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Data clustering is one of the branches of unsupervised learning and it is a process whereby the samples are divided into categories whose members are similar to each other. The K-means algorithm is a simple and fast clustering technique, but it has many initial problems, for example, it depends heavily on the initial value for better clustering. Moreover, it is susceptible to outliers and unbalanced clusters. The artificial bee colony (ABC) algorithm is one of the meta-heuristic algorithms that is used nowadays to solve many optimization problems including clustering and the fundamental problem of this algorithm is exploration and late convergence. In this paper, to solve the problem of exploration and late convergence in ABC are used Random Memory (RM) and Elite Memory (EM) called ABCWOA algorithm. RM in the ABCWOA algorithm has used the search stage for the bait in the whale optimization algorithm (WOA) and EM is also used to increase convergence. In addition, we control the use of EM dynamically. Finally, the proposed method was implemented on ten standard datasets from the UCI Machine Learning Database for evaluation. Moreover, it was compared in terms of statistical criteria and analysis of variance (ANOVA) test with basic ABC and WOA, vortex search (VS) algorithm, butterfly optimization algorithm (BOA), crow search (CS) algorithm, and cuckoo search algorithm (CSA). The simulation results showed that the degree of convergence maintained its performance by increasing the number of repetitions of the proposed method, but the ABC algorithm has shown poor performance by increasing the repetition of performance. ANOVA results also confirmed that the ABCWOA algorithm has a positive effect on the population and it contains less noise than other comparative algorithms. The ABCWOA algorithm show that the ABCWOA algorithm performs better than other meta-heuristic algorithms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tunicate Swarm Algorithm (TSA) is a new bio-based optimization technique that has proven not only to be able to compete with other methods but has also shown successful performance in classic design engineering problems/benchmark test problems. However, like some population-based methods, TSA tends to be trapped in local optima, converging to global optima in a long time, unbalanced exploitation/exploration, and the inability to effectively solve high-capacity engineering problems. In this paper, the M-TSA, which is a Modified version of the TSA, is proposed to overcome such problems. M-TSA was developed in three steps. The first is the new movement strategy that improves the movement of tunicates with a spiral movement, the second is the new herd strategy that improves the herd movement of tunics with the Levy movement, and the third is the consideration of the FAD effect. In this study, the efficiency and robustness of the M-TSA algorithm is tested on the CEC'17 test suite, six real-life design engineering problems, and two complex power system engineering problems. The test results were compared with other techniques reported in the literature and with the original TSA. Comparing the results from the M-TSA technique with other techniques proves the effectiveness of M-TSA with better exploration/exploitation balance and optimal solution finding. In this paper, MATLAB 2020b software is used for optimization problems simulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The multiverse optimizer (MVO) is one of the most trending algorithms used nowadays. The searching space in MVO is restricted by the best solution only, leading to a poor searching domain, therefore, a long searching time. This paper proposes an improved multiobjective multi-verse optimizer (IMOMVO) as a novel population optimization technique to solve task scheduling problems. The IMOMVO is introduced to overcome the drawbacks risen in the original MVO and its latest enhanced version mMVO. The proposed method solves the problem of the average positioning (AP) by dynamically enhancing the equation of updating the AP based on the best and the second-best available solutions. To evaluate The proposed IMOMVO, several datasets scenarios containing various tasks and virtual machines (Vms) were used to test the approach's capability. Standard evaluation metrics are used to validate the results of the proposed method; task execution time, throughput, and the Vms processing power. The proposed method obtained better results according to the evaluation measures than other state-of-the-art methods. The execution time achieves less time when compared to the mMVO as the proposed method achieved 186.33 s for executing 100 tasks and 934.92 for executing 600 tasks. The throughput results also achieved astonishing results as for 100 tasks, the throughput achieved 0.19, and the Vm processing power for the proposed method was 0.25 Kw for executing 100 tasks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates the dynamic access point (AP) clustering and precoding problem in the downlink of user-centric virtual cell networks. The goal is to maximize the weighted sum spectral efficiency (SE) while satisfying the power constraints and AP clustering constraints in adjacent time slots (TSs). By adopting the random walk mobility to model the mobile user equipments’ movement behaviors, we consider dynamic and time-varying channel conditions. Therefore, the weighted sum SE maximization programming takes the form of discrete-time sequence of mixed-integer non-convex optimization problems. In this paper, we propose to solve this sequential problem in two stages. In the first stage, a dynamic AP clustering approach based on discrete particle swarm optimization is developed. This approach takes the advantage of the channel correlation by exploiting the relationship between AP clustering solutions in adjacent TSs to improve the SE performance and reduce complexity. In the second stage, given the AP clustering solution obtained in the first stage, a distributed precoding algorithm is devised via applying the weighted minimum mean square error method. By combining these two stages, we propose a novel dynamic AP clustering and precoding algorithm (DAPC-Pre). The effectiveness of the proposed DAPC-Pre algorithm is verified by the simulation results. In particular, the proposed algorithm converges fast and significantly outperforms benchmark algorithms in terms of sum SE under different dynamic environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Clean and renewable energy is the only way to achieve sustainable energy development, with considerable social and economic benefits. As a key technology for clean and renewable energy, it is very important to research the reliability optimization of microgrids. This paper reviews the research progress in microgrid reliability optimization. This paper first classifies and summarizes the existing research on microgrid control strategies and reliability assessment. Then, the system reliability optimization framework is summarized in terms of both microgrid systems and optimization objectives. Next, we summarize the most commonly used optimization algorithms for microgrid reliability for different microgrid systems. Finally, we provide a bibliometric analysis of the literature on the reliability research of microgrids. In addition, we propose some research challenges in the future for the reliability of microgrids. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, the object of the study is determining air traffic scheduling management by optimizing mathematical models. The problem in this study is that the COVID-19 pandemic has significantly disrupted air traffic, resulting in changes to regulations, travel restrictions and a decrease in passenger demand. One of the problems that must be resolved is how to organize and adapt flight schedules to current conditions by focusing on mathematical models that are used to optimize or increase the efficiency of managing flight schedules or air traffic. Mathematical models can help find ways to optimize the use of available resources, such as airport capacity, flight routes and flight frequency. The results obtained in this research are a mathematical model that specifically takes into account the variables involved in setting air traffic schedules during the COVID-19 pandemic so that capacity limits at airports and airspace are always normal. An optimization model was developed from previous research, namely the model that takes into account ground and air delays as well as the use of alternative paths and avoids deviations from the initial more accurate flight plan, which overall indicates that the maximum time and maximum distance values for each item have been optimized to achieve better values. This research has the novelty of producing a mathematical model using variables, objective functions, capacity limits, flight structure limits and variable domains, which then produces an algorithm with data input processes, determining optimization models, determining variables, determining objective functions, determining problems. The results of this model can be recommended to airlines in scheduling flights during the pandemic [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article considers a box-constrained global optimization problem for Lipschitz continuous functions with an unknown Lipschitz constant. The well-known derivative-free global search algorithm DIRECT (DIvide RECTangle) is a promising approach for such problems. Several studies have shown that recent two-step (global and local) Pareto selection-based algorithms are very efficient among all DIRECT-type approaches. However, despite its encouraging performance, it was also observed that the candidate selection procedure has two possible shortcomings. First, there is no limit on how small the size of selected candidates can be. Secondly, a balancing strategy between global and local candidate selection is missing. Therefore, it may waste function evaluations by over-exploring the current local minimum and delaying finding the global one. This paper reviews and employs different strategies in a two-step Pareto selection framework (1-DTC-GL) to overcome these limitations. A detailed experimental study has revealed that existing strategies do not always improve and sometimes even worsen results. Since 1-DTC-GL is a DIRECT-type algorithm, the results of this paper provide general guidance for all DIRECT-type algorithms on how to deal with excessive local refinement more efficiently. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Robust optimization over time is a new way to tackle dynamic optimization problems where the goal is to find solutions that remain acceptable over an extended period of time. The state-of-the-art methods in this domain try to identify robust solutions based on their future predicted fitness values. However, predicting future fitness values is difficult and error prone. In this paper, we propose a new framework based on a multipopulation method in which subpopulations are responsible for tracking peaks and also gathering characteristic information about them. When the quality of the current robust solution falls below the acceptance threshold, the algorithm chooses the next robust solution based on the collected information. We propose four different strategies to select the next solution. The experimental results on benchmark problems show that our newly proposed methods perform significantly better than existing algorithms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rainfall Optimization Algorithm (RFO) is a nature-inspired metaheuristic optimization algorithm. RFO mimics the movement of water drops generated during rainfall to optimize a function. The paper study new implementations for RFO to offer more reliable results. Moreover, it studies three restarting techniques that can be applied to the algorithm with multithreading. The different implementations for the RFO are benchmarked to test and verify the performance and accuracy of the solutions. The paper presents and compares the results using several multidimensional testing functions, as well as the visual behavior of the raindrops inside the benchmark functions. The results confirm that the movement of the artificial drops corresponds to the natural behavior of raindrops. The results also show the effectiveness of this behavior to minimize an optimization function and the advantages of parallel computing restarting techniques to improve the quality of the solutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Convergence and diversity are interdependently handled during the evolutionary process by most existing many-objective evolutionary algorithms (MaOEAs). In such a design, the degraded performance of one would deteriorate the other, and only solutions with both are able to improve the performance of MaOEAs. Unfortunately, it is not easy to constantly maintain a population of solutions with both convergence and diversity. In this paper, an MaOEA based on two independent stages is proposed for effectively solving many-objective optimization problems (MaOPs), where the convergence and diversity are addressed in two independent and sequential stages. To achieve this, we first propose a nondominated dynamic weight aggregation method by using a genetic algorithm, which is capable of finding the Pareto-optimal solutions for MaOPs with concave, convex, linear and even mixed Pareto front shapes, and then these solutions are employed to learn the Pareto-optimal subspace for the convergence. Afterward, the diversity is addressed by solving a set of single-objective optimization problems with reference lines within the learned Pareto-optimal subspace. To evaluate the performance of the proposed algorithm, a series of experiments are conducted against six state-of-the-art MaOEAs on benchmark test problems. The results show the significantly improved performance of the proposed algorithm over the peer competitors. In addition, the proposed algorithm can focus directly on a chosen part of the objective space if the preference area is known beforehand. Furthermore, the proposed algorithm can also be used to effectively find the nadir points. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dynamic network architectures (DNAs) have been developed under the assumption that some terminals can be converted into temporary access points (APs) anytime when connected to the Internet. In this paper, we consider the problem of assigning a group of users to a set of potential APs with the aim to maximize the downlink system throughput of DNA networks, subject to total transmit power and users’ quality of service (QoS) constraints. In our first method, we relax the integer optimization variables to be continuous. The resulting non-convex continuous optimization problem is solved using successive convex approximation framework to arrive at a sequence of second-order cone programs (SOCPs). In the next method, the selection process is viewed as finding a sparsity constrained solution to our problem of sum rate maximization. It is demonstrated in numerical results that while the first approach has better data rates for dense networks, the sparsity oriented method has a superior speed of convergence. Moreover, for the scenarios considered, in addition to comprehensively outperforming some well-known approaches, our algorithms yield data rates close to those obtained by branch and bound method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a decentralized solution algorithm for network-constrained unit commitment (NCUC) in multiregional power systems. The proposed algorithm is based on our previous work in which a local NCUC was formulated for each control entity (i.e., region) and an analytical target cascading (ATC) based distributed but partially parallelized algorithm requiring a central coordinator was presented. The primary objective of this paper is to present a decentralized approach that relaxes the need for any form of central coordinator in ATC and allows fully parallelized solutions of the local NCUCs. To achieve this objective, we formulate a bilevel optimization problem for each control entity. While the upper level solves the NCUC problem of the control entity, the lower level seeks to coordinate the control entity with its neighboring regions. The lower level is a convex optimization, which can be further replaced in the upper level problem by the Karush–Kuhn–Tucker conditions. The control entities communicate directly with each other and synchronously solve their local NCUCs. Having no need for any form of central coordinator, the proposed algorithm is potentially less vulnerable to cyber-attacks and communication failures than the distributed methods utilizing a coordinator. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The optimization of industrial processes is a critical task for leveraging profitability and sustainability. To ensure the selection of optimum process parameter levels in any industrial process, numerous metaheuristic algorithms have been proposed so far. However, many algorithms are either computationally too expensive or become trapped in the pit of local optima. To counter these challenges, in this paper, a hybrid metaheuristic called PSO-GSA is employed that works by combining the iterative improvement capability of particle swarm optimization (PSO) and gravitational search algorithm (GSA). A binary PSO is also fused with GSA to develop a BPSO-GSA algorithm. Both the hybrid algorithms i.e., PSO-GSA and BPSO-GSA, are compared against traditional algorithms, such as tabu search (TS), genetic algorithm (GA), differential evolution (DE), GSA and PSO algorithms. Moreover, another popular hybrid algorithm DE-GA is also used for comparison. Since earlier works have already studied the performance of these algorithms on mathematical benchmark functions, in this paper, two real-world-applicable independent case studies on biodiesel production are considered. Based on the extensive comparisons, significantly better solutions are observed in the PSO-GSA algorithm as compared to the traditional algorithms. The outcomes of this work will be beneficial to similar studies that rely on polynomial models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Variational Quantum Circuits (VQCs) play a key role in several applications. • VQCs are parameterized quantum circuits trained by using classical optimizers. • The paper proposes to apply memetic algorithms to train VQCs. • The designed memetic algorithm outperforms the state-of-the-art classical optimizers. Among the ready-to-implement quantum algorithms, Variational Quantum Circuits (VQCs) play a key role in several applications, including machine learning. Their strength lies in the use of a parameterized quantum circuit that is trained by means of an optimization algorithm run on a classical computer. In such a scenario, there is a strong need to design appropriate classical optimization schemes that deal efficiently with VQCs and pave the way for quantum advantage in machine learning. Among possible optimization schemes, those based on evolutionary computation are finding increasing interest, given the unconventional and nonanalytical nature of the problem to be solved. This paper proposes to apply memetic algorithms to train VQCs used as quantum classifiers and shows the benefits of exploiting this evolutionary optimization technique through a comparative experimental session. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper studies the convergence properties of the well-known message-passing algorithm for convex optimisation. Under the assumption of pairwise separability and scaled diagonal dominance, asymptotic convergence is established and a simple bound for the convergence rate is provided for message-passing. In comparison with previous results, our results do not require the given convex program to have known convex pairwise components and that our bound for the convergence rate is tighter and simpler. When specialised to quadratic optimisation, we generalise known results by providing a very simple bound for the convergence rate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sine Cosine Algorithm (SCA) is a recent meta-heuristic algorithm inspired by the proprieties of trigonometric sine and cosine functions. Since its introduction by Mirjalili in 2016, SCA has attracted great attention from researchers and has been widely used to solve different optimization problems in several fields. This attention is due to its reasonable execution time, good convergence acceleration rate, and high efficiency compared to several well-regarded optimization algorithms available in the literature. This paper presents a brief overview of the basic SCA and its variants divided into modified, multi-objective, and hybridized versions. Furthermore, the applications of SCA in several domains such as classification, image processing, robot path planning, scheduling, radial distribution networks, and other engineering problems are described. Finally, the paper recommended some potential future research directions for SCA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper addresses the problem of semantic segmentation, where the possible class labels are from a predefined set. We exploit top-down guidance, i.e., the coarse localization of the objects and their class labels provided by object detectors. For each detected bounding box, figure–ground segmentation is performed and the final result is achieved by merging the figure–ground segmentations. The main idea of the proposed approach, which is presented in our preliminary work, is to reformulate the figure–ground segmentation problem as sparse reconstruction pursuing the object mask in a nonparametric manner. The latent segmentation mask should be coherent subject to sparse error caused by intra-category diversity; thus, the object mask is inferred by making use of sparse representations over the training set. To handle local spatial deformations, local patch-level masks are also considered and inferred by sparse representations over the spatially nearby patches. The sparse reconstruction coefficients and the latent mask are alternately optimized by applying the Lasso algorithm and the accelerated proximal gradient method. The proposed formulation results in a convex optimization problem; thus, the global optimal solution is achieved. In this paper, we provide theoretical analysis of the convergence and optimality. We also give an extended numerical analysis of the proposed algorithm and a comprehensive comparison with the related semantic segmentation methods on the challenging PASCAL visual object class object segmentation datasets and the Weizmann horse dataset. The experimental results demonstrate that the proposed algorithm achieves a competitive performance when compared with the state of the arts. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This paper proposes a method to compare the performances of different methods for robust design optimization of computationally demanding models. Its intended usage is to help the engineer to choose the optimization approach when faced with a robust optimization problem. This paper demonstrates the usage of the method to find the most appropriate robust design optimization method to solve an engineering problem. Five robust design optimization methods, including a novel method, are compared in the demonstration of the comparison method. Four of the five compared methods involve surrogate models to reduce the computational cost of performing robust design optimization. The five methods are used to optimize several mathematical functions that should be similar to the engineering problem. The methods are then used to optimize the engineering problem to confirm that the most suitable optimization method was identified. The performance metrics used are the mean value and standard deviation of the robust optimum as well as an index that combines the required number of simulations of the original model with the accuracy of the obtained solution. These measures represent the accuracy, robustness, and efficiency of the compared methods. The results of the comparison show that sequential robust optimization is the method with the best balance between accuracy and number of function evaluations. This is confirmed by the optimizations of the engineering problem. The comparison also shows that the novel method is better than its predecessor is. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This paper presents a novel method on the optimization of bi-objective Flexible Job-shop Scheduling Problem (FJSP) under stochastic processing times. The robust counterpart model and the Non-dominated Sorting Genetic Algorithm II (NSGA-II) are used to solve the bi-objective FJSP with consideration of the completion time and the total energy consumption under stochastic processing times. The case study on GM Corporation verifies that the NSGA-II used in this paper is effective and has advantages to solve the proposed model comparing with HPSO and PSO+SA. The idea and method of the paper can be generalized widely in the manufacturing industry, because it can reduce the energy consumption of the energy-intensive manufacturing enterprise with less investment when the new approach is applied in existing systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Matrix factorization is a popular approach for large-scale matrix completion. The optimization formulation based on matrix factorization, even with huge size, can be solved very efficiently through the standard optimization algorithms in practice. However, due to the non-convexity caused by the factorization model, there is a limited theoretical understanding of whether these algorithms will generate a good solution. In this paper, we establish a theoretical guarantee for the factorization-based formulation to correctly recover the underlying low-rank matrix. In particular, we show that under similar conditions to those in previous works, many standard optimization algorithms converge to the global optima of a factorization-based formulation and recover the true low-rank matrix. We study the local geometry of a properly regularized objective and prove that any stationary point in a certain local region is globally optimal. A major difference of this paper from the existing results is that we do not need resampling (i.e., using independent samples at each iteration) in either the algorithm or its analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The firefly algorithm is nature-inspired, and it belongs to swarm intelligence category optimization. Firefly algorithm is the latest algorithm developed under the nature-inspired algorithm (NIA), which is fruitful for business and engineering optimization. So, for business optimization, healthcare industries are affected through big data where big data affects in different ways such as patients understanding and care, improved personalized care, analysis trends, predict health outcomes, etc. Big data analysis is required to optimize a broad set of data generated by the different mediums in the healthcare and engineering sectors. A firefly algorithm can be used to optimize data analysis and results. Therefore, the firefly algorithm becomes essential to optimize the healthcare sector application process and provides optimized solutions. This paper discussed firefly algorithm implementations, optimization solutions for an engineering problem, fireflies' algorithm (FA) performance through MATLAB 2019b, formulation, optimization problems in healthcare, firefly algorithms in other applications, and conclusions. This paper focuses on how the firefly algorithm (FA) can be used, modified, and merged with other optimization algorithms to solve engineering problems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The combination of non-orthogonal multiple access (NOMA) and intelligent reflecting surface (IRS) is an efficient solution to significantly enhance the energy efficiency of the wireless communication system. In this paper, a downlink multi-cluster NOMA network is considered, where each cluster is supported by one IRS. This paper aims to minimize the transmit power by jointly optimizing the beamforming, the power allocation and the phase shift of each IRS. The formulated problem is non-convex and challenging to be solved due to the coupled variables, i.e., the beamforming vector, the power allocation coefficient and the phase shift matrix. To address this non-convex problem, an alternating optimization based algorithm is proposed. Specifically, the primal problem is divided into two subproblems for beamforming optimization and phase shifting feasiblity, where the two subproblems are solved iteratively. Moreover, to guarantee the feasibility of the beamforming optimization problem, an iterative algorithm is proposed to search the feasible initial points. To reduce the complexity, a simplified algorithm based on partial exhaustive search for this system model is also proposed. Simulation results demonstrate that the proposed alternating algorithm can yield a better performance gain than the partial exhaustive search algorithm, NOMA with random IRS phase shift scheme and OMA-IRS scheme. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper demonstrates an application of the improved crow search algorithm (I-CSA), which is a modified version of the crow search algorithm (CSA). CSA is a recent, nature-inspired meta-heuristic optimization algorithm. I-CSA differs from CSA by allowing application on a discrete problem, which is P-median and fortifying faster convergence to an optimal or near-optimal solution. Improvements are provided by local searches which support escaping from local optima or convergence to the optimal solution, elitism enhances the intensification through the utilization of nodes by selecting the most frequent centers that appeared in hiding better locations for local search, on the P-median problem. The application of the I-CSA is structured in three phases. In the first phase, parameters of I-CSA are analyzed and optimized using well-known data tests. The test datasets for the application of I-CSA on the P-median problem were retrieved from the OR-library to present the effectiveness and applicability of I-CSA. In the second phase, 40-pmed test problems from the library are solved using I-CSA and the results are compared with known optimal results and recorded results of other meta-heuristic approaches. In addition, Wilcoxon signed-rank test is applied in order to demonstrate the performance of I-CSA compared to well-known algorithms. The results of the proposed method demonstrated a faster convergence rate and better solution in most cases when compared with the standard CSA and other well-known meta-heuristic approaches. Finally, the proposed I-CSA approach is tested on a real-life case problem including 2121 nodes in Tunceli, Turkey. Obtaining the optimal results in a reasonable time indicates that the potential of the I-CSA is high and promising. In nutshell, this paper presents an improvement to CSA and evaluates its performance in a three-phase test procedure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the robotic engineering field, the main target, especially in industry, manufacturing, and surgical operations, is reaching the optimal performance of manipulators. The purpose of this paper is to quantify the contour tracking performance of collaborative universal manipulator robot (UR5) by setting the gain of position domain controller. In order to improve and enhance the track of manipulator in experimental applications we utilize differential evolution (DE) optimization, using MATLAB toolbox with an applied robot operating system (ROS). The adopted current approach does not only optimize the gain of position domain controller but also prevent collisions by detecting a "border crossing" without turning off the manipulator and allowing the automation agent to be on the scene, coexisting in harmonic mode and avoiding collisions. This requires the implementation of an algorithm that detects an obstacle to avoid anticipated collisions. For this purpose, the adopted algorithm uses the DE algorithm to modify the artificial potential field (APF). The results of this paper present that on one hand, meta-heuristic optimization algorithm features give the best performance indices for linear and non-linear contours, and on the other hand, DE algorithm features give good modification to APF to generate collision free contour path planning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, the use of broadband bandwidth and redundant links for stable transmission in networks has resulted in excessive energy consumption and reduced transmission efficiency. In this paper, we propose an optimization algorithm that reduces the number of transmission links and minimizes transmission energy by removing redundant traffic in networks where traffic redundancy is allowed. The optimization algorithm proposed in this paper uses the meta-heuristic method using Tabu search algorithm. The proposed optimization algorithm minimizes transmission energy by designing a neighborhood generation method that efficiently routes overlapping traffic. The performance evaluation of the proposed optimization algorithm was performed in terms of the number of links used to transmit all traffic generated in the network and the transmission energy consumed. From the performance evaluation results, it was confirmed that the proposed algorithm is superior to other algorithms previously proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The performance of interpolation algorithm used in bi-dimensional empirical mode decomposition directly affects its popularization and application. Therefore, the research on interpolation algorithm is more reasonable, accurate and fast. So far, in the interpolation algorithm adopted by the bi-dimensional empirical mode decomposition, an adaptive interpolation algorithm can be proposed according to the image characteristics. In view of this, this paper proposes an image interpolation algorithm based on the particle swarm and fractal. Its procedure includes: to analyze the given image by using the fractal brown function, to pick up the feature quantity from the image, and then to operate the adaptive image interpolation in terms of the obtained feature quantity. The parameters involved in the interpolation process are optimized by particle swarm optimization algorithm, and the optimal parameters are obtained, which can solve the problem of low efficiency and low precision of interpolation algorithm used in bi-dimensional empirical mode decomposition. It solves the problem that the image cannot be decomposed to obtain accurate and reliable bi-dimensional intrinsic modal function, and realize the fast decomposition of the image. It lays the foundation for the further popularization and application of the bi-dimensional empirical mode decomposition algorithm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

From the recent study, it is observed that even though cloud computing grants the greatest performance in the case of storage, computing, and networking services, the Internet of Things (IoT) still suffers from high processing latency, awareness of location, and least mobility support. To address these issues, this paper integrates fog computing and Software-Defined Networking (SDN). Importantly, fog computing does the extension of computing and storing to the network edge that could minimize the latency along with mobility support. Further, this paper aims to incorporate a new optimization strategy to address the "Load balancing" problem in terms of latency minimization. A new Thresholded-Whale Optimization Algorithm (T-WOA) is introduced for the optimal selection of load distribution coefficient (time allocation for doing a task). Finally, the performance of the proposed model is compared with other conventional models concerning latency. The simulation results prove that the SDN based T-WOA algorithm could efficiently minimize the latency and improve the Quality of Service (QoS) in Software Defined Cloud/Fog architecture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Crow Search Algorithm (CSA) is a recent swarm intelligence optimization algorithm inspired by the social intelligent behavior of crows for hiding food. It has been widely used to solve a large variety of optimization problems in several fields and areas of research and has proved its efficiency compared to several state-of-the-art optimization algorithms available in the literature. This paper presents a comprehensive overview of Crow Search Algorithm and its new variants categorized into modified and hybridized versions. It also describes the several applications of CSA in various domains such as feature selection, image processing, scheduling, economic dispatch, distributed generation, and other engineering problems. In addition, the paper suggests some interesting research areas related to CSA enhancement, CSA hybridization, and possible new applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, the k-median of a graph is used to decompose the domain (mesh) of the continuous two- and three-dimensional finite element models. The problem of k-median is stated as an optimization problem and is solved by utilizing eight robust meta-heuristic algorithms. The Artificial Bee Colony algorithm (ABC), Cyclical Parthenogenesis algorithm (CPA), Cuckoo Search algorithm (CS), Teaching-Learning Based Optimization algorithm (TLBO), Tug of War Optimization algorithm (TWO), Water Evaporation Optimization algorithm (WEO), Ray Optimization algorithm (RO), and Vibrating Particles System algorithm (VPS) constitute the set of algorithms that are employed in the present study. In order to tune the parameters of the meta-heuristics, the Taguchi method is used. The efficiency and robustness of the algorithms are investigated through two- and three- dimensional finite element models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The optimization problems are becoming more complicated, requiring new and efficient optimization techniques to solve them. Many bio-inspired meta-heuristic algorithms have emerged in the last decade to solve these complex problems as most of these algorithms may be trapped into local optima and could not effectively solve all types of optimization problems. Hence, researchers are still trying to develop new and better optimization algorithms. This paper introduces a novel biologically-based optimization algorithm called circulatory system-based optimization (CSBO). CSBO is modeled based on the function of the body's blood vessels with two distinctive circuits, i.e. pulmonary and systemic circuits. The proposed CSBO algorithm is tested on a wide variety of complex functions of the real world and validated with the standard meta-heuristic algorithms. The results indicate that the CSBO algorithm successfully achieves the optimal solutions and avoids local optima. Note that the source code of the CSBO algorithm is publicly available at . [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since the increases in electricity demand, environmental awareness, and power reliability requirements, solutions of single-objective optimal power flow (OPF) and multi-objective OPF (MOOPF) (two or three objectives) problems are inadequate for modern power system management and operation. Solutions to the many-objective OPF (more than three objectives) problems are necessary to meet modern power-system requirements, and an efficient optimization algorithm is needed to solve the problems. This paper presents a many-objective marine predators algorithm (MaMPA) for solving single-objective OPF (SOOPF), multi-objective OPF (MOOPF), and many-objective OPF (MaOPF) problems as this algorithm has been widely used to solve other different problems with many successes, except for MaOPF problems. The marine predators algorithm (MPA) itself cannot solve multi- or many-objective optimization problems, so the non-dominated sorting, crowding mechanism, and leader mechanism are applied to the MPA in this work. The considered objective functions include cost, emission, transmission loss, and voltage stability index (VSI), and the IEEE 30- and 118-bus systems are tested to evaluate the algorithm performance. The results of the SOOPF problem provided by MaMPA are found to be better than various algorithms in the literature where the provided cost of MaMPA is more than that of the compared algorithms for more than 1000 USD/h in the IEEE 118-bus system. The statistical results of MaMPA are investigated and express very high consistency with a very low standard deviation. The Pareto fronts and best-compromised solutions generated by MaMPA for MOOPF and MaOPF problems are compared with various algorithms based on the hypervolume indicator and show superiority over the compared algorithms, especially in the large system. The best-compromised solution of MaMPA for the MaOPF problem is found to be greater than the compared algorithms around 4.30 to 85.23% for the considered objectives in the IEEE 118-bus system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Generating units, participating in the secondary frequency control of a control area, are usually spinning units already connected to the network and operating outside their range of optimal performance. This paper deals with an alternative method of providing secondary frequency control called Rapid-Start (RS). It consists in assigning a regulation band to several off-line units (RS units) which are capable of being started and connected rapidly, therefore allowing the online units to operate closer to their nominal power. As RS operation may have economic benefits, an appropriate algorithm to start up an RS unit needs to be developed. This paper proposes a methodology to evaluate, compare, and choose the most appropriate RS algorithm among the ones developed for a certain AGC control area. An optimization model provides a reference by determining the hypothetically ideal start-ups and shut-downs of RS units. In addition, the definition of performance indexes to evaluate, compare, and choose the different RS algorithms is proposed. The proposed methodology is illustrated for a secondary frequency control zone within the Spanish power system by using real data signals. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Summary: The novel and optimal phasor measurement unit (PMU) observability has been attained based on the flower pollination algorithm (FPA). The prime objective is to select the optimal bus for placing the PMU to maximize the number of bus observance in the system. Many optimization techniques have been developed with an aim to optimize the PMU's required quantity with attaining full observability of the network. This paper proposes a new technique of modified FPA, which reduces the computation time and achieves greater accuracy. This approach also helps in achieving the maximum observability of power system based on choosing the optimum buses to place the PMUs. The proposed algorithm would be best suited and offers highly accurate results when analyzing the system for maximum observability with the minimum number of allotted PMUs. The FPA algorithm is implemented on standard IEEE 14 bus, IEEE 30 bus, and IEEE 118 bus systems. The proposed FPA algorithm outperforms other evolutionary algorithms. It yields better overall performance than other algorithm methods, in terms of the minimum number of PMUs with maximum observability, including contingency analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents the implementation of simulated annealing (SA) method, an artificial intelligence technique, to solve the optimization problem known as the school bus routing problem (SBRP). A specific challenge in all artificial intelligence optimization techniques is the selection of appropriate value parameters. One contribution of this paper is the implementation of a design of experiments technique to provide statistical support for parameter selection. The SBRP is formulated as a 0–1 integer linear programming model, where the objective function is to minimize the total cost. Because this problem is combinatorial in nature, it is not possible to find exact solutions in an adequate time, calling for the use of an artificial intelligence optimization technique. The proposed technique is SA due to its modeling flexibility and processing speed. To demonstrate the performance of the proposed algorithm, several experiments with real instances were carried out, showing that the metaheuristic algorithm performs better in quality and time than the classic routing method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This paper aims to present a new multi-community meta-heuristic optimization algorithm, which is called shuffled shepherd optimization algorithm (SSOA). In this algorithm. Design/methodology/approach: The agents are first separated into multi-communities and the optimization process is then performed mimicking the behavior of a shepherd in nature operating on each community. Findings: A new multi-community meta-heuristic optimization algorithm called a shuffled shepherd optimization algorithm is developed in this paper and applied to some attractive examples. Originality/value: A new metaheuristic is presented and tested with some classic benchmark problems and some attractive structures are optimized. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the restructured power industry, bulk energy storage may play a crucial role to provide the flexibility required by system operators to cater for the unprecedented levels of uncertainty. Within the context of co-optimized electricity markets for energy and reserves under wind uncertainty, this paper addresses the incorporation of bulk energy storage units in day-ahead network-constrained energy and reserve scheduling. A novel two-stage robust optimization approach is presented whereby the nonconvex and time-coupled operation of storage devices is precisely modeled while accounting for the anticipativity of the two-stage setting. The resulting robust counterpart is cast as a mixed-integer trilevel program with lower-level binary variables. In order to address the nonconvexity of the recourse problem, this paper proposes the application of an exact nested column-and-constraint generation algorithm. Numerical results illustrate the effective performance of the proposed approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposes an algorithm, called the Optimized Barrier Coverage Algorithm (OBCA), to optimize the quality of the barrier coverage formed by a wireless sensor network (WSN). OBCA aims at optimizing the barrier coverage quality in terms of the detection degree, the detection quality, and the transmission quality (i.e., the expected transmission time). This paper also proposes a model to formulate the minimum detection probability between two WSN sensors with different sensing ranges. With the model, OBCA can be applied to heterogeneous WSNs whose sensors have various sensing ranges. OBCA's optimization is proved, and its time complexity is analyzed. The performance of OBCA is simulated and compared with those of two related algorithms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we present a design method for a wideband non-uniformly spaced linear array (NUSLA), with both symmetric and asymmetric geometries, using the modified reinforcement learning algorithm (MORELA). We designed a cost function that provided freedom to the beam pattern by setting limits only on the beam width (BW) and side-lobe level (SLL) in order to satisfy the desired BW and SLL in the wide band. We added the scan angle condition to the cost function to design the scanned beam pattern, as the ability to scan a beam in the desired direction is important in various applications. In order to prevent possible pointing angle errors for asymmetric NUSLA, we employed a penalty function to ensure the peak at the desired direction. Modified reinforcement learning algorithm (MORELA), which is a reinforcement learning-based algorithm used to determine a global optimum of the cost function, is applied to optimize the spacing and weights of the NUSLA by minimizing the proposed cost function. The performance of the proposed scheme was verified by comparing it with that of existing heuristic optimization algorithms via computer simulations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Motivated by the work of Dahrouj and Yu in applying the Han-Kobayashi transmission strategy for mitigating the intercell interference in a multi-cell multi-user multiple-input single-output interference network (MISO IN), this paper considers splitting messages into private and common parts in a multi-cell multi-user MIMO IN. Specifically, the covariances of the private messages and common messages are designed to optimize either the sum rate or the minimal rate. The common messages and private messages are decoded in sequence using successive decoding. This paper shows how these difficult optimization problems can be adequately solved by means of d.c. (difference of concave functions) optimization over a simple convex set. Numerical and simulation results also reveal the great advantage of our proposed solutions for various types of INs. In particular, the proposed solutions are shown to outperform the algorithm developed by Dahrouj and Yu for the simpler case of the MISO IN. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Recent growth of metaheuristic search strategies has brought a huge progress in the domain of computational optimization. The breakthrough started since the well-known Particle Swarm Optimization algorithm had been introduced and examined. Optimization technique presented in this contribution mimics the process of flower pollination. It is build on the foundation of the first technique of this kind—known as Flower Pollination Algorithm (FPA). In this paper, its simplified and improved version, obtained after extensive performance testing, is presented. It is based on only one natural phenomena—called flower constancy—the natural mechanism allowing pollen carrying insects to remember the positions of the best pollen sources. Modified FPA, named as Biotic Flower Pollination Algorithm (BFPA) and relying solely on biotic pollinators, outperforms original FPA, which itself proved to be very effective approach. The paper first presents a short description of original FPA and the changes leading to Biotic Flower Pollination Algorithm. It also discusses performance of the modified algorithm on a full set of CEC17 benchmark functions. Furthermore, in that aspect, the comparison between BFPA and other optimization algorithms is also given. Finally, brief exemplary application of modified algorithm in the field of probabilistic modeling, related to physics and engineering, is also presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, a new clustering algorithm based on gravitational search algorithm (CGSA) for solving unit commitment (UC) problem is proposed. The UC problem is a combinatorial optimization problem that minimizing quadratic objective function under system and unit constraints. The GSA is a recent introduced algorithm to solve optimization problem that inspired by Newtonian law of gravity. A novel version of GSA, named Clustered-GSA (CGSA) is a flexible and well-balanced mechanism for enhancing exploration and exploitation abilities. The proposed algorithm is tested for standard 100 unit system, IEEE 118 bus system and practical Taiwan 38 bus power system. The effectiveness of proposed algorithm results are compared to those reported in the literature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recently, the reconfigurable intelligent surface (RIS), benefited from the breakthrough on the fabrication of programmable meta-material, has been speculated as one of the key enabling technologies for the future six generation (6G) wireless communication systems scaled up beyond massive multiple input multiple output (Massive-MIMO) technology to achieve smart radio environments. Employed as reflecting arrays, RIS is able to assist MIMO transmissions without the need of radio frequency chains resulting in considerable reduction in power consumption. In this paper, we investigate the joint design of transmit beamforming matrix at the base station and the phase shift matrix at the RIS, by leveraging recent advances in deep reinforcement learning (DRL). We first develop a DRL based algorithm, in which the joint design is obtained through trial-and-error interactions with the environment by observing predefined rewards, in the context of continuous state and action. Unlike the most reported works utilizing the alternating optimization techniques to alternatively obtain the transmit beamforming and phase shifts, the proposed DRL based algorithm obtains the joint design simultaneously as the output of the DRL neural network. Simulation results show that the proposed algorithm is not only able to learn from the environment and gradually improve its behavior, but also obtains the comparable performance compared with two state-of-the-art benchmarks. It is also observed that, appropriate neural network parameter settings will improve significantly the performance and convergence rate of the proposed algorithm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nowadays, the existence of continuous optimization problems has led researchers to come up with a variety of methods to solve continues optimization problems. The metaheuristic algorithms are one of the most popular and common ways to solve continuous optimization problems. Firefly Algorithm (FA) is a successful metaheuristic algorithm for solving continuous optimization problems; however, although this algorithm performs very well in local search, it has weaknesses and disadvantages in finding solution in global search. This problem has caused this algorithm to be trapped locally and the balance between exploration and exploitation cannot be well maintained. In this paper, three different approaches based on the Dragonfly Algorithm (DA) processes and the OBL method are proposed to improve exploration, performance, efficiency and information-sharing of the FA and to avoid the FA getting stuck in local trap. In the first proposed method (FADA), the robust processes of DA are used to improve the exploration, performance and efficiency of the FA; and the second proposed method (OFA) uses an Opposition-Based Learning (OBL) algorithm to accelerate the convergence and exploration of the FA. Finally, in the third approach, which is referred to as OFADA in this paper, a hybridization of the hybrid FADA and the OBL method is used to improve the convergence and accuracy of the FA. The three proposed methods were implemented on functions with 2, 4, 10, and 30 dimensions. The results of the implementation of these three proposed methods showed that OFADA approach outperformed the other two proposed methods and other compared metaheuristic algorithms in different dimensions. In addition, all the three proposed methods provided better results compared with other metaheuristic algorithms on small-dimensional functions. However, performance of many metaheuristic algorithms decreased with increasing the dimensions of the functions. While the three proposed methods, in particular the OFADA approach, have been able to make better converge with the higher-dimensional optimization functions toward the target in comparison with other metaheuristic algorithms, and to show a high performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, six metaheuristic algorithms, in the form of artificial bee colony optimization, ant colony optimization, particle swarm optimization, differential evolution, firefly algorithm and teaching-learning-based optimization techniques are applied for parametric optimization of a multi-pass face milling process. Using those algorithms, the optimal values of cutting speed, feed rate and depth of cut for both roughing and finishing operations are determined for having minimum total production time and total production cost. It is observed that the teaching-learning-based optimization algorithm outperforms the others with respect to accuracy and consistency of the derived solutions as well as computational speed. Two statistical tests, i.e. paired t-test and Wilcoxson signed rank test also confirm its superiority over the remaining algorithms. Finally, these metaheuristics are employed for multi-objective optimization of the considered multi-pass milling process while concurrently minimizing both the objectives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to consider one of the recent and practical extensions of the resource-constrained project scheduling problem (RCPSP) termed as the multi-skill resource-constrained project scheduling problem (MSRCPSP) for investigation. The objective is the minimization of the makespan or total project duration. Design/methodology/approach: To solve this complex problem, the authors propose a teaching–learning-based optimization (TLBO) algorithm in which self-study and examination have been used as additional features to enhance its exploration and exploitation capabilities. An activity list-based encoding scheme has been modified to include the resource assignment information because of the multi-skill nature of the algorithm. In addition, a genetic algorithm (GA) is also developed in this work for the purpose of comparisons. The computational experiments are performed on 216 test instances with varying complexity and characteristics generated for the purpose. Findings: The results obtained after computations show that the TLBO has performed significantly better than GA in terms of average percentage deviation from the critical path-based lower bound for different combinations of three parameters, namely, skill factor, network complexity and modified resource strength. Research limitations/implications: The modified TLBO proposed in this paper can be conveniently applied to any product or service organization wherein human resources are involved in executing project activities. Practical implications: The developed model can suitably handle resource allocation problems faced in real-life large-sized projects usually administered in software development companies, consultancy firms, R&D-based organizations, maintenance firms, big construction houses, etc. wherein human resources are involved. Originality/value: The current work aims to propose an effective metaheuristic for a more realistic version of MSRCPSP, in which resource requirements of activities may be more than one. Moreover, to enhance the exploration and exploitation capabilities of the original TLBO, the authors use two additional concepts, namely, self-study and examination in the search process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The integration of demand response programs (DRPs) into the energy management (EM) system of microgrids (MGs) helps in improving the load characteristics by allowing consumers to interoperate for achieving techno-economic advantages. In this paper, an improved algorithm is called LINFO is proposed for modifying search ability of the original weIghted meaN oF vectOrs (INFO) algorithm as well as avoiding its weaknesses like trapping in a local optima. The improved algorithm's efficiency is confirmed by comparing its results with those obtained by the original INFO and other optimization techniques using different standard benchmark test functions. Moreover, this improved algorithm and the original version are applied for solving the EM problem with the aim of optimizing the operation cost of the MGs in the presence DRPs. They are used to solve day-ahead EM problem for optimal operation of renewable energy resources, the optimal generation from a conventional diesel engines (DEs); taking into account the participation of customers in DRP for minimizing MG operating cost, which includes the cost of DEs fuel and the power transactions cost with the main grid. To demonstrate the efficacy of the proposed LINFO, simulation results are compared with the results of well-known and newly developed optimization techniques. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper considers stochastic convex optimization problems with two sets of constraints: (a) deterministic constraints on the domain of the optimization variable, which are difficult to project onto; and (b) deterministic or stochastic constraints that admit efficient projection. Problems of this form arise frequently in the context of semidefinite programming as well as when various NP-hard problems are solved approximately via semidefinite relaxation. Since projection onto the first set of constraints is difficult, it becomes necessary to explore projection-free algorithms, such as the stochastic Frank-Wolfe (FW) algorithm. On the other hand, the second set of constraints cannot be handled in the same way, and must be incorporated as an indicator function within the objective function, thereby complicating the application of FW methods. Similar problems have been studied before; however, they suffer from slow convergence rates. This work, equipped with momentum based gradient tracking technique, guarantees fast convergence rates on par with the best-known rates for problems without the second set of constraints. Zeroth-order variants of the proposed algorithms are also developed and again improve upon the state-of-the-art rate results. We further propose the novel trimmed FW variants that enjoy the same convergence rates as their classical counterparts, but are empirically shown to require significantly fewer calls to the linear minimization oracle speeding up the overall algorithm. The efficacy of the proposed algorithms is tested on relevant applications of sparse matrix estimation, clustering via semidefinite relaxation, and uniform sparsest cut problem. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Bacterial Foraging Algorithm (BFOA) is a well-known swarm collective intelligence algorithm used to solve a variety of constraint optimization problems with wide success. Despite its universality, implementing the BFOA may be complex due to the calibration of multiple parameters. Moreover, the Two-Swim Modified Bacterial Foraging Optimization Algorithm (TS-MBFOA) is a state-of-the-art modification of the BFOA which may lead to solutions close to the optimal but with more parameters than the original BFOA. That is why in this paper we present the design using the Unified Modeling Language (UML) and the implementation in the MATLAB platform of a front-end for the TS-MBFOA algorithm to calibrate the algorithm parameters faster and with no need for editing lines of code. To test our proposal, we solve a numerical optimization problem with constraints known as tension/compression spring, where 30 independent executions were conducted using the TS-MBFOA and then compared with an earlier version called MBFOA. The runtime configuration and the parameter tuning were fluent using our front-end, and the TS-MBFOA obtained the better results. To date, there is no other user-friendly implementation of this specific algorithm in an open-source code, and the front-end is flexible enough to include other numerical optimization problems with minimal effort. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The soil water retention curve (SWRC) has a significant role in determining the unsaturated properties of soil. A stochastic optimisation algorithm named Rao-1 algorithm is employed to estimate the parameters of the SWRC model in this paper. The Rao-1 algorithm is a simple heuristic search algorithm containing only addition and multiplication operations. This paper introduces the method and its application in determining soil water retention this model parameters in detail. In this study, the van Genuchten model is used to depict the SWRC for its good fitting capacity, and the van Genuchten model parameters are determined using Rao-1 algorithm. The feasibility and efficiency of the proposed method are validated via the experimental results of 24 soil samples of 12 soil textural classes. Besides, the performance of Rao-1 algorithm is compared with that of salp swarm algorithm, the particle swarm optimization algorithm, differential evolution algorithm, and RETC program. Through comparative analysis, Rao-1 algorithm outperforms other methods in determining SWRC parameters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, a novel algorithm “firework optimization” (FO) is introduced, as well as its hybridization with generating set search (GSS). FO is an exploration algorithm, which intends to explore a vast region within the search space in order to determine regions that may contain a regional optimum. As the regions with potential are defined, GSS, the exploitation algorithm is applied to determine whether regions determined by FO contain a local or a global optimum. The validity of FO and GSS hybridization algorithm is verified using Branin and Six-Hump Camel test functions, and the hybridization algorithm is applied to an interior permanent magnet synchronous motor, in order to minimize torque ripple. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]