The fastest supercomputing in Europe is connected to quantum computers, laying the foundation for a new type of computing.

CTOnews.com LUMI, Europe's fastest supercomputer, has been "married" to a small quantum computer that could help researchers figure out how to pair quantum computers with supercomputers optimally, laying the groundwork for a new type of computing that can solve complex problems faster.

Vile Kotovita of Finland's National Centre for Technology Research says the centre has connected Finland's first quantum computer HELMI to LUMI, currently the world's third-fastest and Europe's fastest supercomputer. The expected peak computing power of LUMI is as high as 550 petaflops. HELMI is a superconducting quantum computer that uses tiny circuits made of wires to process information.

Kotovita said that although HELMI currently has only five qubits, it can still help researchers find the best way to use both traditional and quantum computers. However, he also stressed that there are still many unresolved issues, such as how to better divide computing between quantum computers and traditional computers to make the most effective use of both. Currently quantum computers can only do some of the calculations that are best suited to their execution, while supercomputers handle the rest.