EQUALITY project advances towards quantum algorithms for industrial applications

Having reached its halfway point, the EQUALITY project lays the foundations for the industrial use of quantum computers and looks forward to contribute to the roadmap towards quantum advantage in the industry.

Quantum computing is one of the frontiers of research and innovation due to its potential to outperform classical computers in solving certain tasks. However, using current quantum hardware requires grappling with the limitations of this nascent technology.

The EQUALITY project’s objective is to develop a full stack of technologies comprised of core quantum algorithms and hardware; a set of enabling technologies (mid-ware and APIs, efficient resource utilization strategies, etc) to make the most of the imperfect Noisy Intermediate-Scale Quantum (NISQ) hardware; and a set of industrial use cases where the quantum computing is expected to bring the largest impact.

Especially notable during the project’s first 18 months is the implementation of an API (Application Programming Interface) for a quantum algorithm used to solve partial differential equation systems, a cornerstone for the anticipated full-stack application-specific quantum computing envisioned by the consortium.  The API will enable further research and, hopefully, the experimental testing of the aforementioned quantum algorithm for applications relevant to the aerospace industry, one of EQUALITY’s target use cases. 

Additionally, the consortium established the bases for further algorithmic developments, such as novel quantum approaches to optimisation, analysis of noise in quantum bits and its impact on applied computations, tailoring of quantum circuits, and much more.

Going forward, the consortium will investigate mid- and high-complexity problems related to the use cases, compare results from an emulator including noise and topology factors against simulation on the integrated stack. Ultimately, EQUALITY aims to contribute to the roadmap towards quantum advantage in the industry.

About the EQUALITY project

The EQUALITY (QUAntum ALgorithms for IndusTrY) consortium – comprising Airbus, Capgemini, Da Vinci Labs, Fraunhofer ENAS, German Aerospace Center, INRIA, Leiden University and Pasqal – was selected by the EU’s key funding program for research and innovation, Horizon Europe, to develop innovative quantum computer algorithms that are aimed to solve strategic industrial problems. The partners will receive a cumulative six-million-euro funding from the European Commission between 2022 and 2025. Learn more about the EQUALITY Project and its achievements on the project website.