Will a commercial quantum computer be built in your lifetime?
When we started the Perimeter Institute, I thought it was 30 to 50 years out. I would lose credibility–anyone would–if I had said it was going to happen in five to 10 years. It’s kind of like the early days of RIM. We had no idea we were going to become a global corporation and define the smartphone revolution. But I think things have proven themselves to the point now where nobody is questioning whether we’re going to have a quantum computer–it’s just a matter of when. And there are all these spinoffs that are resulting from the investment and research. The very first example of that is a magnetic sensor that is made from a quantum device that is a million times more sensitive than any other sensor. These sensors can be used for all kinds of things, from mineral exploration on up.
Could this be our IR sensor?
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/rob-magazine/the-interview-mike-lazaridis-on-the-next-computing-revolution/article19216874/