Some foundational aspects of quantum computers and quantum robots

✍ Scribed by P. Benioff

• Publisher: Elsevier Science
• Year: 1998
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 173 KB
• Volume: 23
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0749-6036
• DOI: 10.1006/spmi.1997.0519

✦ Synopsis

This paper addresses foundational issues related to quantum computing. The need for a universally valid theory such as quantum mechanics to describe to some extent its own validation is noted. This includes quantum mechanical descriptions of systems that do theoretical calculations (i.e. quantum computers) and systems that perform experiments. Quantum robots interacting with an environment are a small first step in this direction. Quantum robots are described here as mobile quantum systems with on-board quantum computers that interact with environments. Included are discussions on the carrying out of tasks and the division of tasks into computation and action phases. Specific models based on quantum Turing machines are described. Differences and similarities between quantum robots plus environments and quantum computers are discussed.