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First Self-Assembling Diamond Quantum Devices Unveiled
Photo: A cluster of larger (30-nanometer) nanodiamonds, bonded to an SP1 protein
German researchers have devised a technique of creating self-assembled nanodiamond quantum bits (qubits) that could form the basis of quantum computers and storage devices that, unlike every other quantum tech that we’ve seen on ET, could operate at room temperature.
There are many ways of storing quantum data — atom spin, electron spin, photon spin. There are also many different mediums that can act as qubits, too — single atoms, laser light, whole molecules. One combination excels above all others, though: Storing photons in a diamond nitrogen-vacancy center. This is essentially a diamond molecule (carbon atoms), with a single nitrogen atom replacing one of the carbons. It turns out that this nitrogen atom is remarkably good at storing photons, including the quantum data they carry, for incredibly long periods (milliseconds). More importantly, while virtually every other qubit material must be kept at cryogenic temperatures, diamond-nitrogen qubits can do this at room temperature without suffering from decoherence. (Watch: What is quantum computing, anyway?)
The problem so far, though, has been constructing small-enough diamonds that the nitrogen atoms — the individual qubits — are close enough to each other that they can interact. According to Technology Review, the diamonds have to be within 10 nanometers of each other. Now, Andreas Albrecht and fellow researchers at the University of Ulm in Germany have used DNA to build a scaffold that allows six nanodiamonds to self-assemble in a ring, potentially creating a six-qubit room-temperature quantum computer. (See: Quantum entangled batteries could be the perfect power source.)
Basically, Albrecht and co modified a ring-shaped protein known as SP1 so that it can bind with diamond. They then used a laser to slice tiny, 5nm diamonds off a larger diamond, and then dissolved these tiny diamonds in a solution. The solution was sloshed onto the SP1 rings, whereupon six nanodiamonds bond to each ring in a hexagonal formation. These diamonds don’t have the nitrogen vacancy — that would be the next step of the research — but if they did, they would be close enough to carry out quantum computation.
This breakthrough is exciting for two primary reasons: Self-assembly and scalability. If quantum computers are ever to become commercially viable, self-assembly is necessary — the other option, of painstakingly building each qubit by hand with room-sized scanning tunneling microscopes and cryogenic cooling gear, simply isn’t viable. This approach is also scalable, as in it should be possible to build larger DNA scaffolds that can latch onto more than just six diamonds. Future techniques might allow for dozens or hundreds of nanodiamond qubits — and at that point, we’re talking about computing power that would utterly and irrevocably alter the fabric of society.
Now read: Light stopped completely for a minute inside a crystal: The basis of quantum memory
Research paper: arXiv:1301.1871 - “Self-assembling hybrid diamond-biological quantum devices”
Source: http://www.extremetech.com/extreme/166445-the-first-self-assembled-nanodiamond-qubits-are-the-vanguard-of-the-quantum-computing-revolution
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Founded by Russian entrepreneur Dmitry Itskov in February 2011 with the participation of leading Russian specialists in the field of neural interfaces, robotics, artificial organs and systems.
The main goals of the 2045 Initiative: the creation and realization of a new strategy for the development of humanity which meets global civilization challenges; the creation of optimale conditions promoting the spiritual enlightenment of humanity; and the realization of a new futuristic reality based on 5 principles: high spirituality, high culture, high ethics, high science and high technologies.
The main science mega-project of the 2045 Initiative aims to create technologies enabling the transfer of a individual’s personality to a more advanced non-biological carrier, and extending life, including to the point of immortality. We devote particular attention to enabling the fullest possible dialogue between the world’s major spiritual traditions, science and society.
A large-scale transformation of humanity, comparable to some of the major spiritual and sci-tech revolutions in history, will require a new strategy. We believe this to be necessary to overcome existing crises, which threaten our planetary habitat and the continued existence of humanity as a species. With the 2045 Initiative, we hope to realize a new strategy for humanity's development, and in so doing, create a more productive, fulfilling, and satisfying future.
The "2045" team is working towards creating an international research center where leading scientists will be engaged in research and development in the fields of anthropomorphic robotics, living systems modeling and brain and consciousness modeling with the goal of transferring one’s individual consciousness to an artificial carrier and achieving cybernetic immortality.
An annual congress "The Global Future 2045" is organized by the Initiative to give platform for discussing mankind's evolutionary strategy based on technologies of cybernetic immortality as well as the possible impact of such technologies on global society, politics and economies of the future.
Future prospects of "2045" Initiative for society
2015-2020
The emergence and widespread use of affordable android "avatars" controlled by a "brain-computer" interface. Coupled with related technologies “avatars’ will give people a number of new features: ability to work in dangerous environments, perform rescue operations, travel in extreme situations etc.
Avatar components will be used in medicine for the rehabilitation of fully or partially disabled patients giving them prosthetic limbs or recover lost senses.
2020-2025
Creation of an autonomous life-support system for the human brain linked to a robot, ‘avatar’, will save people whose body is completely worn out or irreversibly damaged. Any patient with an intact brain will be able to return to a fully functioning bodily life. Such technologies will greatly enlarge the possibility of hybrid bio-electronic devices, thus creating a new IT revolution and will make all kinds of superimpositions of electronic and biological systems possible.
2030-2035
Creation of a computer model of the brain and human consciousness with the subsequent development of means to transfer individual consciousness onto an artificial carrier. This development will profoundly change the world, it will not only give everyone the possibility of cybernetic immortality but will also create a friendly artificial intelligence, expand human capabilities and provide opportunities for ordinary people to restore or modify their own brain multiple times. The final result at this stage can be a real revolution in the understanding of human nature that will completely change the human and technical prospects for humanity.
2045
This is the time when substance-independent minds will receive new bodies with capacities far exceeding those of ordinary humans. A new era for humanity will arrive! Changes will occur in all spheres of human activity – energy generation, transportation, politics, medicine, psychology, sciences, and so on.
Today it is hard to imagine a future when bodies consisting of nanorobots will become affordable and capable of taking any form. It is also hard to imagine body holograms featuring controlled matter. One thing is clear however: humanity, for the first time in its history, will make a fully managed evolutionary transition and eventually become a new species. Moreover, prerequisites for a large-scale expansion into outer space will be created as well.
Key elements of the project in the future
• International social movement
• social network immortal.me
• charitable foundation "Global Future 2045" (Foundation 2045)
• scientific research centre "Immortality"
• business incubator
• University of "Immortality"
• annual award for contribution to the realization of the project of "Immortality”.
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