• Fujitsu and Yaqumo are testing Fujitsu's quantum software on Yaqumo's neutral-atom hardware after moving from theoretical work to an actual machine in August
  • The project is testing whether one software environment can support different quantum systems while still handling the differences between the machines

The fact

Fujitsu and Japanese startup Yaqumo are testing Fujitsu's quantum-computing software on a neutral-atom machine, extending tools that were developed mainly around other types of quantum hardware. The companies began theoretical work in April and started testing on an actual machine in August. Their collaboration combines Fujitsu's STAR architecture and its Open Quantum Toolchain with Yaqumo's system, which uses ytterbium atoms as qubits.

Part of the work involves adapting the software so it can translate commands for Yaqumo's machine, schedule jobs and monitor its operating condition and calibration. Fujitsu ultimately wants users to be able to work with different types of quantum computers through a common interface. The project is still in development. Fujitsu has not announced a generally available neutral-atom cloud service, while Yaqumo's goal of building a system with several hundred qubits and error-correction capability by fiscal 2027 remains a target.

The assessment

The aim is to make different quantum computers easier to work with. Instead of learning a completely new set of tools for each machine, researchers could use the same software to submit jobs and manage their work. That does not mean every quantum computer will behave in the same way. Fujitsu still has to adapt its software to Yaqumo’s hardware, including how jobs are sent to the machine and how its condition is checked while it is running. The benefit is a simpler way to access different systems, not identical performance.

For BTW readers, the value will be in whether this approach makes it easier for researchers to try different quantum machines without losing sight of their differences. If Fujitsu can show that in practice, it could remove some of the extra work involved in moving between different types of quantum hardware.

What to watch

Watch for a demonstration of real workloads running through Fujitsu's software on Yaqumo's hardware. Details on supported commands, job scheduling and cloud access will show how much of the user experience can actually be shared across different quantum-computing systems.