Osaka, Japan – Researchers at D3 Center and the Center for Quantum Information and Quantum Biology (QIQB), the University of Osaka, have created SEAFOOD, a platform that allows the university's OCTOPUS supercomputer and superconducting quantum computers to work together in a single computing workflow. It is the first case in Japan of integrating a domestically developed quantum computer and a supercomputer installed at the same university. The team has demonstrated the system through a quantum chemistry calculation, opening new possibilities for quantum chemistry, materials science, and other computationally intensive research.
Understanding how electrons interact is crucial to developing new materials and drugs, but the calculations can be demanding even for powerful supercomputers. Quantum computers may help with some of these problems, yet today's machines have limited numbers of qubits and are prone to errors. Combining quantum and conventional computing offers a way to make use of their different strengths.
SEAFOOD connects OCTOPUS, operated by D3 Center, with superconducting quantum computers developed and operated by QIQB on a separate campus. The project draws on joint research involving Professor Susumu Date (D3 Center) and Associate Professor Hiroshi Ueda (QIQB). The platform is scheduled to begin operating in December 2026.
The connection uses OQTOPUS, open-source software developed by QIQB and its partners. Programs running on OCTOPUS can send calculations directly to the quantum computers and receive the results. This enables hybrid calculations in which each machine handles tasks suited to its capabilities.
As a proof of concept, the researchers used quantum-selected configuration interaction (QSCI), a method that combines quantum measurements with conventional calculations. The quantum computer identifies important electron configurations, while the supercomputer performs the matrix calculations needed to determine the system's energy. In a test involving four hydrogen atoms, OCTOPUS and QIQB's Urchin quantum computer ran the full calculation as one integrated workflow, producing a ground-state energy that matched a conventional reference calculation.
SEAFOOD gives scientists a ready-to-use environment for hybrid computing, allowing them to focus on developing new algorithms and applications. "SEAFOOD is not simply a connection between a quantum computer and a supercomputer. It is a new kind of research computing infrastructure, built through the collaboration of the D3 Center and QIQB, that brings supercomputing and quantum computing together as an integrated research resource for scientists," says Professor Date.
In fiscal year 2027, selected research teams at The University of Osaka will be offered trial access through the D3 Center's research proposal-based use program, as joint research with QIQB. The insights gained from these trials will be used to improve job scheduling, share technical know-how, and explore broader access through nationwide initiatives. The use of open-source software and standard interfaces may help other institutions adopt similar systems.
