QRAND: A quantum random number generator for arbitrary probability distributions

Topic QRAND: A quantum random number generator for arbitrary probability distributions

Speaker: Pedro Rivero, Quantum Software Developer

Abstract : Random numbers are everywhere.
Computer algorithms, data encryption, physical simulations, and even the arts use them all the time. There is one problem though: it turns out that they are actually very difficult to produce in large amounts. Classical computers can only implement mathematical tricks to emulate randomness, while measuring it out of physical processes turns out to be too slow.
Luckily, the probabilistic nature of quantum computers makes these devices particularly useful for the task. Nonetheless, most of the current efforts in producing quantum random numbers have been focused on uniform probability distributions. Despite this fact, many applications need to sample from more complex distributions (e.g., gaussian, poisson).
This software introduces an interface layer between NumPy and Qiskit, along with some useful functionality that enables the production of quantum random numbers (QRN) for a wide variety of probability distributions. This is accomplished by transforming uniform probability distributions produced in IBMQ's quantum devices, through NumPy's random module.

Bio: I am an Aerospace Engineering MSc from Technical University of Madrid (Spain, 2018), currently pursuing a PhD in Physics at Illinois Institute of Technology. The focus of my thesis is the application of Quantum Computers to physics simulations. Particularly, I conduct research as a quantum software developer at Argonne National Laboratory, where I lead the design of the QSR hybrid quantum-classical variational algorithm, an alternative to VQE for the low qubit number regime. I am also part of the Quantum Information Science and Engineering Network (QISE-NET) a program hosted at the Chicago Quantum Exchange and lead by both the University of Chicago and Harvard university. In November 2020 I received a grant from Unitary Fund to develop QRAND, a quantum random number generator for arbitrary probability distributions, as part of their quantum open-source software initiative.