Quantum Soundtrack

Lead Team of Graduate Students to Sonify IBMQ Quantum Computer Data

Sep - Dec 2020

Quantum Computing, IBMQ, Python, Qiskit, Logic Pro X, Quantum-Sourced Music, Art, Sonification

New York, NY

(Featured in EDUCAUSE Annual Conference 2021 "Quantum Computing for Social Research and Design") In the Fall of 2020 Allon led a group of graduate students at Parsons School of Design to develop a method to transpose IBMQ quantum computing experiment data into novel music using Qiskit, third-party Python libraries, and Logic Pro X. The songs are texturized with the complex quantum statevector information and experiment noise and are accompanied by unique generated album art. Interpreting the collapsing superpositions as decisions proves quantum-randomness and quantum computers are artistic in nature. Allon wrote the project code, compiled and mixed audio, and led the team to reach deliverable deadlines.

As an aside, Allon also took the Qiskit-native function plot_state_city() (which visualizes the density matrix) and made a modified version that was able to colorize the 3D bar graph with a specified colormap (individually for the real and imaginary components) with an optional opacity/translucency boolean. The modified visual can be seen below.

Process Diagram, Dramatization

Modified plot_state_city() Qiskit Python Function, Visualized

Quantum Soundtrack Quantum Circuit

Quantum Soundtrack Logic Pro X Audio Phasing Derivation, Process Diagram