James Wootton
@decodoku.bsky.social
Misusing quantum computers for fun and/or science. Spock at Moth Quantum. Two Ts and no Es. All nonsense here is my own doing
New paper today! This time a collaboration between MOTH and DESY, as well as artist Roman Lipski.
We use quantum circuits to do image manipulation effects, embedded in a digital paint tool.
It's all free and open source. A perfect basis for your next quantum hackathon!
scirate.com/arxiv/2509.0...
We use quantum circuits to do image manipulation effects, embedded in a digital paint tool.
It's all free and open source. A perfect basis for your next quantum hackathon!
scirate.com/arxiv/2509.0...
September 3, 2025 at 7:56 AM
New paper today! This time a collaboration between MOTH and DESY, as well as artist Roman Lipski.
We use quantum circuits to do image manipulation effects, embedded in a digital paint tool.
It's all free and open source. A perfect basis for your next quantum hackathon!
scirate.com/arxiv/2509.0...
We use quantum circuits to do image manipulation effects, embedded in a digital paint tool.
It's all free and open source. A perfect basis for your next quantum hackathon!
scirate.com/arxiv/2509.0...
New paper out on the arXiv today
scirate.com/arxiv/2508.0...
A short review of the kinds of methods used in procedural generation of content for games, and how fault-tolerant quantum algorithms could be used to enhance them.
Daniel will also present this soon at the IEEE Conference on Games.
scirate.com/arxiv/2508.0...
A short review of the kinds of methods used in procedural generation of content for games, and how fault-tolerant quantum algorithms could be used to enhance them.
Daniel will also present this soon at the IEEE Conference on Games.
August 14, 2025 at 7:19 AM
New paper out on the arXiv today
scirate.com/arxiv/2508.0...
A short review of the kinds of methods used in procedural generation of content for games, and how fault-tolerant quantum algorithms could be used to enhance them.
Daniel will also present this soon at the IEEE Conference on Games.
scirate.com/arxiv/2508.0...
A short review of the kinds of methods used in procedural generation of content for games, and how fault-tolerant quantum algorithms could be used to enhance them.
Daniel will also present this soon at the IEEE Conference on Games.
"Wow, we made it!"
Makes sense for degree-level graduation speeches, but I don't think there are quite so many primary school dropouts.
Makes sense for degree-level graduation speeches, but I don't think there are quite so many primary school dropouts.
June 23, 2025 at 2:58 PM
"Wow, we made it!"
Makes sense for degree-level graduation speeches, but I don't think there are quite so many primary school dropouts.
Makes sense for degree-level graduation speeches, but I don't think there are quite so many primary school dropouts.
Made a new friend during a walk in the woods today
May 31, 2025 at 5:44 PM
Made a new friend during a walk in the woods today
We worked on something similar back in 2018, and it was unloved and incited for many years. Great to see that suddenly there is an uptick of interest in the topic again.
arxiv.org/abs/1811.06738
arxiv.org/abs/1811.06738
May 27, 2025 at 8:57 AM
We worked on something similar back in 2018, and it was unloved and incited for many years. Great to see that suddenly there is an uptick of interest in the topic again.
arxiv.org/abs/1811.06738
arxiv.org/abs/1811.06738
Interesting new paper today about combining surface codes with non-Abelian qudit versions of surface codes to get non-Clifford gates.
arxiv.org/abs/2505.18265
arxiv.org/abs/2505.18265
May 27, 2025 at 8:57 AM
Interesting new paper today about combining surface codes with non-Abelian qudit versions of surface codes to get non-Clifford gates.
arxiv.org/abs/2505.18265
arxiv.org/abs/2505.18265
New paper out today!
We apply quantum reservoir computing to the task of learning and generating levels of Super Mario Bros, and analyze what exactly it is about the generated levels that we like the look of.
Then, like any 10 year-old, we end up on Roblox.
arxiv.org/abs/2505.13287
We apply quantum reservoir computing to the task of learning and generating levels of Super Mario Bros, and analyze what exactly it is about the generated levels that we like the look of.
Then, like any 10 year-old, we end up on Roblox.
arxiv.org/abs/2505.13287
May 20, 2025 at 7:00 AM
New paper out today!
We apply quantum reservoir computing to the task of learning and generating levels of Super Mario Bros, and analyze what exactly it is about the generated levels that we like the look of.
Then, like any 10 year-old, we end up on Roblox.
arxiv.org/abs/2505.13287
We apply quantum reservoir computing to the task of learning and generating levels of Super Mario Bros, and analyze what exactly it is about the generated levels that we like the look of.
Then, like any 10 year-old, we end up on Roblox.
arxiv.org/abs/2505.13287
Peaceful dialogue so far at the opening ceremony for #Eurovision week
May 11, 2025 at 12:34 PM
Peaceful dialogue so far at the opening ceremony for #Eurovision week
I guess most of my posts recently seem to be self-promotion. I will seek forgiveness by posting a picture of the next cute animal I see!
I did take some nice pictures of my dad's moth collection recently, but I guess even those seem like corporate promotion these days.
I did take some nice pictures of my dad's moth collection recently, but I guess even those seem like corporate promotion these days.
April 28, 2025 at 8:57 AM
I guess most of my posts recently seem to be self-promotion. I will seek forgiveness by posting a picture of the next cute animal I see!
I did take some nice pictures of my dad's moth collection recently, but I guess even those seem like corporate promotion these days.
I did take some nice pictures of my dad's moth collection recently, but I guess even those seem like corporate promotion these days.
I now have a new boss!
Since @mothquantum.bsky.social hasn't posted this yet, I thought I'd do so instead. Ilana Wisby, of Oxford Quantum Circuits fame, is now CEO of Moth.
Since @mothquantum.bsky.social hasn't posted this yet, I thought I'd do so instead. Ilana Wisby, of Oxford Quantum Circuits fame, is now CEO of Moth.
April 8, 2025 at 2:18 PM
I now have a new boss!
Since @mothquantum.bsky.social hasn't posted this yet, I thought I'd do so instead. Ilana Wisby, of Oxford Quantum Circuits fame, is now CEO of Moth.
Since @mothquantum.bsky.social hasn't posted this yet, I thought I'd do so instead. Ilana Wisby, of Oxford Quantum Circuits fame, is now CEO of Moth.
Did an early spring moth trap. Got one early spring moth.
In English it is called a Common Quaker, but around here it is a round-winged kitten-owl (Rundflügel-Kätzcheneule). I think we can all agree which name is better.
In English it is called a Common Quaker, but around here it is a round-winged kitten-owl (Rundflügel-Kätzcheneule). I think we can all agree which name is better.
April 3, 2025 at 7:37 AM
Did an early spring moth trap. Got one early spring moth.
In English it is called a Common Quaker, but around here it is a round-winged kitten-owl (Rundflügel-Kätzcheneule). I think we can all agree which name is better.
In English it is called a Common Quaker, but around here it is a round-winged kitten-owl (Rundflügel-Kätzcheneule). I think we can all agree which name is better.
The work by Crippa uses quantum time evolution to reinterpret classical masterpieces, and was done as part of the QC-PAINT collective. Check out their paper!
arxiv.org/abs/2411.09549
arxiv.org/abs/2411.09549
March 19, 2025 at 2:21 PM
The work by Crippa uses quantum time evolution to reinterpret classical masterpieces, and was done as part of the QC-PAINT collective. Check out their paper!
arxiv.org/abs/2411.09549
arxiv.org/abs/2411.09549
At the APS Global Summit I've set up an art exhibit built out of poster boards. This mostly showcases work by Roman Lipski, but also has work by Arianna Crippa from DESY and by us at Moth.
If you want to check it out, it's in the Quantum Playground in the exhibition hall with some other fun things!
If you want to check it out, it's in the Quantum Playground in the exhibition hall with some other fun things!
March 19, 2025 at 2:10 PM
At the APS Global Summit I've set up an art exhibit built out of poster boards. This mostly showcases work by Roman Lipski, but also has work by Arianna Crippa from DESY and by us at Moth.
If you want to check it out, it's in the Quantum Playground in the exhibition hall with some other fun things!
If you want to check it out, it's in the Quantum Playground in the exhibition hall with some other fun things!
The question session is a bonus Microsoft talk
March 17, 2025 at 9:28 PM
The question session is a bonus Microsoft talk
Time for the main event of the APS Global Summit!
March 17, 2025 at 9:13 PM
Time for the main event of the APS Global Summit!
Seems I missed this paper from last week: Evidence for a near-term advantage for evaluating the Jones polynomial.
scirate.com/arxiv/2503.0...
I first heard legend of this work last year, and I've been obsessed with coming up with the ideal quantum-powered knot-based game ever since!
scirate.com/arxiv/2503.0...
I first heard legend of this work last year, and I've been obsessed with coming up with the ideal quantum-powered knot-based game ever since!
March 14, 2025 at 8:03 AM
Seems I missed this paper from last week: Evidence for a near-term advantage for evaluating the Jones polynomial.
scirate.com/arxiv/2503.0...
I first heard legend of this work last year, and I've been obsessed with coming up with the ideal quantum-powered knot-based game ever since!
scirate.com/arxiv/2503.0...
I first heard legend of this work last year, and I've been obsessed with coming up with the ideal quantum-powered knot-based game ever since!
Today I generated a Mario level on a quantum computer. Probably the first time anyone ever performed such an important feat!
Not the best level, with a couple of half pipes and an impossible looking chasm. But pretty good!
Course code is PTQ-XGS-VMF on Mario Maker 2 if you want to play it.
Not the best level, with a couple of half pipes and an impossible looking chasm. But pretty good!
Course code is PTQ-XGS-VMF on Mario Maker 2 if you want to play it.
March 8, 2025 at 7:30 PM
Today I generated a Mario level on a quantum computer. Probably the first time anyone ever performed such an important feat!
Not the best level, with a couple of half pipes and an impossible looking chasm. But pretty good!
Course code is PTQ-XGS-VMF on Mario Maker 2 if you want to play it.
Not the best level, with a couple of half pipes and an impossible looking chasm. But pretty good!
Course code is PTQ-XGS-VMF on Mario Maker 2 if you want to play it.
Yep!
web.archive.org/web/20161125...
Given that a lot of artists are being ripped off by AI systems at the moment, it's maybe a good time to appreciate the positive aspects of these restrictions.
web.archive.org/web/20161125...
Given that a lot of artists are being ripped off by AI systems at the moment, it's maybe a good time to appreciate the positive aspects of these restrictions.
January 2, 2025 at 12:28 PM
Yep!
web.archive.org/web/20161125...
Given that a lot of artists are being ripped off by AI systems at the moment, it's maybe a good time to appreciate the positive aspects of these restrictions.
web.archive.org/web/20161125...
Given that a lot of artists are being ripped off by AI systems at the moment, it's maybe a good time to appreciate the positive aspects of these restrictions.
I just realized that I can simply shoehorn it in to a completely unrelated paper.
December 20, 2024 at 10:11 AM
I just realized that I can simply shoehorn it in to a completely unrelated paper.
Got shown a fridge today, which is always a post-worthy experience. It's one of the fridges used for the WAQT superconducting qubits in Gothenburg.
If anyone wants to do a masters in poking qubits, this is a good place to come!
If anyone wants to do a masters in poking qubits, this is a good place to come!
December 13, 2024 at 5:18 PM
Got shown a fridge today, which is always a post-worthy experience. It's one of the fridges used for the WAQT superconducting qubits in Gothenburg.
If anyone wants to do a masters in poking qubits, this is a good place to come!
If anyone wants to do a masters in poking qubits, this is a good place to come!
Google's new hardware looks great and I'd be excited to try it out. But I seem to be even more interested in its limitations: Their repetition code results show an error floor at around 10^-10.
What physics is lurking down there? Can we tame it?
What physics is lurking down there? Can we tame it?
December 10, 2024 at 7:54 AM
Google's new hardware looks great and I'd be excited to try it out. But I seem to be even more interested in its limitations: Their repetition code results show an error floor at around 10^-10.
What physics is lurking down there? Can we tame it?
What physics is lurking down there? Can we tame it?
Our paper on creating an entangled Bell pair just came out in PRX quantum.
journals.aps.org/prxquantum/a...
We figured out a way to do a transversal logical cnot between two codes and created a logical Bell pair, despite not having anywhere near the right connectivity to do so.
journals.aps.org/prxquantum/a...
We figured out a way to do a transversal logical cnot between two codes and created a logical Bell pair, despite not having anywhere near the right connectivity to do so.
December 4, 2024 at 10:12 AM
Our paper on creating an entangled Bell pair just came out in PRX quantum.
journals.aps.org/prxquantum/a...
We figured out a way to do a transversal logical cnot between two codes and created a logical Bell pair, despite not having anywhere near the right connectivity to do so.
journals.aps.org/prxquantum/a...
We figured out a way to do a transversal logical cnot between two codes and created a logical Bell pair, despite not having anywhere near the right connectivity to do so.
Not often that one report a lepidoptera sighting on the 1st Dec, but I saw a winter moth enjoying a seasonal light show last night.
December 1, 2024 at 8:38 AM
Not often that one report a lepidoptera sighting on the 1st Dec, but I saw a winter moth enjoying a seasonal light show last night.