Fujitsu Digital Annealer (DAU) - The world's first Quantum-Inspired technology

What is the Digital Annealer?

Using a digital circuit design inspired by quantum phenomena, the Digital Annealer computational architecture bridges the gap to the quantum world and paves the way for much faster, more efficient solving of today’s business problems.

The solution is designed to solve large-scale combinatorial optimization problems which are unsolvable using today’s classical computers. Fujitsu delivers quantum-inspired Technology and Services with the Digital Annealer offering to advance global business and society.

Features and Benefits

• Stable operation at normal room temperature and small form factor
• Fully coupled 8,192-bit connectivity that allows for large-scale problem solving
• 64-bit (264) gradations allow high accuracy in expressing combinatorial optimization problems

The most advanced technology to solve combinatorial optimization problems for business

A key challenge in quantum computing is the requirement to contain the system and keep it free from interference, which can require operation at very low temperatures, close to 0 degrees Kelvin.

Digital Annealer does not require such a complex environment. Use the power of quantum computing today!

How Digital Annealer solves complicated problems rapidly

In quantum mechanics, which inspired Digital Annealer, the phenomenon known as "superposition" refers to the simultaneous existence of two different states, 0 and 1. This phenomenon is the basis of "quantum bits" or qubits, which can dramatically improve calculation speed. Digital Annealer emulates qubits in a digital circuit.

Among the various quantum computing methods that exist in the market today, Digital Annealer is categorized as an example of the annealing method, which focuses on solving combinatorial optimization problems and the achievement of successful results with rapid operational capabilities. Unlike classical computers, Digital Annealing does not require programming; instead, simply setting parameters allows calculations to be performed.

Digital Annealer Business Applications

• Route Optimization: Finding the shortest path to a destination; ideal for identifying the quickest transportation routes, public transportation planning and also applicable in factory robot route optimization.
• Industrial Equipment & Networks: Identify network design problems and develop optimal communication networks and oil and gas pipelines.
• Deliveries & Scheduling: Optimize delivery plans and scheduling; ideal for postal and logistics services requiring delivery scheduling improvements, employee work hours scheduling and event coordination.
• Distribution & Warehouse Operations: Improve placement of in-stock parts in factories, stores and distribution warehouses.
• Disaster Recovery: Providing an efficient and quick recovery, rescue and aid plan in an event of calamities.

Optimize and Innovate with the Digital Annealer technology solution

Fujitsu IT Products Limited required a solution to optimize routing and in-stock parts placement.

Digital Annealer reduced the time required to select parts and the distance covered by optimizing routes, shelf layout and parts placement, which effectively reduced the overall travel distance by 45%.

Automotive: Factory Optimisation

Car manufacturers are looking to improve production efficiencies in order to accelerate deployment of new vehicles. Tasks include logistics improvements, vehicle design and robotics optimization.

Digital Annealer-powered production aims to identify errors and flaws such as corrosion, defects and quality issues immediately thereby improving overall production planning and ultimately vehicle delivery.

Bio/Material Science: Faster Molecular Similarity Search

Chemical and pharmaceutical laboratories use molecular similarity searching, which partially extracts molecule characteristics to search for new substances and to develop new drugs.

Digital Annealer-powered research explores entire molecular structures without relying on extraction, thereby enabling accurate, instant similarity searching.

Financial Services: Low-Risk Portfolio Optimization

A Digital Annealer powered portfolio solution finds the ideal investment allocation to maximize returns by grouping stocks that correlate with price variations, enabling portfolios to be managed with accuracy and reduced risk.

The Digital Annealer solution can instantly find the best permutation from among 20 or more stocks (equivalent to more than one quintillion permutations).

Distribution: Warehouse Inventory Management

In factories and distribution warehouses, the time it takes workers to walk around picking parts can be lengthy.

Using the Digital Annealer within its own factory environment, the Fujitsu IT services team was able to optimize routes and in-stock part placement so workers can successfully reduce distance traveled by up to 45 percent, significantly increasing productivity.