In theory, a quantum computer could perform calculations vastly more quickly than today’s conventional computers.

The chipmaker NVIDIA held its annual conference in Silicon Valley this week. Among the major announcements: it chose Boston to be the site of its first-ever research center for quantum computing, opening later this year.

NVIDIA recently announced that it is building a Boston-based research centre to provide cutting-edge technologies to advance quantum computing. The NVIDIA Accelerated Quantum Research Center, or NVAQC,