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In this paper we apply a novel meta-heuristic approach, the Coral Reefs Optimization (CRO) algorithm, to solve a Mobile Network Deployment Problem (MNDP), in which the control of the electromagnetic pollution plays an important role. The CRO is a new bio-inspired meta-heuristic algorithm based on the growing and evolution of coral reefs. The aim of this paper is therefore twofold: first of all, we study the performance of the CRO approach in a real hard optimization problem, and second, we solve an important problem in the field of telecommunications, including the minimization of electromagnetic pollution as a key concept in the problem. We show that the CRO is able to obtain excellent solutions to the MNDP in a real instance in Alcalá de Henares (Madrid, Spain), improving the results obtained by alternative algorithms such as Evolutionary, Particle Swarm Optimization or Harmony Search algorithms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT Mobile technology is currently one of the main pillars of worldwide economy. The constant evolution that mobile communications have undergone in the last decades, due to the appearance of new services and new technologies such as Universal Mobile Telecommunication Systems/High Speed Data Access and Long Term Evolution, has contributed to achieve this position in global economy. However, because of the crisis of the sector in the last 5 years, mobile operator's revenues and investments have been reduced. Thus, mobile network operators tend to exploit the existing infrastructure at maximum possible, trying to use the existing network in the most efficient way. In this paper, a novel bio-inspired algorithm, the coral reef optimization algorithm (CRO) is introduced to minimise a network deployment investment cost problem. This is carried out by means of optimising the user demand of different services offered by mobile operators over the available technologies in the market, namely the optimal service distribution problem. The CRO is a recently proposed meta-heuristic based on the computer simulation of corals reproduction and reefs' formation. In this paper, this algorithm has been tested on several optimal service distribution problem scenarios in Spain, observing a significant reduction (up to 400 M€) on the total investment costs associated to the radio access network deployment. We compare the performance of the CRO approach with that of a classical (experience-based) services distribution, and with alternative meta-heuristics techniques, obtaining good results in all cases. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper elaborates on a problem of one-year ahead estimation of energy demand based on macroeconomic variables. To this end, two different Computational Intelligence approaches are herein evaluated: (1) a modified Harmony Search (HS) optimization algorithm with an exponential prediction model and (2) an Extreme Learning Machine (ELM). In the case of the HS, a feature selection of the best set of features for the prediction is carried out jointly with the optimization of the model’s parameters. On the other hand, the ELM will be tested with and without the feature selection carried out by the HS approach. We describe several modifications on the proposed HS, which include a hybrid encoding with a binary part for the feature selection, and a real part to tune the parameters of the prediction model. Other adaptations focused on the HS operators are also introduced. The performance of both approaches has been assessed in a real application scenario, corresponding to the total energy demand estimation in Spain, in which we have 14 macroeconomic variables with history values for the last 30 years, including the recent crisis period starting in 2008. The performance of the proposed HS and ELM models incorporating feature selection is shown to provide an accurate one-year-ahead forecast at a higher prediction’s accuracy when compared to previous proposals in the literature. Specifically, the HS and ELM approaches are able to improve the results of a previous approach (based on a genetic algorithm), obtaining an improvement over 15% in this problem of energy demand estimation. As a final experimental evaluation of the proposed algorithm, a similar problem of one-year ahead CO 2 emissions estimation from macro-economic variables is also tackled, and also in this case the HS and ELM are able to obtain significant improvements over a previous approach based on evolutionary computation, over 10% of improvement in this problem. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: This paper presents a decision support system for automatic keep-clear signs management. The system consists of several modules. First of all, an acquisition module obtains images using a vehicle equipped with two recording cameras. A recognition module, which is based on Support Vector Machines (SVMs), analyzes each image and decides if there is a keep-clear sign in it. The images with keep-clear signs are included into a Geographical Information System (GIS) database. Finally in the management module, the data in the GIS are compared with the council database in order to decide actions such as repairing or reposition of signs, detection of possible frauds etc. We present the first tests of the system in a Spanish city (Meco, Madrid), where the systems is being tested for its application in the near future. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]