#25 - Quantum Error Correction: why we need it and a novel theory for quantum consciousness

In episode 25 of the Quantum Consciousness series, Justin Riddle discusses quantum error correction, a protocol by which noise from the environment is actively counteracted in order to create quantum computations that are robust against the destructive chaos of the environment. Quantum computers are on the near horizon with companies like Google and IBM actively working to improve the technology. These computers will revolutionize information technology by providing a speed-up to the run time of algorithms at a scale that our minds struggle to comprehend. The enormity of an exponentially increasing space truly boggles the mind. For example, two shuffled decks of cards have a 1 in 10^67th chance of ending up in the same configuration. This is vastly greater than the number of grains of sand on the beach and atoms on and within the planet. While quantum computers promise to search these massive spaces in feasible time frames, any perturbation from the environment renders these computations unusable. Quantum error correction is required to salvage the utility of quantum computers. In digital error correction, we can provide redundant information about a bit of information such that chaotic forces can be reversed if that bit flips from a zero to a one or vice versa. Quantum error correction is similar but with the addition of a phase flip and bit+phase flip. Quantum error correction is currently being developed and quantum computers will become practical and fault tolerant in the near future, we just need to divide the advertised qubits in modern computers by 5 or 9. Finally, could biology being using a form of quantum error correction to make quantum computation in the brain more feasible? Looking at the Penrose-Hameroff microtubule model as an example, microtubules could each be encoding a single register of one fault tolerant qubit in their multiple topologies, or the topological arrangement of tubulin could serve as a fault tolerant qubit in itself. Furthermore, there may be protein systems designed to interface with microtubules that apply corrective quantum gates to the system in order to actively counteract destructive environmental forces. While speculative at this point, quantum error correction in biology could be the defining feature for how usable quantum computations are sustained for extended time frames giving rise to consciousness itself.

~~~ Timestamps ~~~
0:00 Introduction
2:33 Quantum computers on the horizon
8:05 The incomprehensible power of quantum computers
15:22 What is holding up quantum computers
22:05 How quantum error correction works
31:20 Encoded qubits in microtubules
36:10 Proteins applying corrective gates
39:00 Consciousness created by quantum error correction

#quantum #consciousness #errorcorrection

Music licensed from and created by Baylor Odabashian. BandCamp: @UnscrewablePooch

[sailingby]

Thanks Justin, another excellent, thought provoking episode.
Will have to go ponder your latest error correction consciousness idea, but I think you may be on to something by linking the sense of self to maintaining superposition coherence over time - keep up the good work!

[tonymintz]

This error correction also appears in Linguistics, were things like agreement keep the things within, say, a noun phrase in a coherent place through redundancy of the affixes in adjectives, or gender/noun class systems keeping the same paradigmatic patterns when used in free word order. In fixed word order languges (such as analytical languages such as Mandarin, Vietnamese, and to some extend English), the ordering itself prevents ambiguity through mantaining the same structure; even in question words. Very interesting how encoding information happens in this same pattern in languages as what you've described...

[hannutuomela]

The idea of how the concept of the brain/consciousness as a quantum computer grows from the principle of three worlds, is very convincing in many respects! However, I am puzzled that our brains (or at least my brain) are so slow and unable to process and comprehend exponentially large problems, when that is apparently a typical ability of a quantum computer... Maybe the reason is that there are only a few usable qubits in use due to error correction - or due to complete absence of any correction? Or, because the creation of consciousness alone is such a massive achievement that the capacity is no longer sufficient for demanding computational work.

[mirakovatcheva]

What about ontogeny? Self definitely depends on learning and memory. Cf. Andy Clark's idea of error correction of prediction where the latter is tied up to learning and experience

[bassguitar]

I like the idea that we could build quantum computers using protein tubes, essentially grow a mini brain/processor with cellular printing technology, obviously input and output measurements would be tricky but not impossible, it would be similar to planting an unknown seed and seeing what type of flower or tree it grows into.

[PeterIntrovert]

Maybe we need something like QFEB (Quantum Free Energy Principle) where Platonic World work as predictions, Physical World work as measurement's input and Mental World is errors correction mechanism?

[saral]

Would this be the same error correcting code that seems to emerge as space-time in AdS universes?

Also, is the new paper on proton spins in "brain water" significant in any way to Orch-OR?

[MengsenZhang]

This would imply when people are asleep or in a coma the microtubules will not be doing error corrections? thus the cytoskeleton must show some conformational changes across different states? Experimentally testable!

[TheWestman]

what if mediators between synapses are the error correction gates?

[MrMikeroffel]

what if fault error correction creates forms of autism and dyslexia or even multiple persalety disorder?

[AbhiN_]

Speaking of ORCH OR related concepts, can you comment on this?: