IBM is making quantum computing available to the public, providing access to a platform from any desktop or mobile device via the IBM Cloud.

It has implications for healthcare, where another supercomputer, IBMWatson, is already at work helping researchers and clinicians eradicate cancer, making sure the world’s population gets better sleep and sorting big data to boost genomics work and precision medicine.

With IBM Quantum Experience, the new cloud-based platform unveiled today, users can create algorithms and run experiments, learn about quantum computing through tutorials and simulations and get inspired by the potential of a quantum computer.

The goal, say IBM executives, is to make it easier for researchers and the scientific community to accelerate innovations.

[See also: IBM Watson teams up with American Cancer Society to pit cognitive computing against cancer.]

Today’s announcement comes days after Big Blue launched on April 29, secure blockchain services for healthcare, government and financial services on the IBM Cloud.

Blockchain is the technology underpinning bitcoin, but IBM executives and others note that blockchain is much broader than bitcoin.

"Clients tell us that one of the inhibitors of the adoption of blockchain is the concern about security," Jerry Cuomo, vice president, Blockchain, IBM, said in a statement. "While there’s a sense of urgency to pioneer blockchain for business, most organizations need help to define the ideal cloud environment that enables blockchain networks to run securely in the cloud."

[See also: IBM Watson takes analytics prowess overseas: Supercomputer to work on big data and genomics in Italy.]

Blockchain becomes more attractive wrapped in the new security framework IBM introduced on April 29 along with new blockchain services

IBM’s quantum processor, IBM Quantum Experience, is housed at the IBM T.J. Watson Research Center in New York.

A universal quantum computer can be programmed to perform any computing task and will be exponentially faster than classical computers for a number of important applications for science and business, according to IBM executives.

“Quantum computing is becoming a reality and it will extend computation far beyond what is imaginable with today's computers," said Arvind Krishna, senior vice president and director, IBM Research, said in a statement. "This moment represents the birth of quantum cloud computing. By giving hands-on access to IBM's experimental quantum systems, the IBM Quantum Experience will make it easier for researchers and the scientific community to accelerate innovations in the quantum field, and help discover new applications for this technology."

Twitter: @Bernie_HITN
Email the writer: bernie.monegain@himssmedia.com