Computational Intelligence In Optimization

This collection of recent studies spans a range of computational intelligence applications, emphasizing their application to challenging real-world problems. Covers Intelligent agent-based algorithms, Hybrid intelligent systems, Machine learning and more.

The field of optimization is interdisciplinary in nature, and has been making a significant impact on many disciplines. As a result, it is an indispensable tool for many practitioners in various fields. Conventional optimization techniques have been well established and widely published in many excellent textbooks. However, there are new techniques, such as neural networks, simulated anneal ing, stochastic machines, mean field theory, and genetic algorithms, which have been proven to be effective in solving global optimization problems. This book is intended to provide a technical description on the state-of-the-art development in advanced optimization techniques, specifically heuristic search, neural networks, simulated annealing, stochastic machines, mean field theory, and genetic algorithms, with emphasis on mathematical theory, implementa tion, and practical applications. The text is suitable for a first-year graduate course in electrical and computer engineering, computer science, and opera tional research programs. It may also be used as a reference for practicing engineers, scientists, operational researchers, and other specialists. This book is an outgrowth of a couple of special topic courses that we have been teaching for the past five years. In addition, it includes many results from our inter disciplinary research on the topic. The aforementioned advanced optimization techniques have received increasing attention over the last decade, but relatively few books have been produced.

In modern science and engineering, laboratory experiments are replaced by high fidelity and computationally expensive simulations. Using such simulations reduces costs and shortens development times but introduces new challenges to design optimization process. Examples of such challenges include limited computational resource for simulation runs, complicated response surface of the simulation inputs-outputs, and etc. Under such difficulties, classical optimization and analysis methods may perform poorly. This motivates the application of computational intelligence methods such as evolutionary algorithms, neural networks and fuzzy logic, which often perform well in such settings. This is the first book to introduce the emerging field of computational intelligence in expensive optimization problems. Topics covered include: dedicated implementations of evolutionary algorithms, neural networks and fuzzy logic. reduction of expensive evaluations (modelling, variable-fidelity, fitness inheritance), frameworks for optimization (model management, complexity control, model selection), parallelization of algorithms (implementation issues on clusters, grids, parallel machines), incorporation of expert systems and human-system interface, single and multiobjective algorithms, data mining and statistical analysis, analysis of real-world cases (such as multidisciplinary design optimization). The edited book provides both theoretical treatments and real-world insights gained by experience, all contributed by leading researchers in the respective fields. As such, it is a comprehensive reference for researchers, practitioners, and advanced-level students interested in both the theory and practice of using computational intelligence for expensive optimization problems.

We often come across computational optimization virtually in all branches of engineering and industry. Many engineering problems involve heuristic search and optimization, and, once discretized, may become combinatorial in nature, which gives rise to certain difficulties in terms of solution procedure. Some of these problems have enormous search spaces, are NP-hard and hence require heuristic solution techniques. Another difficulty is the lack of ability of classical solution techniques to determine appropriate optima of non-convex problems. Under these conditions, recent advances in computational optimization techniques have been shown to be advantageous and successful compared to classical approaches. This Volume presents some of the latest developments with a focus on the design of algorithms for computational optimization and their applications in practice. Through the chapters of this book, researchers and practitioners share their experience and newest methodologies with regard to intelligent optimization and provide various case studies of the application of intelligent optimization techniques in real-world applications.This book can serve as an excellent reference for researchers and graduate students in computer science, various engineering disciplines and the industry.

This book gravitates on the prominent theories and recent developments of swarm intelligence methods, and their application in both synthetic and real-world optimization problems. The special interest will be placed in those algorithmic variants where biological processes observed in nature have underpinned the core operators underlying their search mechanisms. In other words, the book centers its attention on swarm intelligence and nature-inspired methods for efficient optimization and problem solving. The content of this book unleashes a great opportunity for researchers, lecturers and practitioners interested in swarm intelligence, optimization problems and artificial intelligence.

Multi-objective optimization (MO) is a fast-developing field in computational intelligence research. Giving decision makers more options to choose from using some post-analysis preference information, there are a number of competitive MO techniques with an increasingly large number of MO real-world applications. Multi-Objective Optimization in Computational Intelligence: Theory and Practice explores the theoretical, as well as empirical, performance of MOs on a wide range of optimization issues including combinatorial, real-valued, dynamic, and noisy problems. This book provides scholars, academics, and practitioners with a fundamental, comprehensive collection of research on multi-objective optimization techniques, applications, and practices.

Computational Intelligence: An Introduction, Second Edition offers an in-depth exploration into the adaptive mechanisms that enable intelligent behaviour in complex and changing environments. The main focus of this text is centred on the computational modelling of biological and natural intelligent systems, encompassing swarm intelligence, fuzzy systems, artificial neutral networks, artificial immune systems and evolutionary computation. Engelbrecht provides readers with a wide knowledge of Computational Intelligence (CI) paradigms and algorithms; inviting readers to implement and problem solve real-world, complex problems within the CI development framework. This implementation framework will enable readers to tackle new problems without any difficulty through a single Java class as part of the CI library. Key features of this second edition include: A tutorial, hands-on based presentation of the material. State-of-the-art coverage of the most recent developments in computational intelligence with more elaborate discussions on intelligence and artificial intelligence (AI). New discussion of Darwinian evolution versus Lamarckian evolution, also including swarm robotics, hybrid systems and artificial immune systems. A section on how to perform empirical studies; topics including statistical analysis of stochastic algorithms, and an open source library of CI algorithms. Tables, illustrations, graphs, examples, assignments, Java code implementing the algorithms, and a complete CI implementation and experimental framework. Computational Intelligence: An Introduction, Second Edition is essential reading for third and fourth year undergraduate and postgraduate students studying CI. The first edition has been prescribed by a number of overseas universities and is thus a valuable teaching tool. In addition, it will also be a useful resource for researchers in Computational Intelligence and Artificial Intelligence, as well as engineers, statisticians, operational researchers, and bioinformaticians with an interest in applying AI or CI to solve problems in their domains. Check out http://www.ci.cs.up.ac.za for examples, assignments and Java code implementing the algorithms.

Computational optimization is an important paradigm with a wide range of applications. In virtually all branches of engineering and industry, we almost always try to optimize something - whether to minimize the cost and energy consumption, or to maximize profits, outputs, performance and efficiency. In many cases, this search for optimality is challenging, either because of the high computational cost of evaluating objectives and constraints, or because of the nonlinearity, multimodality, discontinuity and uncertainty of the problem functions in the real-world systems. Another complication is that most problems are often NP-hard, that is, the solution time for finding the optimum increases exponentially with the problem size. The development of efficient algorithms and specialized techniques that address these difficulties is of primary importance for contemporary engineering, science and industry. This book consists of 12 self-contained chapters, contributed from worldwide experts who are working in these exciting areas. The book strives to review and discuss the latest developments concerning optimization and modelling with a focus on methods and algorithms for computational optimization. It also covers well-chosen, real-world applications in science, engineering and industry. Main topics include derivative-free optimization, multi-objective evolutionary algorithms, surrogate-based methods, maximum simulated likelihood estimation, support vector machines, and metaheuristic algorithms. Application case studies include aerodynamic shape optimization, microwave engineering, black-box optimization, classification, economics, inventory optimization and structural optimization. This graduate level book can serve as an excellent reference for lecturers, researchers and students in computational science, engineering and industry.