How can I improve the performance of my MATLAB code when using loops?

  • Context: MATLAB 
  • Thread starter Thread starter UrIkOn
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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around optimizing MATLAB code that implements the Discrete Fourier Transform (DFT) for image processing, specifically addressing performance issues related to nested loops in the code. Participants explore potential solutions and techniques to improve execution speed, while also discussing the context of a school assignment involving image manipulation and analysis.

Discussion Character

  • Technical explanation
  • Debate/contested
  • Homework-related

Main Points Raised

  • One participant describes their implementation of the DFT using nested loops and notes that MATLAB hangs during execution due to the high number of computations involved.
  • Another participant highlights that the innermost operation is performed an extremely large number of times, suggesting that even faster languages like Fortran or C would struggle with the same calculation.
  • Some participants inquire about the motivation behind the specific kernel being used and the overall assignment requirements.
  • A participant mentions the potential for long computation times and suggests that the use of Fast Fourier Transforms (FFTs) could be beneficial.
  • One participant points out that the complex exponential can be simplified using mathematical identities to reduce the number of calculations significantly.
  • Another participant emphasizes that MATLAB performs poorly with loops and suggests vectorization as a method to improve performance.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express a consensus on the inefficiency of the current looping approach in MATLAB, but there is no agreement on a singular solution. Multiple suggestions for optimization are presented, including vectorization and mathematical simplifications, but no definitive resolution is reached regarding the best approach.

Contextual Notes

The discussion does not resolve the limitations of the current implementation, such as the dependence on the specific kernel and the computational complexity of the DFT. The assignment requirements also introduce specific constraints that may affect the approach taken.

Who May Find This Useful

Students and practitioners involved in image processing, particularly those using MATLAB for implementing Fourier transforms and seeking optimization techniques for performance improvement.

UrIkOn
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I use looping to implement this formula
https://www.physicsforums.com/attachment.php?
attachmentid=46840&stc=1&d=1335864568
But,when I run, mathlab will hang?Why?
Code:
%Import picture into Matlab
img=imread('picture.jpg','jpg');
img512=imresize(img, [512 512]);
imgGRAY=uint8(rgb2gray(img512));
figure(1);imshow(img);
figure(2);imshow(imgGRAY);

M=512;
N=512;
f=double(imgGRAY);
F=zeros(512);
for u=1:512
    for v=1:512
        TotalN=0;
        for x=1:512
            for y=1:512
                TotalN=TotalN+(f(x,y)*exp(-1i*2*pi*(((u*x)/512)+((v*y)/512))));
            end
        end
        F(u,v)=(1/(M*N))*TotalN;
    end
end
 

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UrIkOn said:
But,when I run, mathlab will hang?Why?
That innermost statement, TotalN=TotalN+(f(x,y)*exp(-1i*2*pi*(((u*x)/512)+((v*y)/512)))); is being performed 5124 or 68,719,476,736 times! Even if you coded this in Fortran or C it would take a long time. Matlab is a couple of orders of magnitude slower than either of those languages. If I did this calculation in python on my computer it would take over a day to complete. Matlab is perhaps a bit faster than python, but not much.

Try seeing how long your convolution takes with a 64x64 image. Multiply by 4096. That's how long your convolution will take with a 512x512 image.
 
Then is there any solution?
 
UrIkOn said:
Then is there any solution?
Either wait a long time or do something else. What motivated this particular kernel?
 
I don't understand, what you mean for?
 
UrIkOn said:
I don't understand, what you mean for?
Why are you using this kernel?
 
School Assignment:image processing
 
Tell us the assignment. Perhaps you misread it. If not, you might be stuck waiting for a day or so to see the results.

Have you learned about FFTs?
 
Ya,I learned fft before.
This is the assignment question:
1. Take a photo with your own camera and import it into Matlab converting it to a 8-bit512x512
pixel gray scale imageI(x,y).
2. Display the original and the gray-scale image.
3. Write your own function to implement the Discrete Fourier Transform (DFT) in Matlab (do NOT use the Matlab function for FFT) of I:
4. Write the Matlab code to implement the functionf(x,y) for the inverse DFT of a 2D array of complex numberF(u,v):
5. Visualise the DFT of your grayscale imageIusingimshow().
(Hint: You may need to scale using log to display the information within the range of the image pixel values, and center so that the origin is shifted to the centre of a 512x512.)
6. Construct a 512x512 template for alow pass lter using a Cosine curve, where thehigh frequency components are zeroed. Apply this lter to the DFT of your image. Take the inverse DFT and visualise the Real, Imaginary and Phase. Compare with your original image. Describe each of the 5 visualised outputs (Original image, Filtered image, DFT Real, DFT Imaginary and DFT Phase).
7. Construct a 512x512 template for ahigh pass lterusing a Sine curve where thelow frequency components are zeroed. Apply this lter to the DFT of your image. Take the inverse DFT and visualise the Real, Imaginary and Phase. Describe each of the 5 visualised outputs (Original image, Filtered image, DFT Real, DFT Imaginary and DFT Phase).
 
  • #10
The chief culprit here is that you are computing the complex exponential 5124 = 68,719,476,736 times. The complex exponential obeys the identity \exp(u+v) = \exp(u)\cdot \exp(v). Couple this identity with the fact that your image is square and you can reduce the number of calls to the complex exponential to 5122 = 262,144.
 
  • #11
Also, MATLAB is horrible with loops. If you can vectorize your problem it will compute much faster.
 

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