The Quantego project transforms IBM quantum computers into LEGO models. The initiative, created by Mathilda Lahmann, was first presented in December 2021 and gained prominence in April 2022, according to the website quantego.org.
Currently, the project offers three versions: a model of the IBM Quantum System One with 49 pieces, a model of the IBM Quantum System Two with 105 pieces, and a sophisticated version of the System Two with 1024 pieces. Each model comes with assembly instructions and a parts list, created with BrickLink Studio software.
The digital files are available in .io and LDraw formats, allowing enthusiasts to import the projects into BrickLink Studio and order the pieces from platform stores. The 1024-piece version, designed by Luca Crippa, also allows purchasing the pieces directly from the official LEGO website using a JSON file.
In addition to instructions, the site offers an interactive 3D viewer for each model. You can rotate, zoom, and even walk through the assembly step by step, with highlights on the pieces added at each stage. The viewer also identifies each piece and explains the function of each part of the real quantum computer.
The IBM Quantum System Two model goes beyond static representation: it includes a quantum circuit simulator that runs in the browser. The user can place H and CNOT gates, create superposition and entanglement, and run the circuit with 1024 measurements. Each execution makes the ‘golden chandelier’ inside the model’s cryostat blink, representing qubits at 15 millikelvin.
The site also features a playful demonstration of superposition: a model that is simultaneously System One and System Two, in equal superposition. When clicked, it ‘collapses’ to one of the two machines, with 50% probability, until a new click prepares another superposition.
For those who prefer a functional version, the RasQberry project offers a model of the IBM Quantum System One based on 3D printing, Raspberry Pi, and Qiskit, IBM’s open-source framework for quantum computing. The project is available on GitHub and has no affiliation with LEGO, BrickLink, or IBM.
Complete kits of the models can be purchased from the online store Quantego.biz. The project is an example of how quantum computing can be disseminated in an accessible and creative way, combining education, technology, and toys.
The 3D viewers are built with three.js and use the LDraw parts library, licensed under CC BY. The quantum simulation is a statevector that runs entirely in the browser, without the need for external servers.
Quantego demonstrates the potential of open source and accessible hardware to bring the public closer to complex technologies. With detailed instructions and interactive models, the project invites anyone to build their own LEGO quantum computer and understand the principles behind this revolutionary technology.