Games, computing, and the mind: How search algorithms reflect game playing

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IMAGE: Illustration of PPN and CNS as search indicators, applied to several two-person and single-player games. These indicators can bridge search algorithms and entertainment via the analogy of 'motion in mind'... view more  Credit: Hiroyuki Iida from JAIST. Iahikawa, Japan - Humans benefit from playing games more than some might realize. Games can be a relaxed approach to learning or honing our problem-solving skills while relieving stress. However, game playing generally carries a considerable amount of decision-making, involving mathematical and statistical considerations that we make to decide on what we think is the best move. Thus, games showcase many of the impressive faculties and inner workings of the human brain, which in turns makes them a great testbed and playground for research on artificial intelligence...

Quantum systems learn joint computing

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IMAGE: This picture shows the two qubit modules (red atom between two blue mirrors) that have been interconnected to implement a basic quantum computation (depicted as light blue symbol) over a... view more  Credit: Stephan Welte, Severin Daiss (MPQ) Today's quantum computers contain up to several dozen memory and processing units, the so-called qubits. Severin Daiss, Stefan Langenfeld, and colleagues from the Max Planck Institute of Quantum Optics in Garching have successfully interconnected two such qubits located in different labs to a distributed quantum computer by linking the qubits with a 60-meter-long optical fiber. Over such a distance they realized a quantum-logic gate - the basic building block of a quantum computer. It makes the system the worldwide first prototype of a distributed quantum computer. The limitations...