the world's first open source quantum computer. Spencer Turcotte finds out how they want to use it.

A team is banding together in a new Waterloo-based non-profit to build what’s being described as the world’s first open-source quantum computer.

“What you’re seeing is our trapped ion quantum processor,” said University of Waterloo (UW) quantum computer researcher Rajibul Islam, showing the computer being built at the Institute for Quantum Computing (IQC).

The point of building it is to help break down barriers.

“If more people have access to the technology, the better in general for society,” said Islam.

The problem is few people in the world have access to these powerful machines. A quantum computer helps solve complex problems far quicker than a regular computer.

“[Like finding] a specific drug molecule that binds to a protein so that it cures a disease without having a bunch of side effects,” said Islam.

The trouble is that quantum computing has commercial and intellectual property protections, which are often used in the for-profit private sector.

That’s where non-profit Open Quantum Design (OQD) comes in, hoping to change all of that. It’s made up of four partners – quantum heavy-hitters Xanadu, UW, the Unitary Foundation and Haiqu.

“All of the plans from the bare metal, the vacuum chamber that you can see and all the way up through the software stack to the end user. All of that will be made completely open and accessible,” said Greg Dick, CEO at OQD.

By essentially making the blueprints available to as many scientists and researchers as possible, countries can build their own quantum computers to design new drugs to battle diseases like malaria, which is not a priority for profit-driven pharmaceutical companies.

“Open Quantum Design is the world’s first open-source full stack quantum computer,” said Dick. “If it reaches its potential, it will change humanity in a lot of amazing ways.”

The hope is that the computer will be complete by the end of the year or by early 2026.

It’s something that’s been in the works with the IQC for quite some time.

“It’s an investment that is over almost 10 years [in the making] and it is millions of dollars,” said Siobhan Stables, IQC managing director. “It means we can reap the benefits.”

Those are benefits they want for everyone, thanks to this democratized approach to quantum computing.

To learn more about open quantum computing, watch this public lecture given by Islam.