Alice & Bob, a Quantum computing company, has introduced the Helium Quantum System, a quantum computing platform built around its cat-qubit architecture and designed to support research into quantum error correction and fault-tolerant quantum computing.
According to a press release, Helium can also be integrated into high-performance computing (HPC) environments, allowing researchers to combine quantum and classical computing resources within the same infrastructure.
The platform is also designed to support Alice & Bob’s planned 48 cat-qubit processor, which is expected to feature multiple logical qubits. Helium has been engineered to encode the company’s first logical qubit using 18 cat-qubits, reflecting its approach to reducing the hardware overhead required for quantum error correction.
Logical qubits are considered a critical milestone for the industry, as they enable quantum computations to be protected against errors that can quickly accumulate in physical qubits. The processor, control electronics, cabling and software stack into a system optimized for operating logical qubits.
Théau Peronnin, CEO and co-founder, Alice & Bob, “The Helium Quantum System is an important milestone on our journey, giving researchers direct access to the architecture underpinning our roadmap to universal, fault-tolerant quantum computing.”
The launch reflects a broader industry shift from increasing qubit counts toward developing logical qubits and scalable error-correction techniques, which are widely regarded as essential for building practical fault-tolerant quantum computers.