Quantum Hadamard Edge Detection for Image Processing

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Based on the paper: “Edge Detection Quantumized: A Novel Quantum Algorithm for Image Processing” https://arxiv.org/html/2404.06889v1 This notebook demonstrates:

QPIE (Quantum Probability Image Encoding) encoding
QHED (Quantum Hadamard Edge Detection) algorithm

The encoding was implemented based on this paper: https://arxiv.org/pdf/1801.01465

import math
from typing import List

import matplotlib.pyplot as plt
import numpy as np

from classiq import *

# original
photo = []
photo = plt.imread("Marina Bay Sands 128.png")

plt.imshow(photo)

Output:

<matplotlib.image.AxesImage at 0x168cc3e90>

segments = [i / 255 for i in [0, 30, 60, 90, 120, 150, 180, 210, 255]]
image = np.array(photo)
# print(segments)
# print(image)
for i in range(1, len(image)):
    for j in range(len(image[i])):
        pixel = image[i][j][0]
        for s in segments:
            if pixel >= s:
                image[i][j][0] = s
                image[i][j][1] = s
                image[i][j][2] = s
# print("AFTER THE UPDATE")
# print(image)
plt.imshow(image)
image = np.array(photo)

QPIE Encoding Implementation

Convert an image into valid QPIE probability amplitudes. The image is converted to grayscale if needed, made non-negative, and L2-normalized so the sum of squared values equals

The result is stored as an $n \times n$ array IMAGE_DATA.

def image_to_qpie_amplitudes(image: np.ndarray) -> np.ndarray:
    """
    Convert an image to QPIE probability amplitudes as an n×n array.
    |img⟩ = Σ(x,y) (I_xy / √(Σ I_xy²)) |xy⟩
    """
    if len(image.shape) == 3:
        image = np.mean(image, axis=2)

    n = image.shape[0]
    assert image.shape == (n, n), "Image must be square"

    image = np.abs(image)
    norm = np.sqrt(np.sum(image**2))
    if norm == 0:
        return np.ones((n, n)) / n
    return (image / norm).T

IMAGE_DATA = image_to_qpie_amplitudes(image)
n = IMAGE_DATA.shape[0]
N_PIXEL_QUBITS = math.ceil(math.log2(n))
print(f"Image: {n}x{n}, pixel qubits per axis: {N_PIXEL_QUBITS}")

Output:


Image: 128x128, pixel qubits per axis: 7

print(f"Total pixels: {n*n}")

Output:


Total pixels: 16384

Modified QHED Algorithm

We define an ImagePixel QStruct with separate x and y registers, and load the image via lookup_table — the amplitudes are computed classically from the pixel coordinates and loaded with prepare_amplitudes. The QHED algorithm detects edges by:

Adding auxiliary qubits in $|+\rangle$ state
Controlled shifts of $x$ (horizontal) and $y$ (vertical) by $-1$
Applying Hadamard to compute differences
Measuring to get edge information

from classiq.qmod.symbolic import logical_or


class ImagePixel(QStruct):
    x: QNum[N_PIXEL_QUBITS]
    y: QNum[N_PIXEL_QUBITS]


def image_amplitude(x: float, y: float) -> float:
    ix, iy = int(x), int(y)
    if 0 <= ix < n and 0 <= iy < n:
        return float(IMAGE_DATA[ix, iy])
    return 0.0


@qfunc
def qpie_encoding(pixel: Output[ImagePixel]):
    amps = lookup_table(image_amplitude, [pixel.x, pixel.y])
    prepare_amplitudes(amps, 0, pixel)


@qfunc
def quantum_edge_detection_scalable(
    edge_aux: Output[QBit],
    pixel: Output[ImagePixel],
):
    qpie_encoding(pixel=pixel)

    horizontal_edge = QBit()
    vertical_edge = QBit()
    allocate(horizontal_edge)
    allocate(vertical_edge)

    within_apply(
        within=lambda: H(horizontal_edge),
        apply=lambda: control(horizontal_edge, lambda: inplace_add(-1, pixel.x)),
    )
    within_apply(
        within=lambda: H(vertical_edge),
        apply=lambda: control(vertical_edge, lambda: inplace_add(-1, pixel.y)),
    )

    edge_aux |= logical_or(horizontal_edge, vertical_edge)
    drop(horizontal_edge)
    drop(vertical_edge)


print(f"Creating {n}x{n} image edge detection model...")

Output:


Creating 128x128 image edge detection model...

Synthesize and Analyze the Quantum Circuit

The model is synthesized with a 20-qubit width limit and a long timeout, and finally exported as quantum_image_edge_detection with 15-digit numeric precision.

@qfunc
def main(
    pixel: Output[ImagePixel],
    edge_aux: Output[QBit],
):
    quantum_edge_detection_scalable(edge_aux=edge_aux, pixel=pixel)

qprog = synthesize(
    main,
    constraints=Constraints(max_width=20),
    preferences=Preferences(timeout_seconds=14400),
)

print(f"\n{n}x{n} Image Circuit Statistics:")
print(f"  

- Number of qubits: {qprog.data.width}")
print(f"  

- Circuit depth: {qprog.transpiled_circuit.depth}")
print(
    f"  

- Number of gates: {qprog.transpiled_circuit.count_ops if hasattr(qprog.transpiled_circuit, 'count_ops') else 'N/A'}"
)

Output:

128x128 Image Circuit Statistics:
    
- Number of qubits: 17
    
- Circuit depth: 32813
    
- Number of gates: {'u': 16617, 'cx': 16584}

show(qprog)

Output:

Quantum program link: https://platform.classiq.io/circuit/3AlGcDNufmf2h6AwpUBoej5fGk8
  

qprog = set_quantum_program_execution_preferences(
    qprog, preferences=ExecutionPreferences(num_shots=200000)
)
res = execute(qprog).result()[0].value
res.dataframe

	pixel.x	pixel.y	edge_aux	counts	probability	bitstring
0	64	92	0	167	0.000835	010111001000000
1	37	89	0	165	0.000825	010110010100101
2	64	91	0	163	0.000815	010110111000000
3	62	91	0	161	0.000805	010110110111110
4	70	95	0	158	0.000790	010111111000110
…	…	…	…	…	…	…
17277	115	127	1	1	0.000005	111111111110011
17278	118	127	1	1	0.000005	111111111110110
17279	119	127	1	1	0.000005	111111111110111
17280	120	127	1	1	0.000005	111111111111000
17281	122	127	1	1	0.000005	111111111111010

17282 rows × 6 columns

Create Edge Image From Measurement Results

If edge_aux == 1 then it is marked as an edge pixel. The new amplitude is calculated based on the number of shots measured for that pixel, normalized by the total number of shots.

df = res.dataframe
edge_df = df[df["edge_aux"] == 1]

edge_image = np.zeros((n, n))
for _, row in edge_df.iterrows():
    edge_image[int(row["pixel.x"]), int(row["pixel.y"])] = np.sqrt(row["probability"])

Analyze amplitude distributions

plt.hist(edge_image.flatten())

Output:

(array([1.2776e+04, 0.0000e+00, 1.3470e+03, 1.1560e+03, 5.5400e+02,
          2.6500e+02, 2.0400e+02, 6.4000e+01, 9.0000e+00, 9.0000e+00]),
   array([

0.        , 0.00104881, 0.00209762, 0.00314643, 0.00419524,
          0.00524404, 0.00629285, 0.00734166, 0.00839047, 0.00943928,
          0.01048809]),
   <BarContainer object of 10 artists>)
  

Some amplitudes are extremely small and can be treated as noise; discarding them yields a cleaner edge image.

edge_image = np.where(edge_image > 0.003, edge_image, 0)
plt.hist(edge_image.flatten())

Output:

(array([1.4123e+04, 0.0000e+00, 0.0000e+00, 1.1560e+03, 5.5400e+02,
          2.6500e+02, 2.0400e+02, 6.4000e+01, 9.0000e+00, 9.0000e+00]),
   array([

0.        , 0.00104881, 0.00209762, 0.00314643, 0.00419524,
          0.00524404, 0.00629285, 0.00734166, 0.00839047, 0.00943928,
          0.01048809]),
   <BarContainer object of 10 artists>)
  

The resulting edge-detected image

plt.imshow(edge_image.T, cmap="gray")

Output:

<matplotlib.image.AxesImage at 0x179311590>

In comparison, the original image is:

plt.imshow(image)

Output:

<matplotlib.image.AxesImage at 0x179377290>

Algorithms

Applications

Functions

Tutorials

Quantum Hadamard Edge Detection for Image Processing

View on GitHub

QPIE Encoding Implementation

Modified QHED Algorithm

Synthesize and Analyze the Quantum Circuit

Create Edge Image From Measurement Results

Algorithms

Applications

Functions

Tutorials

Documentation Index

View on GitHub

​QPIE Encoding Implementation

​Modified QHED Algorithm

​Synthesize and Analyze the Quantum Circuit

​Create Edge Image From Measurement Results

QPIE Encoding Implementation

Modified QHED Algorithm

Synthesize and Analyze the Quantum Circuit

Create Edge Image From Measurement Results