# A new quantum computer sets a high watermark for accuracy, are we on the verge of a big breakthrough?

_Tuesday, July 14, 2026 at 8:00 AM EDT · Science · Latest · Tier 2 — Notable_

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A paper published in Nature describes a new 98-qubit trapped-ion quantum computer called Helios built by Quantinuum that reports very low error rates and all-to-all connectivity, the company announced. The processor uses barium ions suspended in electric fields in a quantum charge-coupled device architecture at a laboratory in Broomfield, Colorado. The paper gives an average error rate for single-qubit gates of about 2.5 in 100,000 and for two-qubit gates of about 7.9 in 10,000. Researchers said lower error rates allow more complex calculations before quantum information degrades. Helios also features all-to-all connectivity, meaning any qubit can interact with any other without moving information through intermediate steps. The system uses a ring-shaped storage area and junction to route ions between memory and operation zones where laser pulses perform quantum gates. Software makes routing and control decisions during program execution. The paper reports Helios can run random quantum circuits difficult to simulate on classical machines, though this benchmark does not by itself solve practical problems. The previous largest system, System Model H2, had 56 qubits.

## Sources

- [theconversation.com](https://theconversation.com/a-new-quantum-computer-sets-a-high-watermark-for-accuracy-are-we-on-the-verge-of-a-big-breakthrough-285753)

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