<ul><li>An artist was informed about a quantum-computing experiment using a 'mechanical qubit' by steampunk artist Bruce Rosenbaum.</li><li>The 'steampunk qubit' stored quantum information in a vibrating mechanical device like a drumhead.</li><li>Collaboration on a quantum-steampunk sculpture sparked discussion about incorporating the qubit design.</li><li>Alp Sipahigil, from UC Berkeley, proposed a quantum qubit design using a cantilever mechanism.</li><li>The proposed qubit design utilized energy levels of a cantilever for quantum information storage.</li><li>A flaw in the plan involved the cantilever having multiple energy levels with equal inter-level energy gaps.</li><li>A solution proposed was placing an atomic-force microscope to manipulate the cantilever's energy levels for quantum operations.</li><li>By carefully choosing parameters, the cantilever could be controlled to hold quantum states without transitioning to higher energy levels.</li><li>Alp expressed interest in building the mechanical qubit if he finds a suitable student to conduct the experiment.</li><li>Chu's team used a superconducting qubit to alter their cantilever's energy levels in a similar experiment.</li></ul>

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