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DocumentationSketch-to-Circuit AI

Sketch-to-Circuit AI

Transform napkin sketches into manufacturable photonic circuits in seconds

Revolutionary
6 min readLast updated: January 2025AI, Vision, Design
GPT-4 Vision
Real-Time Processing
Tablet Support

"I literally drew this on a napkin and it became a working chip"

FluxCore's Sketch-to-Circuit AI uses GPT-4 Vision to understand your hand-drawn photonic circuit sketches and convert them into fully parameterized, manufacturable designs. Draw on paper, whiteboards, tablets, or directly in the browser - our AI handles the rest.

Under 10 Seconds

From sketch upload to working circuit design

95%+ Accuracy

Component recognition and connection mapping

Production Ready

Export directly to GDS/OASIS for fabrication

How It Works

1

Capture Your Sketch

Draw your circuit on any medium - paper napkin, whiteboard, tablet, or directly in our browser canvas. Upload a photo or use your device camera for instant capture.

Photo Upload
Camera Capture
Tablet Drawing
Browser Canvas
2

AI Analyzes Your Sketch

GPT-4 Vision processes your sketch to identify photonic components, trace signal paths, read text annotations, and understand the circuit topology.

Recognition Capabilities:

  • Waveguides and routing paths
  • Ring resonators and filters
  • Directional couplers and splitters
  • Modulators and phase shifters
  • Photodetectors and sources
  • Text labels and annotations
3

Circuit Generation

The AI generates a complete photonic circuit layout with proper routing, validated component parameters, and design rule compliance.

Generated Output Includes:

  • Parameterized component instances with industry-standard defaults
  • Optimized waveguide routing with minimum bend radius compliance
  • Connection validation and topology verification
  • Initial simulation-ready configuration

API Integration

Python SDK Example

import fluxcore
from fluxcore.ai import SketchToCircuit

# Initialize the client
client = fluxcore.Client(api_key="your-api-key")

# Create sketch converter
converter = SketchToCircuit(client)

# Option 1: Upload an image file
result = converter.from_image("sketch.jpg")

# Option 2: Capture from camera
result = converter.from_camera()

# Option 3: Use base64 encoded image
with open("sketch.png", "rb") as f:
    image_data = base64.b64encode(f.read()).decode()
result = converter.from_base64(image_data)

# Access the generated circuit
circuit = result.circuit
print(f"Recognized {len(circuit.components)} components")
print(f"Found {len(circuit.connections)} connections")

# View confidence scores
for component in circuit.components:
    print(f"{component.type}: {component.confidence:.2%}")

# Export to various formats
circuit.export_gds("output.gds")
circuit.export_json("output.json")

# Open in editor
circuit.open_in_editor()

Pro Tip

For best results, draw components with clear separation and use arrows to indicate signal flow direction. Label critical components with text annotations.

REST API Example

# Upload sketch and convert to circuit
curl -X POST https://api.fluxcore.io/v1/ai/sketch-to-circuit \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_API_KEY" \
  -H "Content-Type: multipart/form-data" \
  -F "image=@sketch.jpg" \
  -F "options={
    \"target_wavelength\": 1550,
    \"material_system\": \"silicon\",
    \"min_feature_size\": 100,
    \"optimize_routing\": true
  }"

# Response
{
  "circuit_id": "cir_abc123",
  "components": [
    {
      "id": "ring_1",
      "type": "ring_resonator",
      "confidence": 0.97,
      "parameters": {
        "radius": 10.0,
        "gap": 0.2,
        "width": 0.45
      },
      "position": {"x": 100, "y": 200}
    }
  ],
  "connections": [...],
  "validation": {
    "drc_passed": true,
    "warnings": []
  }
}

Recognized Component Types

Passive Components

  • Straight waveguides
  • Curved bends
  • Directional couplers
  • Y-branches
  • MMI couplers
  • Tapered sections

Resonant Structures

  • Ring resonators
  • Racetrack resonators
  • Disk resonators
  • Cascaded rings
  • Bragg gratings
  • Photonic crystals

Active Devices

  • Phase modulators
  • MZI switches
  • Photodetectors
  • Thermal heaters
  • Edge couplers
  • Grating couplers

Best Practices for Sketch Recognition

Drawing Tips

  • Use clear, distinct shapes for each component
  • Draw circles for ring resonators, not ellipses
  • Use arrows to indicate input/output ports
  • Add text labels for component names
  • Use solid lines for waveguide connections

Image Quality

  • Good lighting, minimal shadows
  • High contrast (dark ink on white paper)
  • Straight, non-tilted image capture
  • Minimum 1000x1000 pixel resolution
  • Avoid reflections on whiteboards

Try Sketch-to-Circuit Now

Experience the magic of converting your hand-drawn sketches into working photonic circuits. No sign-up required for the demo.

Next Steps

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