An improved bio-inspired algorithm for the directed shortest path problem.

Because most networks are intrinsically directed, the directed shortest path problem has been one of the fundamental issues in network optimization. In this paper, a novel algorithm for finding the shortest path in directed networks is proposed. It extends a bio-inspired path finding model of Physarum polycephalum, which is designed only for undirected networks, by adopting analog circuit analysis. Illustrative examples are given to show the effectiveness of the proposed algorithm in finding the directed shortest path.