A collaborative team of researchers from Australian and American universities, in partnership with quantum technology company BTQ, has published a research paper proposing a novel approach to the proof-of-work (PoW) consensus mechanism using boson sampling.
The newly introduced “proof-of-work consensus by quantum sampling” utilizes quantum computing techniques to achieve faster and more energy-efficient validation of consensus, offering an alternative to the slow processing speeds and high energy consumption associated with traditional PoW algorithms like the one used in Bitcoin (BTC).
The researchers claim that their proposed system will exhibit significantly enhanced energy efficiency when implemented on quantum hardware. They also state that the system has the advantage of increasing mining difficulty as more quantum mining machines join the network, thereby ensuring a consistent block mining time.
According to the researchers, this incentivizes the participation of “quantum miners” in the network. Peter Rohde, a co-author of the research paper and a researcher from the University of Technology Sydney, shared the paper on Twitter, highlighting its potential impact.
While boson sampling is not a new concept in quantum computing, its application in blockchain technology presents a unique opportunity. Previously, boson sampling had been limited to specific industries as a non-universal quantum computing solution.
However, the researchers believe that this technique could be a fitting solution for future-proofing blockchain networks and reducing energy consumption in mining. They explain that quantum hardware possesses inherent advantages over classical supercomputers in the context of blockchain mining, enabling more efficient consensus validation.
The fusion of quantum computing and blockchain technology opens up new possibilities for the future of cryptocurrencies and decentralized systems. The researchers suggest that this advancement could pave the way for faster, more secure, and environmentally friendly blockchain networks.