Quantum computers, which utilize quantum states called ‘qubits’ to process information, are becoming of increased interest in a variety of fields because they have the potential to outperform classical computers in certain situations. However, many challenges and hurdles remain, including the development of quantum algorithms that offer a speedup and can be applied to practical problems (current quantum algorithms that offer any sort of speedup are often only applicable in specific and sometimes contrived circumstances). Our previous works have studied the use of quantum computers and quantum algorithms for process control applications. Our prior work evaluated the use of a gate-based quantum amplitude amplification algorithm when applied to a model predictive control optimization problem, specifically evaluating a linear systems example. The results suggested that the algorithm may be suited for the specific linear problem studied (meaning that there is a high probability of obtaining the desired result when measuring the quantum state after the algorithm has been applied). However, the results cannot be generalized to a wider class of systems or to systems containing nonlinearities. To begin to gain an understanding of how the amplitude amplification algorithm might be generalized, this work evaluates the use of the algorithm for the optimization-based control for a nonlinear dynamic system (specifically, a continuous stirred tank reactor). We seek to understand aspects of the problem, such as the development of a solution space, the effects of changing process and control parameters, and the operation of the amplitude amplification algorithm itself. The results demonstrate the challenges that still exist, as well as a method involving inverse sampling transformations to potentially address these issues.
Quantum computers, which utilize quantum states called ‘qubits’ to process information, are becoming of increased interest in a variety of fields because they have the potential to outperform classical computers in certain situations. However, many challenges and hurdles remain, including the development of quantum algorithms that offer a speedup and can be applied to practical problems (current quantum algorithms that offer any sort of speedup are often only applicable in specific and sometimes contrived circumstances). Our previous works have studied the use of quantum computers and quantum algorithms for process control applications. Our prior work evaluated the use of a gate-based quantum amplitude amplification algorithm when applied to a model predictive control optimization problem, specifically evaluating a linear systems example. The results suggested that the algorithm may be suited for the specific linear problem studied (meaning that there is a high probability of obtaining the desired result when measuring the quantum state after the algorithm has been applied). However, the results cannot be generalized to a wider class of systems or to systems containing nonlinearities. To begin to gain an understanding of how the amplitude amplification algorithm might be generalized, this work evaluates the use of the algorithm for the optimization-based control for a nonlinear dynamic system (specifically, a continuous stirred tank reactor). We seek to understand aspects of the problem, such as the development of a solution space, the effects of changing process and control parameters, and the operation of the amplitude amplification algorithm itself. The results demonstrate the challenges that still exist, as well as a method involving inverse sampling transformations to potentially address these issues.
The potential for greater algorithmic efficiency for some problems on quantum computers compared to classical computers is appealing in many fields including, for example, the process systems engineering field. While quantum algorithms have been studied for a variety of applications related to optimization, molecular modeling, and machine learning, there remain many applications in process systems engineering, including process control, where it is not clear how quantum computing algorithms would be beneficial. One idea for attempting to understand when a quantum algorithm might provide benefits for control is to start with algorithms that would be expected to benefit “similar” problems (e.g., optimization problems) and to see if controllers can be implemented within those algorithmic frameworks. Therefore, in this work, we study the use of a quantum computing algorithm related to Grover’s algorithm, which is an amplitude amplification strategy that can search an unordered list with improved efficiency compared to a classical algorithm for the task. It has been extended to perform a search for optimal paths over a graph. Given its potential utility for search and optimization, this is an example of an algorithm where we might wonder if it could be adjusted or used to provide speed-ups for large control problems if the controller could function within this algorithmic framework. This work provides the first steps toward attempting to address this question by investigating how optimization-based control problems would fit into this framework. A process described by ẋ=x+u is considered as a test case. The modified Grover’s algorithm requires the optimization problem to be mapped into quantum gates. We discuss ideas for attempting to represent an optimization-based controller known as model predictive control (MPC) in the modified Grover’s algorithm framework. We test how various parameters of the control and quantum algorithm designs, including fundamental parameters in MPC such as the number of sampling periods and length of the sampling periods, impact the success of using the quantum algorithm for the MPC. We provide analyses regarding why the results are what they are to give perspective on how quantum computing algorithms work and intersect with engineering problems.
Quantum Amplitude Amplification (QAA), the generalization of Grover's algorithm, is well-positioned for combinatorial optimization and is particularly promising for Quadratic Unconstrained Binary Optimization (QUBO) problems. QAA is appealing due to its ability to drive the quantum system to a target state, yielding the globally optimal solution with probability over 90+%. However, realizing QAA for application-scale optimization currently exceeds quantum hardware capacity, which is further compounded by unresolved algorithmic challenges regarding the choice of free parameters. In this study, we address these issues by utilizing a realistic traffic flow QUBO problem to investigate the implementation of QAA as a heuristic solver. Specifically, allowing the diffusion operator parameter to take non-π values expands the capabilities of QAA. This unlocks a new multiple-shot, low-iteration strategy that aims for a high cumulative probability rather than maximizing the probability of a single basis state. Using 25-qubit simulations, our results demonstrate that heuristic QAA addresses two of the main challenges cited in previous studies. Firstly, heuristic QAA works even at a single iteration, reducing circuit depth by orders of magnitude compared to standard QAA. And secondly, we show that the problem-dependent parameters necessary for reaching optimal algorithmic performance can be reliably approximated with minimal upfront classical computing overhead.
Recent increasing interest in quantum computers has spurred research into practical engineering applications for quantum algorithms. One potential application is process control. The unique quantum phenomena involved with quantum computing brings up interesting considerations for control. This work focuses on non-determinism, first through a motivating simulation utilizing a continuous stirred-tank reactor. Following this, two methods of potentially ensuring system stability in the presence of non-determinism are discussed. The first involves including an additional gate to the modified Grover’s algorithm presented in our previous work, which is designed to prevent a qubit state corresponding to an undesired control input from being measured. The second method involves defining an inner region where, if the state leaves the region, a classical stabilizing controller is activated to drive the state back inside the region.
We investigate the use of amplitude amplification on the gate-based model of quantum computing as a means for solving combinatorial optimization problems. This study focuses primarily on quadratic unconstrained binary optimization (QUBO) problems, which are well-suited for qubit superposition states. Specifically, we demonstrate circuit designs which encode QUBOs as ‘cost oracle’ operations UC, which distribute phases across the basis states proportional to a cost function. We then show that when UC is combined with the standard Grover diffusion operator Us, one can achieve high probabilities of measurement for states corresponding to optimal and near optimal solutions while still only requiring O(π42N/M) iterations. In order to achieve these probabilities, a single scalar parameter ps is required, which we show can be found through a variational quantum–classical hybrid approach and can be used for heuristic solutions.
In model predictive control (MPC), a process dynamic model is utilized to make predictions of the value of the objective function and constraints throughout a prediction horizon. In one method of solving this problem, the time required to find the optimal values of the decision variables depends on the time required to perform the arithmetic operations involved in computing the model predictions. Methods for attempting to reduce the computation time of an MPC could then include developing approximate (reduced-order or data-driven) models for a system that take less time to solve, or to parallelize the computations using, for example, multiple cores or CPU’s. However, an observation in all of these cases is that the values of the process states across the prediction horizon are not the values returned by the optimization problem; the manipulated input trajectory is the desired decision variable. An optimization strategy that cannot explicitly return the process states but can generate some representation of them that then leads to computation of the desired process input would thus be suitable for MPC. Quantum computers achieve their parallelism through creating values that cannot all be returned. They can then operate on this set of values to return a number that is meaningful with respect to that set of values that could not all be returned. Motivated by this, we wish to investigate an idea for utilizing quantum parallelism in developing a representation of an objective function that depends on the solution of a process dynamic model, but then only returning the control actions that minimize the objective function value dependent on those solutions. To do this, several steps are necessary. The first is to locate a quantum algorithm which has the desired characteristics for achieving the goals. In this work, we perform these steps using an amplitude amplification strategy based on Grover’s algorithm on a quantum computer. The second is to analyze the algorithm with respect to its ability to translate across problems in the MPC domain, with respect to both its ability to handle nonlinear systems and to handle a variety of different structures of the set of all possible objective function values given the allowable values of the decision variables. We thus evaluate the benefits and limitations of the algorithm from this perspective. We do not wish to imply that this algorithm is more computationally-tractable for use with MPC than classical optimization techniques traditionally applied in an MPC context. Rather, we wish to understand the manner in which such an algorithm would be designed and when it is appropriate for MPC problems (in the sense of returning the correct answers to the optimization problem), as a step toward better understanding the interactions of the quantum properties of quantum algorithms with control goals. We also see this as forming an important first step in algorithm design/analysis, which can then translate to future works in comparing this technique computationally with classical “competitor” algorithms to guide further work in searching for relevant quantum algorithms for control applications.
Bayesian Optimization (BO) is a powerful technique for optimizing black-box functions, frequently employed in areas such as machine learning hyperparameter tuning and experimental design. However, its performance can degrade significantly in high-dimensional spaces, leading to slow convergence and increased computational cost. This paper introduces a novel approach to Bayesian Optimization inspired by quantum amplitude amplification, a technique rooted in quantum computing. Our method utilizes a probabilistic representation of candidate solutions within a Hilbert space, employing amplitude amplification to systematically bias the search towards promising regions of the solution space. This approach aims to accelerate the optimization process, particularly in scenarios where traditional BO methods struggle due to the curse of dimensionality. The core claim of this work is to demonstrate a speedup in convergence compared to standard BO algorithms, leveraging the principles of amplitude amplification for enhanced exploration and exploitation. The theoretical framework is presented, alongside a detailed explanation of the algorithm's components, and the results are discussed, highlighting the potential for improved efficiency in complex optimization problems. We focus on the core mechanics of using amplitude amplification to enhance the probability of finding optimal solutions.