Tuning Metaheuristics

This book lays the foundations for a scientific approach to tuning metaheuristics. The fundamental intuition that underlies Birattari's approach is that the tuning problem has much in common with the problems that are typically faced in machine learning.

This book covers controller tuning techniques from conventional to new optimization methods for diverse control engineering applications. Classical controller tuning approaches are presented with real-world challenges faced in control engineering. Current developments in applying optimization techniques to controller tuning are explained. Case studies of optimization algorithms applied to controller tuning dealing with nonlinearities and limitations like the inverted pendulum and the automatic voltage regulator are presented with performance comparisons. Students and researchers in engineering and optimization interested in optimization methods for controller tuning will utilize this book to apply optimization algorithms to controller tuning, to choose the most suitable optimization algorithm for a specific application, and to develop new optimization techniques for controller tuning.

This book’s aim is to provide several different kinds of information: a delineation of general metaheuristics methods, a number of state-of-the-art articles from a variety of well-known classical application areas as well as an outlook to modern computational methods in promising new areas. Therefore, this book may equally serve as a textbook in graduate courses for students, as a reference book for people interested in engineering or social sciences, and as a collection of new and promising avenues for researchers working in this field.

This book explores new alternative metaheuristic developments that have proved to be effective in their application to several complex problems. Though most of the new metaheuristic algorithms considered offer promising results, they are nevertheless still in their infancy. To grow and attain their full potential, new metaheuristic methods must be applied in a great variety of problems and contexts, so that they not only perform well in their reported sets of optimization problems, but also in new complex formulations. The only way to accomplish this is to disseminate these methods in various technical areas as optimization tools. In general, once a scientist, engineer or practitioner recognizes a problem as a particular instance of a more generic class, he/she can select one of several metaheuristic algorithms that guarantee an expected optimization performance. Unfortunately, the set of options are concentrated on algorithms whose popularity and high proliferation outstrip those of the new developments. This structure is important, because the authors recognize this methodology as the best way to help researchers, lecturers, engineers and practitioners solve their own optimization problems.

A unified view of metaheuristics This book provides a complete background on metaheuristics and shows readers how to design and implement efficient algorithms to solve complex optimization problems across a diverse range of applications, from networking and bioinformatics to engineering design, routing, and scheduling. It presents the main design questions for all families of metaheuristics and clearly illustrates how to implement the algorithms under a software framework to reuse both the design and code. Throughout the book, the key search components of metaheuristics are considered as a toolbox for: Designing efficient metaheuristics (e.g. local search, tabu search, simulated annealing, evolutionary algorithms, particle swarm optimization, scatter search, ant colonies, bee colonies, artificial immune systems) for optimization problems Designing efficient metaheuristics for multi-objective optimization problems Designing hybrid, parallel, and distributed metaheuristics Implementing metaheuristics on sequential and parallel machines Using many case studies and treating design and implementation independently, this book gives readers the skills necessary to solve large-scale optimization problems quickly and efficiently. It is a valuable reference for practicing engineers and researchers from diverse areas dealing with optimization or machine learning; and graduate students in computer science, operations research, control, engineering, business and management, and applied mathematics.

Developments in metaheuristics continue to advance computation beyond its traditional methods. With groundwork built on multidisciplinary research findings; metaheuristics, algorithms, and optimization approaches uses memory manipulations in order to take full advantage of strategic level problem solving. Trends in Developing Metaheuristics, Algorithms, and Optimization Approaches provides insight on the latest advances and analysis of technologies in metaheuristics computing. Offering widespread coverage on topics such as genetic algorithms, differential evolution, and ant colony optimization, this book aims to be a forum researchers, practitioners, and students who wish to learn and apply metaheuristic computing.

Building accurate algorithms for the optimization of picking orders is a difficult task, especially when one considers the delays of real-world situations. In warehouse environments, diverse algorithms must be developed to enhance the global performance relating to combining customer orders into picking orders to reduce wait times. The Handbook of Research on Metaheuristics for Order Picking Optimization in Warehouses to Smart Cities is a pivotal reference source that addresses strategies for developing able algorithms in order to build better picking orders and the impact of these strategies on the picking systems in which diverse algorithms are implemented. While highlighting topics such ABC optimization, environmental intelligence, and order batching, this publication examines common picking aspects in warehouse environments ranging from manual order picking systems to automated retrieval systems. This book is intended for researchers, teachers, engineers, managers, and practitioners seeking research on algorithms to enhance the order picking performance.