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Cloud and Quantum Computing • Measured Service: The utilization of resources is tracked,
monitored, controlled, and reported for each occupant. This gives
Cloud computing (CC) is the delivery of different services through the transparency to both the service provider and the consumer. The
Internet. These resources include tools and applications like data storage, cloud system has a metering capability, which is leveraged to
servers, databases, networking, and software. The National Institute of monitor billing, use of resources, and pay only for what has been
Standards and Technology (NIST) defines general characteristics of Cloud used. For instance, the user pays only for the storage or bandwidth
Computing as follows: consumed, and not for potential bandwidth.
• On-Demand Self-Service – It is one of the significant and essential
features of Cloud Computing. It enables the client to constantly Technological Enablers
monitor the server uptime, abilities, and allotted network storage.
Users can run and configure their own computing resources without Cloud Computing is essentially a combination of many preexisting
human help. In other words, a manufacturing organization can technologies. The key technological enablers for CC include the following:
provision additional computing resources as needed without going • Virtualization: The key feature of CC is the idea of virtualization,
through the cloud service provider. This can be a storage space, which enables an operating system to run on several hardware
virtual machine instances, database instances, and so on. deployments. It is one of the technologies that enable elasticity.
• Broad Network Access: Cloud Computing resources are available Virtualization decouples the software from the hardware. It is the
over the network and can be accessed by diverse customer technology that uses a physical resource such as a server and
platforms. In other words, cloud services are available over a divides it into virtual resources known as virtual machines. Several
network – ideally high broadband communication link – such as the cloud infrastructures are built with virtual servers and virtual
Internet, or in the case of private clouds, it could be a local area machines. Within a virtualized environment, some networking
network (LAN). functionalities can stay on a physical server. CC lowers cost of
• Resource Pooling – It means that multiple customers are serviced operation by employing virtual machines, which are managed by
from the same physical resources. It is a multi-client strategy that the hypervisor. The hypervisor allocates resources to every virtual
can be applied to data storage services, processing services, and machine.
bandwidth-provided services. The administration process of • Grid computing – It refers to a distributed architecture of a large
allocating resources in real-time doesn’t conflict with the client’s number of computers connected to solve a complex problem. It
experience. Providers’ resource pool should be very large and allows the computers on the network to work on a task together,
flexible enough to service multiple client requirements and to behaving like a supercomputer. Grid technologies leverage the
provide economy of scale. When it comes to resource pooling, computational power of the available computers by managing them
resource allocation must not impact performances of critical in the grid infrastructure. Grid or distributed computing is a special
manufacturing applications. type of parallel computing that relies on complete computers
• Rapid Elasticity and Scalability: One of the great things about connected to a computer network. CC is regarded as an evolution
cloud computing is the ability to quickly provision resources in the of grid computing. It provides scalable computing resources on a
cloud as manufacturing organizations need them. And then to payment basis
remove them when they don’t need them. Cloud computing • Distributed Computing: Cloud computing is distributed computing
resources can scale up or down rapidly and, in some cases, paradigm, which allows for a highly elastic resource pool. Clouds
automatically, in response to business demands. It is a key feature are built to share computing, memory, storage, and other
of cloud computing. The usage, capacity, and therefore cost, can resources. Load balancing establishes an algorithm for assigning
be scaled up or down with no additional contract or penalties. This tasks to the cloud nodes. All computers in distributed systems are
cloud characteristic enables the cost-effective running of workloads quite independent and do not share resources. Each computer has
that require a vast number of servers but only for a short period. its own responsibility.

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• Multitenancy – This involves sharing a single set of infrastructure • Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) – It is the delivery of applications-
across several customers and stakeholders. Virtualization helps to as-a-service, probably the version of cloud computing that most
deliver infrastructure multitenant capability. Multitenancy implies people are used to on a day-to-day basis. SaaS is application
that multiple tenants share computational resources, storage, software that’s hosted in the cloud and that you access and use via
database, services, computing, memory, and other resources with a web browser, a dedicated desktop client, or an API that integrates
other tenants. This sharing violates the confidentiality of tenants. with your desktop or mobile operating system. It involves the
For secure multitenancy, there should be a degree of isolation licensure of a software application to customers. Licenses are
among tenant data. typically provided through a pay-as-you-go model or on-demand. In
• Elasticity – This refers to the ability to automatically scale up and most cases, SaaS users pay a monthly or annual subscription fee;
handle high volumes of traffic or scale down and use less resources some may offer ‘pay-as-you-go’ pricing based on your actual usage.
when needed, maximizing the use of resources. It implies that users
can grow or shrink infrastructure resources dynamically based on Cloud Deployment Models
the current demand. When automated, elasticity allows a cloud
provider to continuously monitor a customer’s infrastructure and The Cloud Deployment Model identifies the specific type of cloud
scale it on-demand. environment based on ownership, scale, and access, as well as the cloud’s
nature and purpose. Different types of cloud computing deployment models
Cloud Service Models are:
• Public Cloud: The public cloud makes it possible for anybody to
Cloud computing is not a single product or piece of technology. Rather, it is access systems and services. It allows users to access the cloud
a system, primarily providing three different services. The services provided through interfaces using web browsers. The public cloud is one in
by Cloud Computing are: which cloud infrastructure services are provided over the Internet to
• Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS) – This is the simplest of cloud the general people or major industry groups. The infrastructure in
computing offerings. It involves the delivery of huge computing this cloud model is owned by the entity that delivers the cloud
resources such as the capacity of storage, processing, operating services, not by the consumer. It is a type of cloud hosting that
systems, servers, computing power, firewalls, bandwidth, and allows customers and users to easily access systems and services.
network, which form the underlying cloud infrastructure. It allows This form of cloud computing is an excellent example of cloud
users to rent any form of hardware and software and remotely hosting, in which service providers supply services to a variety of
access computing resources on a pay-per-use basis. aaS enables customers. The most common uses of public clouds are for
end-users to scale and shrink resources on an as-needed basis, application development and testing, non-mission-critical tasks
reducing the need for high, up-front capital expenditures or such as file-sharing, and e-mail service.
unnecessary on-premises or ‘owned’ infrastructure and for • Private Cloud – It is the exact opposite of the public cloud
overbuying resources to accommodate periodic spikes in usage. deployment model. It is a one-on-one environment for a single user
The major advantages of IaaS are pay per use, security, and (customer). There is no need to share your hardware with anyone
reliability. Popular examples of the IaaS system include IBM Cloud else. It is also called the “internal cloud” & it refers to the ability to
and Microsoft Azure. access systems and services within a given border or organization.
• Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS) – This supports the development of The private cloud gives the greater flexibility of control over cloud
web applications quickly and easily. The customer can build his own resources. A private cloud is especially suitable for companies that
applications, which run on the cloud provider’s infrastructure. With seek to safeguard their mission-critical operations or for businesses
PaaS, the cloud provider hosts everything — servers, networks, with constantly changing requirements. The private cloud offers
storage, operating system software, middleware, databases — at bigger opportunities that help meet specific organizations'
their data center. requirements when it comes to customization.

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• Hybrid Cloud – It is the combination of a public and private cloud. Application Areas of Quantum Computing
Creating a hybrid cloud means that a company is using the public
cloud but also owns on-premises systems, and there is a A quantum computer can’t do everything faster than a classical computer,
connection between the two. This is a very useful model that allows but there are a few areas where quantum computers have the potential to
for a smooth transition into the public cloud over a longer period of make a big impact.
time. Due to security requirements or data protection, some • Quantum Simulation: Quantum computers work exceptionally
companies can’t operate only in the public cloud, so they may well for modeling other quantum systems because they use
choose the hybrid cloud to combine the requirements with the quantum phenomena in their computation. This means that they
benefits of a public cloud. With a hybrid cloud, you may host the can handle the complexity and ambiguity of systems that would
app in a safe environment while taking advantage of the public overload classical computers. Examples of quantum systems that
cloud’s cost savings. we can model include photosynthesis, superconductivity, and
• Community Cloud – It allows systems and services to be complex molecular formations.
accessible by a group of organizations. It is a distributed system • Cyber Security: The online security space currently has been quite
that is created by integrating the services of different clouds to vulnerable due to the increasing number of cyber-attacks occurring
address the specific needs of a community, industry, or business. across the globe on a daily basis. Although companies are
The infrastructure of the community could be shared between the establishing necessary security frameworks in their organizations,
organization which has shared concerns or tasks. It is generally the process becomes daunting and impractical for classical digital
managed by a third party or by the combination of one or more computers. And, therefore, cybersecurity has continued to be an
organizations in the community. essential concern around the world. Quantum computing with the
help of machine learning can help in developing various techniques
Quantum Computing to combat these cybersecurity threats. Additionally, quantum
computing can help in creating encryption methods, also known as
Quantum computing is an area of computing focused on developing quantum cryptography. With quantum computing, cracking
computer technology based on the principles of quantum theory (which encryption becomes much easier, which poses a threat to data
explains the behavior of energy and material on the atomic and subatomic security.
levels). In quantum computing, operations instead use the quantum state of • Optimization – It is s the process of finding the best solution to a
an object to produce what's known as a qubit. A qubit is the basic unit of problem given its desired outcome and constraints. In science and
information in quantum computing. Classical bits are binary and can hold industry, critical decisions are made based on factors such as cost,
only a position of 0 or 1, but qubits can hold a superposition of all possible quality, and production time – all of which can be optimized. By
states. running quantum-inspired optimization algorithms on classical
computers, we can find solutions that were previously impossible.
Quantum refers to the quantum mechanics that the system uses to This helps us find better ways to manage complex systems such as
calculate outputs. In physics, a quantum is the smallest possible discrete traffic flows, airplane gate assignments, package deliveries, and
unit of any physical property. It usually refers to properties of atomic or energy storage.
subatomic particles, such as electrons, neutrinos, and photons. • Quantum Machine Learning: Machine learning on classical
computers is revolutionizing the world of science and business.
Quantum computers perform calculations based on the probability of an However, training machine learning models comes with a high
object's state before it is measured - instead of just 1s or 0s - which means computational cost, and that has hindered the scope and
they have the potential to process exponentially more data compared to development of the field. To speed up progress in this area, we're
classical computers. The power of quantum computers grows exponentially exploring ways to devise and implement quantum software that
with more qubits. enables faster machine learning.

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Virtual, Augmented and Mixed Reality • Semi-Immersive Virtual Reality – It is a mixture of non-immersive
and fully immersive virtual reality. Semi-immersive virtual
Virtual Reality (VR) is the use of computer technology to create a simulated experiences provide users with a partially virtual environment. It will
environment. Unlike traditional user interfaces, VR places the user inside still give users the perception of being in a different reality when
an experience. Instead of viewing a screen in front of them, users are they focus on the digital image, but also allows users to remain
immersed and able to interact with 3D worlds. By simulating as many connected to their physical surroundings. Semi-immersive
senses as possible, such as vision, hearing, touch, even smell, the technology provides realism through 3D graphics, a term known as
computer is transformed into a gatekeeper to this artificial world. To get a vertical reality depth. More detailed graphics result in a more
better understanding of how the technology is used, let’s break down the immersive feeling. This category of VR is used often for educational
different types of VR: or training purposes and relies on high-resolution displays, powerful
• Non-Immersive Virtual Reality – It refers to a virtual experience computers, projectors, or hard simulators that partially replicate the
through a computer where a user can control some characters or design and functionality of functional real-world mechanisms. Semi-
activities within the software, but the environment is not directly immersive virtual reality is the most cost-effective and commonly
interacting with them. Non-immersive virtual experiences are often used among all forms of virtual reality.
overlooked as a virtual reality category because it’s already so
commonly used in everyday life. This technology provides a Augmented Reality (AR) is the deploying of interactive digital elements
computer-generated environment, but allows the user to stay aware over the surrounding real-world objects. This technology is all about
of and keep control of their physical environment. Non-immersive enhancing the real world with the use of virtual elements through a visual
virtual reality systems rely on a computer or video game console, device. This technology allows to visualize the real-life environment with a
display, and input devices like keyboards, mice, and controllers. A digital augmentation overlay, being a highly visual and interactive method
video game is a great example of a non-immersive VR experience. with digital content such as sounds, videos, graphics and GPS in real
All actions or features are rather interacting with the characters working environments through cameras. The different types of augmented
within. These types of experiences have become more advanced in reality are:
recent years with video games like Wii Sports, where the system • Marker-based AR – It is tied to a specific physical image pattern
actually detects your motion and translates it on screen. marker in a real-world environment to superimpose the virtual 3D
• Fully Immersive Virtual Reality – It is the opposite of non- object, text, or animation on top of it. The cameras continuously
immersive reality. Fully-immersive simulations give users the most scan the input and put a mark for image pattern recognition to
realistic simulation experience, complete with sight and sound. It create its geometry. When the camera is not focused on a particular
would feel as if the user is physically present in the virtual world and spot, the virtual 3D object is not shown properly. Marker-based AR
the events occurring there are happening to them. This is an image recognition system consists of several modules such as
expensive form of virtual reality that involves helmets, gloves, and camera, image capturing, image processing, rendering as well as
body connectors with sense detectors. These are connected to a marker tracking. It is easy and budget-friendly to implement on the
powerful computer. To experience and interact with fully-immersive filters through a custom app for recognizing specific patterns using
virtual reality, the user needs the proper VR glasses or a head its camera feed. An example of this type of augmented reality is
mount display (HMD). VR headsets provide high-resolution content used by Instagram and Snapchat through filters and games.
with a wide field of view. The display typically splits between the • Markerless AR – It refers to the software application that does not
user’s eyes, creating a stereoscopic 3D effect, and combines with require any camera to put a mark for image pattern recognition.
input tracking to establish an immersive, believable experience. Markerless AR places virtual 3D objects in the real-life environment
This type of VR has been commonly adopted for gaming and other by examining the features present in the real-time data. It relies on
entertainment purposes, but usage in other sectors, namely the hardware of any smartphone, including the camera, GPS, digital
education, is increasing now as well. compass, and accelerometer, for the AR software to complete the

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work efficiently. There is no need for an object tracking system due Their umbrella term, Mixed Reality, referred to any point in the middle, any
to the advancement in cameras, sensors, and AI algorithms. It hybrid of the physical and virtual. Mixed Reality is a blend of physical and
merges the digital data with input from real-time data that are digital worlds, unlocking natural and intuitive 3D human, computer, and
registered to a physical space. This is a technology that is environment interactions. This new reality is based on advancements in
characterized by its association with the visual effect of combining computer vision, graphical processing, display technologies, input systems,
computer graphics with real-world images. There are four different and cloud computing.
categories of markerless AR such as:
o Location-based AR – It ties the augmentation to a specific
place by reading the real-time data from a smartphone
camera, GPS, digital compass as well as an accelerometer.
Location-based AR does not require any cue from an image
or object to deploy as it can predict the user’s focus as a
trigger to pair the real-time data with the present location. It
also allows developers to attach interactive and useful
digital content to geographical points of interest. It is
beneficial to travelers to have a clear understanding of the
whereabouts of a specific area through virtual 3D objects,
videos, texts, links, and audio.
o Projection-based AR – It is a method of delivering digital
data within a stationary context as projection-based AR
focuses on rendering virtual 3D objects within or on a user’s Figure 1. Reality Landscapes
physical space. The user can freely move around the
environment within a specified zone where the fixed Additive Manufacturing (3D Printing)
projector and a camera for tracking are placed. It is used to
create illusions on the depth, position, and orientation of an Additive Manufacturing (AM) is the formalized term for what used to be
object by projecting artificial light onto the real flat surfaces. called Rapid Prototyping and what is popularly called 3D Printing. The term
It eliminates the need for computers and screens as the Rapid Prototyping (RP) is used in a variety of industries to describe a
instructions can be placed on a particular task space. process for rapidly creating a system or part representation before final
o Superimposition AR – It is used either for partial or full release or commercialization. The basic principle of this technology is that
replacement of the original view of an object with an a model, initially generated using a Three-dimensional Computer-Aided
updated, augmented view of that object for the human eye. Design (3D CAD) system, can be fabricated directly without the need for
Superimposition AR provides multiple views of a target process planning.
object with the option of showing extra relevant information
on that object. AM Modeling Parameters
o Outlining AR: Special cameras are built for human eyes to • Form: The initial models were used to help fully appreciate the
perform outlining of the specified objects like boundaries shape and general purpose of a design.
and lines to help in certain situations. Outlining AR utilizes • Fit: Improved accuracy in the process meant that components were
object recognition for a better understanding of the current capable of being built to the tolerances required for assembly
environment. It is specially used in-car navigation systems purposes.
for safe driving after sunset. • Function: Improved material properties meant that parts could be
properly handled so that they could be assessed according to how
they would eventually work.
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• Only superficial monitoring of the machine needs to take place at

Additive Manufacturing Process this time to ensure no errors have taken place like running out of
material, power or software glitches, etc.
Step 1: CAD & Conceptualization
• All AM parts must start from a software model that fully describes Step 6: Removal & Cleanup
the external geometry. This can involve the use of almost any • Once the AM machine has completed the build, the parts must be
professional CAD solid modeling software, but the output must be removed. This may require interaction with the machine, which may
a 3D solid or surface representation. have safety interlocks to ensure, for example, that the operating
• Conceptualization, sometimes referred to as ideation, can take temperatures are sufficiently low or that there are no actively
many forms, from textual and narrative descriptions to sketches and moving parts.
representative models. • In all cases, the part must be either separated from a build platform
on which the part was produced or removed from excess build
Step 2: Conversion to STL material surrounding the part.
• Every AM machine accepts the STL file format, which has become
a de facto standard, and nowadays, nearly every CAD system can Step 7: Post Process
output such a file format. • Parts may be weak at this stage, or they may have supporting
• STL files are an unordered collection of triangle vertices and features that must be removed. Once removed from the machine,
surface normal vectors. This file describes the external closed parts may require an amount of additional cleaning up before they
surfaces of the original CAD model and forms the basis for are ready for use.
calculation of the slices. • Post-processing refers to the (usually manual) stages of finishing
the parts for application purposes. This may involve abrasive
Step 3: File Transfer to Machine finishing, like polishing and sandpapering, or the application of
• Once the STL file has been created and repaired, it can be sent coatings.
directly to the target AM machine. The STL file describing the part • They may require priming and painting to give an acceptable
must be transferred to the AM machine. There may be some surface texture and finish. This step may also involve heat
general manipulation of the file so that it is the correct size, position, treatment.
and orientation for building.
Step 8: Application
Step 4: Machine Setup • Parts are now ready for use. This may require them to be
• The AM machine must be properly set up prior to the build process. assembled together with other mechanical or electronic
All AM machines will have at least some setup parameters that are components to form a final model or product.
specific to that machine or process. Some machines are only • It should be noted that, although parts may be made from similar
designed to run a few specific materials and give the user few materials to those available from other manufacturing processes
options to vary layer thickness or other build parameters. (like molding and casting), parts may not behave according to
• Such settings would relate to the build parameters like the material standard material specifications.
constraints, energy source, layer thickness, timings, etc. • AM processes inherently create parts with small voids trapped
inside them, which could be the source for part failure under
Step 5: Building mechanical stress
• Building the part is mainly an automated process, and the machine
can largely carry on without supervision.

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Figure 2. Additive Manufacturing Process.

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References:

Gibson, I., Rosen, D., Stucker, B., & Khorsani, M. (2021). Additive manufacturing
technologies [3rd ed.]. Springer.
Kumar, S. (2021). Additive manufacturing solutions. Springer International.
Sadiku, M., (2019). Emerging internet-based technologies. CRC Press.
What is quantum computing? (2021). In Microsoft.com. Retrieved on December 10, 2021,
from https://azure.microsoft.com/

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