D-Wave Quantum continues to advance on its gate-model quantum computing roadmap with the launch of a beta simulator program under which customers can test-drive the error-aware programming capability that is a key aspect of D-Wave’s dual-rail qubit architecture.
The D-Wave press release noted, “The beta program offers select customers early access to the simulator in advance of its general availability to experiment with error-aware programming and develop quantum applications in preparation for D-Wave’s forthcoming gate-model systems. The simulator is built around D-Wave’s dual-rail superconducting gate-model technology, which is designed to harness error detection to deliver efficient quantum error correction with significantly lower hardware overhead as systems scale.”
Participants in the simulator beta program, some of which were quoted in the release, include commercial and research organizations BBVA, FirstQFM, Florida Atlantic University (FAU) and the Jülich Supercomputing Centre (JSC).
“D-Wave’s simulator represents an important step forward in giving researchers practical tools to explore the potential of error-aware quantum computing,” said Dr. Kristel Michielsen, director of JSC. “We are excited to gain early access to this differentiated technology and contribute insights that can help advance the development of D-Wave’s future gate-model systems.”
D-Wave is primarily known for its quantum annealing systems, but has been planning for years to launch a gate-model superconducting quantum computer. This work ramped up quickly over the last year. According to the gate-model roadmap outlined earlier this year, D-Wave is aiming by the end of this year to deliver “a 17-physical-qubit system that supports logical error rates 2 times lower than physical error rates.” By next year, D-Wave plans to complete “a 49-physical-qubit system that can deliver an expected 20-fold error reduction factor over the physical error rate.”
The dual-rail superconducting approach was at the core of D-Wave’s 2025 acquisition of Quantum Circuits, Inc.
Quantum News Nexus is a site from freelance writer and editor Dan O’Shea that covers quantum computing, quantum sensing, quantum networking, quantum-safe security, and more. You can find him on X @QuantumNewsGuy and doshea14@gmail.com.
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