The world's first 28-qubit quantum computer was demonstrated this week at the Supercomputering 2007 Conference. Just a day earlier, Scientific American received a press release for Qubitsâ„¢, an educational toy "giving a child the satisfaction of Building Strong Structures just like Mother Nature." Unfortunately for the computing wonks, each Qubitsâ„¢ package comes with a whopping 60 Qubitsâ„¢. Also, the company has trademarked "Qubitsâ„¢." Looks like physicists everywhere need a new unit of measurement.
Qubits are a unit of quantum information discovered by Benjamin Schumacher. Unlike a normal computer bit, which must have a value of 0 or 1, a qubit can be 0, 1, or a superposition of both. Computers that use quantum information could revolutionize research as they crunch numbers at rates unimaginable with traditional computers.
As a comparison, Qubitsâ„¢ can be used to build "Columns, Hexagons, Bridges, Space Stations, Skyscrapers or Snowflake Structures!" Just remember that Qubitsâ„¢ can never, ever exist in a superposition of a Space Station and a Skyscraper. That's unholy.
In all reality, the trademark likely only applies to the toy space and the Qubitsâ„¢ brand. In fact there are already 11 other records of some variation of "qubit" on file with the United States Patent and Trademark Office. Likewise, last week saw a flurry of excitement over T-Mobile trademarking the color magenta before an actual lawyer explained that it's probably not a big deal.
Unfortunately, Qubitsâ„¢ hasn't responded to requests for comment. But inquiring minds want to know, so we ask you, the readers, to fill in the blanks for us:
1. How far does the trademark extend?
2. Where did you guys draw the name from?
3. You talk about the toys more generally in reference to nanotech. What's the connection?
4. Should the folks behind the latest 28-qubit quantum computer be on the look out for a new unit of measurement to describe their tool?
5. Finally, will your toys ever jump quantum states and shift children into another dimension or allow them to walk through walls?
Bonus question left off my original email to Qubitsâ„¢: What's the great new name for quantum information?
The best answer wins the commenter the right to come to Austin and help me build a series of the worlds largest Magnetaâ„¢ Qubitsâ„¢ Snowflake Structures! I'm buying.
Comments
Joey Seiler
says:
Mark Buringer, Owner and Operator of Qubitsâ„¢responds. Fortunately the computers are safe:
Funny stuff, glad it is all in jest, because I can't afford lawyers.
1. Yes, it is a trademark on a line of TOYS - Called Qubitsâ„¢ - it is not a retroactive trademark on all usages of the word, scientific or otherwise.
2. I have been a Scientific American reader for years, nothing more than an fan - not a scientist, actually I am just an architect. The word caught my attention, it is kinda cute. Plus I consider my work as anticipatory design science in the vein of Buckminster Fuller. I want people to think science when they play with this toy called, Qubitsâ„¢.
3. The Nanotech connection comes from the spherical structures I can build with the toy. It looks like the geometry of the Fullerine, actually it is slightly different, but what intrigued me is that the ball can only be made with combinations of units (numbers) that match the better known icosahedral Fullerenes with N = 60, 180, 240, 540, 960, 1500, ... I met with Jim Gimzewski at UCLA to discuss this with him and... well I guess we both found that the coincidence was interesting. Nanotech is the recombination of matter in new ways, that is exactly what my toy teaches a child. Not a hundred different plastic parts that make a structure, it is just two parts - a positive and a negative modular form that can use entropy to create many natural structures.
4. of course not, don't be silly
5. of course it will, don't be silly
November 14, 2007 9:01 AM
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