Getting the public involved in Quantum Error Correction

TL;DR

The paper discusses the Decodoku project, which engages the public in quantum error correction through puzzle games, enabling non-experts to contribute to developing decoding algorithms for quantum codes.

Contribution

It introduces a novel approach of involving the public in quantum error correction research via interactive puzzles, leading to new decoding methods.

Findings

Players devised novel decoding strategies.

Player solutions contributed to algorithm development.

The approach democratizes quantum research participation.

Abstract

The Decodoku project seeks to let users get hands-on with cutting-edge quantum research through a set of simple puzzle games. The design of these games is explicitly based on the problem of decoding qudit variants of surface codes. This problem is presented such that it can be tackled by players with no prior knowledge of quantum information theory, or any other high-level physics or mathematics. Methods devised by the players to solve the puzzles can then directly be incorporated into decoding algorithms for quantum computation. In this paper we give a brief overview of the novel decoding methods devised by players, and provide short postmortem for Decodoku v1.0-v4.1.