The first computer was made in 1822 by the famous Charles Babbage, also known as the 'Father of computers'. We have come a very long way since then. Mankind has invented many much more powerful computing devices than Charles Babbage ever dreamt of. From large supercomputers to home PCs and powerful compact handheld devices like smartphones, we have seen a lot of development in the tech industry. But is it the time for the next big and revolutionary upgrade? Has the current technology become saturated? Is the future beholding something else for us? Well, let us take a look!
What are today's computers based on?
Modern-day computers are based on the principle of binary numbers. These numbers are also known as bits. What are bits, you might ask? Bits are electrical or optical pulses that represent two numbers - 0 and 1. Everything computer in the modern world works on the combination of these 0s and 1s. Every key pressed on the keyboard is a combination of 0s and 1s. Every program made in the world is a combination of 0s and 1s. And every blog we write is also a combination of, you guessed it, 0s and 1s! These two digits make up everything modern computing is based on.
Now let us take a look at Quantum computing, a new way of computing that is set to become the next future.
What are quantum computers based on?
While modern-day computers use bits, quantum computing is based on 'Qubits'. Qubits are subatomic particles like protons or electrons. These can provide much faster processing speeds than classical bits. While the bits can only represent either 1 or 0 at a given instant, qubits, on the other hand, can represent a combination of 1s and 0s at a given instant, thus changing the core definition of computing. This is the reason that quantum computing is way faster than computing systems based on bits.
While qubits are definitely a major breakthrough, they are not stable enough for practical use yet. Nor does it seem that they will be ready for common use anytime soon in the future. Qubits are very unstable and have to be kept under very special conditions like in vacuum and hyper-low temperatures, which are even lower than the cold space. Even a very slight disturbance in the environment, also known as 'noise' in this case, can disrupt the process and lead to many errors.
So, now you know we still have a long way to go before quantum computers become available at your local retail store!
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