anabrid at the QCI EXCITE 2025

About the Speaker

Dr. Lucas Wetzel, anabrid's Chief Scientific Officer, has led the development of REDAC, the first analog/hybrid supercomputer in the world. With a background in complex systems research and leadership at the Max Planck Institute, he brings deep expertise in unconventional computing approaches. His work bridges scientific research and practical innovation, helping to push the boundaries of hybrid computing.

What is the REDAC?

While digital computers excel at general-purpose computation, analog computers offer unique advantages for specific applications. REDAC is a modern analog supercomputer designed to address the limitations of digital approaches when modeling continuous physical phenomena. With over 1,000 computing elements, REDAC can solve complex PDEs with exceptional accuracy and speed.

The system's Physical Twin capability allows researchers to create an analog representation of a target system and observe its behavior in real time. This provides a level of insight that is difficult to achieve with traditional digital simulations. REDAC's remote programmability and scalable architecture further enhance its usability and potential for advancing research in diverse scientific and engineering domains.

anabrid and the QCI

anabrid GmbH, established in 2020, is a German deep-tech startup specializing in contemporary analog computing. The company has collaborated with the DLR on the Reconfigurable Discrete Analog Computer (REDAC) project, aiming to enhance computing capabilities in various scientific fields.

In September 2023, anabrid presented the first prototype, LUCIDAC, marking a significant milestone in the project.

This collaboration underscores DLR's commitment to integrating unconventional computing methods, such as analog computing, into its Quantum Computing Initiative (QCI). Analog computers, like those developed by anabrid, can complement quantum computing efforts by offering rapid reconfigurability and energy-efficient processing. They can serve as co-processors in hybrid systems, tackling specific computational tasks that align with their strengths.

For anabrid, the partnership with DLR is pivotal, providing a platform to showcase its cutting-edge technology and contributing to the advancement of hybrid computing systems. The company's medium-term goal is to develop a highly integrated analog computer on a microchip, usable as a co-processor in industry and research.

By integrating analog computing into the QCI, DLR aims to explore the potential of coupling networks between analog computing elements and various quantum technologies. This approach could lead to more efficient simulations of quantum systems and optimization tasks, thereby advancing the overall capabilities of hybrid computing architectures.