An investigation on niching multiple species based on population replacement strategies for multimodal functions optimization

This paper studies the niching mechanism based on population replacement in the process of evolution to solve the multimodal functions optimization (MMFO) problems. In order to niche multiple species for the MMFO tasks, the overlapping population replacement is surely needed because the offspring population most probably does not inherit all of the genetic information contained in its parental population, and the basic procedure for niching genetic algorithms with overlapping population replacement is presented. Then four niching schemes, the nearest neighbors replacement crowding (NNRC), the species conservation technique (SCT), the HFC-I (implicit hierarchical fair competition), and the CPE (clearing procedure with elitist) are investigated. These niching schemes are characterized with regard to different niching strategies and parameterizations, and the corresponding niching procedures are outlined. Finally, experiments are carried out on a suite of test functions to compare different niching strategies regarding niching efficiency and scalability. Experimental results illustrate the intrinsic difference of the four niching schemes. The NNRC and HFC-I have a mechanism of multiple species coevolution via adapting multiple species to different niches, while the SCT and CPE tend to make use of a mandatory mechanism to conserve species just like the grid searching over the solution space based on species distance or clearing radius. All niching methods are able to deal with complex MMFO problems, while the NNRC and HFC-I show a better performance in terms of niching efficiency and scalability, and are more robust regarding the algorithm parameterization.

mrPSO: A maximum relevance minimum redundancy feature selection method based on swarm intelligence for support vector machine classification

This paper presents a hybrid filter-wrapper feature subset selection algorithm based on particle swarm optimization (PSO) for support vector machine (SVM) classification. The filter model is based on the mutual information and is a composite measure of feature relevance and redundancy with respect to the feature subset selected. The wrapper model is a modified discrete PSO algorithm. This hybrid algorithm, called maximum relevance minimum redundancy PSO (mr²PSO), is novel in the sense that it uses the mutual information available from the filter model to weigh the bit selection probabilities in the discrete PSO. Hence, mr²PSO uniquely brings together the efficiency of filters and the greater accuracy of wrappers. The proposed algorithm is tested over several well-known benchmarking datasets. The performance of the proposed algorithm is also compared with a recent hybrid filter-wrapper algorithm based on a genetic algorithm and a wrapper algorithm based on PSO. The results show that the mr²PSO algorithm is competitive in terms of both classification accuracy and computational performance.     

Niching Without Niching Parameters: Particle Swarm Optimization Using a Ring Topology

Niching is an important technique for multimodal optimization. Most existing niching methods require specification of certain niching parameters in order to perform well. These niching parameters, often used to inform a niching algorithm how far apart between two closest optima or the number of optima in the search space, are typically difficult to set as they are problem dependent. This paper describes a simple yet effective niching algorithm, a particle swarm optimization (PSO) algorithm using a ring neighborhood topology, which does not require any niching parameters. A PSO algorithm using the ring topology can operate as a niching algorithm by using individual particles' local memories to form a stable network retaining the best positions found so far, while these particles explore the search space more broadly. Given a reasonably large population uniformly distributed in the search space, PSO algorithms using the ring topology are able to form stable niches across different local neighborhoods, eventually locating multiple global/local optima. The complexity of these niching algorithms is only $ {cal O}(N)$, where $N$ is the population size. Experimental results suggest that PSO algorithms using the ring topology are able to provide superior and more consistent performance over some existing PSO niching algorithms that require niching parameters.      

结合梯度法的混合微粒群优化算法

在微粒群优化算法PSO中引入梯度算法,提出了一种新型的混合微粒群优化算法——GPSO。该混合优化算法是对PSO每一次进化后的所有微粒进一步执行梯度法寻优操作,并以寻找到的更优个体替代当前个体参与群体的下一代进化。GPSO既利用了PSO出色的全局搜索能力,又借助梯度法的快速局部寻优能力,很好地将两者的优势结合在一起。数值实验表明：无论是对于低维的多峰函数,还是高维的多峰和单峰病态函数,GPSO都表现出很强的优化效率、适用性和鲁棒性。     

A novel particle swarm optimizer hybridized with extremal optimization

Particle swarm optimization (PSO) has received increasing interest from the optimization community due to its simplicity in implementation and its inexpensive computational overhead. However, PSO has premature convergence, especially in complex multimodal functions. Extremal optimization (EO) is a recently developed local-search heuristic method and has been successfully applied to a wide variety of hard optimization problems. To overcome the limitation of PSO, this paper proposes a novel hybrid algorithm, called hybrid PSO–EO algorithm, through introducing EO to PSO. The hybrid approach elegantly combines the exploration ability of PSO with the exploitation ability of EO. We testify the performance of the proposed approach on a suite of unimodal/multimodal benchmark functions and provide comparisons with other meta-heuristics. The proposed approach is shown to have superior performance and great capability of preventing premature convergence across it comparing favorably with the other algorithms.     

一种新的免疫算法及其在多模态函数优化中的应用

提取免疫应答的部分简化机制并结合小生境技术,提出一种用于多峰值或非连续函数优化的免疫算法.该算法由记忆细胞获取、克隆选择、亲和突变及群体更新这四种算子模块构成.这些算子的有机组合不仅为最优化问题的解决提供了实用新方法,而且反映了抗体应答抗原的简化运行机制.算法设计的重点是借鉴小生境共享实现方法的思想建立有助于增强群体多样性及保留优良抗体的记忆细胞获取算子,以及利用亲和成熟机理设计抗体突变算子.所获算法具有整体和局部搜索能力及并行搜索特点.理论证明了其收敛性.仿真事例比较表明此算法不仅是有效的,而且能快速搜索到多个最优解(针对于多解最优化问题).     

基于确定性拥挤的多模态郊狼优化算法

为了解决多模态优化问题,对郊狼优化算法进行研究,提出了一种基于确定性拥挤的多模态郊狼优化算法—DCCOA.将小生境技术的确定性拥挤方法引入郊狼优化算法中,定义了新的郊狼进化机制,改进了郊狼群组文化趋势的计算方法.同时,为了更真实地模拟郊狼的种群生活,算法还定义了2只阿尔法郊狼并且采用了权重法更新郊狼的社会状况.最后将DCCOA与其它智能优化算法在多个典型基准函数上进行不同决策变量维数的多次对比实验.实验结果表明,小生境技术的引入进一步促进了算法在探索和勘探之间的平衡,提升了郊狼优化算法在多模态情况下的全局寻优能力,从而比原算法具有更好的收敛精度、更快的收敛速度和更强的稳定性.     

Statistical learning makes the hybridization of particle swarm and differential evolution more efficient—A novel hybrid optimizer

This brief paper reports a hybrid algorithm we developed recently to solve the global optimization problems of multimodal functions, by combining the advantages of two powerful population-based metaheuristics—differential evolution (DE) and particle swarm optimization (PSO). In the hybrid denoted by DEPSO, each individual in one generation chooses its evolution method, DE or PSO, in a statistical learning way. The choice depends on the relative success ratio of the two methods in a previous learning period. The proposed DEPSO is compared with its PSO and DE parents, two advanced DE variants one of which is suggested by the originators of DE, two advanced PSO variants one of which is acknowledged as a recent standard by PSO community, and also a previous DEPSO. Benchmark tests demonstrate that the DEPSO is more competent for the global optimization of multimodal functions due to its high optimization quality. Supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 60374069), and the Foundation of the Key Laboratory of Complex Systems and Intelligent Science, Institute of Automation, Chinese Academy of Sciences (Grant No. 20060104)     

随机微粒群优化算法

微粒群优化算法是继蚁群算法之后又一种新的基于群体智能的启发式全局优化算法，其概念简单、易于实现，而且具有良好的优化性能，目前已在许多领域得到应用。但在求解高维多峰函数寻优问题时，算法易陷入局部最优。该文结合模拟退火算法的思想，提出了一种改进的微粒群优化算法——随机微粒群优化算法，该算法在运行初期具有更强的探索能力，可以避免群体过早陷入局部极值点。基于典型高维复杂函数的仿真结果表明，与基本微粒群优化算法相比，该混合算法具有更好的优化性能。     

一种催化粒子群算法及其性能分析

针对粒子群算法（PSO）在解决高维、多模复杂问题时容易陷入局部最优的问题,提出了一种新颖的混合算法—催化粒子群算法（CPSO）。在CPSO优化过程中,种群中的粒子始终保持其个体历史最优值pbests。CPSO种群更新由改造PSO、横向交叉以及垂直交叉三个搜索算子交替进行,其中,每个算子产生的中庸解均通过贪婪思想产生占优解pbests,并作为下一个算子的父代种群。在CPSO中,纵横交叉算法（CSO）作为PSO的加速催化剂,一方面通过横向交叉改善PSO的全局收敛性能,另一方面通过纵向交叉维持种群的多样性。对6个典型benchmark函数的仿真结果表明,相比其它主流PSO变体,CPSO在全局收敛能力和收敛速率方面具有明显优势。     

A modified particle swarm optimization with multiple subpopulations for multimodal function optimization problems

In this paper, a modified particle swarm optimization (PSO) algorithm is developed for solving multimodal function optimization problems. The difference between the proposed method and the general PSO is to split up the original single population into several subpopulations according to the order of particles. The best particle within each subpopulation is recorded and then applied into the velocity updating formula to replace the original global best particle in the whole population. To update all particles in each subpopulation, the modified velocity formula is utilized. Based on the idea of multiple subpopulations, for the multimodal function optimization the several optima including the global and local solutions may probably be found by these best particles separately. To show the efficiency of the proposed method, two kinds of function optimizations are provided, including a single modal function optimization and a complex multimodal function optimization. Simulation results will demonstrate the convergence behavior of particles by the number of iterations, and the global and local system solutions are solved by these best particles of subpopulations.     

Adaptive fuzzy particle swarm optimization for global optimization of multimodal functions

This paper proposes an adaptive fuzzy PSO (AFPSO) algorithm, based on the standard particle swarm optimization (SPSO) algorithm. The proposed AFPSO utilizes fuzzy set theory to adjust PSO acceleration coefficients adaptively, and is thereby able to improve the accuracy and efficiency of searches. Incorporating this algorithm with quadratic interpolation and crossover operator further enhances the global searching capability to form a new variant, called AFPSO-QI. We compared the proposed AFPSO and its variant AFPSO-QI with SPSO, quadratic interpolation PSO (QIPSO), unified PSO (UPSO), fully informed particle swarm (FIPS), dynamic multi-swarm PSO (DMSPSO), and comprehensive learning PSO (CLPSO) across sixteen benchmark functions. The proposed algorithms performed well when applied to minimization problems for most of the multimodal functions considered.     

FRPSO: Fletcher–Reeves based particle swarm optimization for multimodal function optimization

Particle swarm optimization (PSO) is a population-based optimization tool that is inspired by the collective intelligent behavior of birds seeking food. It can be easily implemented and applied to solve various function optimization problems. However, relatively few researchers have explored the potential of PSO for multimodal problems. Although PSO is a simple, easily implemented, and powerful technique, it has a tendency to get trapped in a local optimum. This premature convergence makes it difficult to find global optimum solutions for multimodal problems. A hybrid Fletcher–Reeves based PSO (FRPSO) method is proposed in this paper. It is based on the idea of increasing exploitation of the local optimum, while maintaining a good exploration capability for finding better solutions. In FRPSO, standard PSO is used to update the particle’s current position, which is then further refined by the Fletcher–Reeves conjugate gradient method. This enhances the performance of standard PSO. The results of experiments conducted on seventeen benchmark test functions demonstrate that the proposed method shows superior performance on a set of multimodal functions when compared with standard PSO, a genetic algorithm (GA) and fitness distance ratio PSO (FDRPSO).     

Non-parametric particle swarm optimization for global optimization

In recent years, particle swarm optimization (PSO) has extensively applied in various optimization problems because of its simple structure. Although the PSO may find local optima or exhibit slow convergence speed when solving complex multimodal problems. Also, the algorithm requires setting several parameters, and tuning the parameters is a challenging for some optimization problems. To address these issues, an improved PSO scheme is proposed in this study. The algorithm, called non-parametric particle swarm optimization (NP-PSO) enhances the global exploration and the local exploitation in PSO without tuning any algorithmic parameter. NP-PSO combines local and global topologies with two quadratic interpolation operations to increase the search ability. Nineteen (19) unimodal and multimodal nonlinear benchmark functions are selected to compare the performance of NP-PSO with several well-known PSO algorithms. The experimental results showed that the proposed method considerably enhances the efficiency of PSO algorithm in terms of solution accuracy, convergence speed, global optimality, and algorithm reliability.     

用于多峰函数优化的改进小生境微粒群算法

针对小生境微粒群算法在处理复杂多峰函数优化问题中存在的一些缺陷,提出一种改进的小生境SNPSO算法。SNPSO算法将顺序小生境的思想引入其中,首先在主群体中应用Stretching技术,其次对子群体采用解散策略,即当在子群体中找到一个极值点后把子群体解散回归主群体,最后设置子群体创建时的半径阈值,避免子群体半径过大。该算法解决了标准的NichePSO算法在处理多峰函数时,极值点的个数依赖于子群体个数及极值点容易出现重复、遗漏等问题。对3个常用的基本测试函数的实验表明,新算法（SNPSO）在多峰函数寻优中解的稳定性、收敛性和覆盖率均优于标准NichePSO。     

Binary optimization using hybrid particle swarm optimization and gravitational search algorithm

The PSOGSA is a novel hybrid optimization algorithm, combining strengths of both particle swarm optimization (PSO) and gravitational search algorithm (GSA). It has been proven that this algorithm outperforms both PSO and GSA in terms of improved exploration and exploitation. The original version of this algorithm is well suited for problems with continuous search space. Some problems, however, have binary parameters. This paper proposes a binary version of hybrid PSOGSA called BPSOGSA to solve these kinds of optimization problems. The paper also considers integration of adaptive values to further balance exploration and exploitation of BPSOGSA. In order to evaluate the efficiencies of the proposed binary algorithm, 22 benchmark functions are employed and divided into three groups: unimodal, multimodal, and composite. The experimental results confirm better performance of BPSOGSA compared with binary gravitational search algorithm (BGSA), binary particle swarm optimization (BPSO), and genetic algorithm in terms of avoiding local minima and convergence rate.     

Fitness sharing and niching methods revisited

Interest in multimodal optimization function is expanding rapidly since real-world optimization problems often require the location of multiple optima in the search space. In this context, fitness sharing has been used widely to maintain population diversity and permit the investigation of manly peaks in the feasible domain. This paper reviews various strategies of sharing and proposes new recombination schemes to improve its efficiency. Some empirical results are presented for high and a limited number of fitness function evaluations. Finally, the study compares the sharing method with other niching techniques     

A hybrid genetic algorithm and particle swarm optimization for multimodal functions

Heuristic optimization provides a robust and efficient approach for solving complex real-world problems. The focus of this research is on a hybrid method combining two heuristic optimization techniques, genetic algorithms (GA) and particle swarm optimization (PSO), for the global optimization of multimodal functions. Denoted as GA-PSO, this hybrid technique incorporates concepts from GA and PSO and creates individuals in a new generation not only by crossover and mutation operations as found in GA but also by mechanisms of PSO. The results of various experimental studies using a suite of 17 multimodal test functions taken from the literature have demonstrated the superiority of the hybrid GA-PSO approach over the other four search techniques in terms of solution quality and convergence rates.     

A novel particle swarm optimization algorithm with Levy flight

Particle swarm optimization (PSO) is one of the well-known population-based techniques used in global optimization and many engineering problems. Despite its simplicity and efficiency, the PSO has problems as being trapped in local minima due to premature convergence and weakness of global search capability. To overcome these disadvantages, the PSO is combined with Levy flight in this study. Levy flight is a random walk determining stepsize using Levy distribution. Being used Levy flight, a more efficient search takes place in the search space thanks to the long jumps to be made by the particles. In the proposed method, a limit value is defined for each particle, and if the particles could not improve self-solutions at the end of current iteration, this limit is increased. If the limit value determined is exceeded by a particle, the particle is redistributed in the search space with Levy flight method. To get rid of local minima and improve global search capability are ensured via this distribution in the basic PSO. The performance and accuracy of the proposed method called as Levy flight particle swarm optimization (LFPSO) are examined on well-known unimodal and multimodal benchmark functions. Experimental results show that the LFPSO is clearly seen to be more successful than one of the state-of-the-art PSO (SPSO) and the other PSO variants in terms of solution quality and robustness. The results are also statistically compared, and a significant difference is observed between the SPSO and the LFPSO methods. Furthermore, the results of proposed method are also compared with the results of well-known and recent population-based optimization methods.     

基于小生境策略的检测器生成算法

引入小生境思想能够较好地维持解的多样性,同时具有较高的全局寻优能力和收敛速度,特别适合于复杂多峰函数的优化问题。为了提高检测器的生成效率,降低算法开销,引入小生境进化原理用于未成熟检测器的生成;通过计算初始种群个体之间的海明相似度,依据个体之间的亲和力和适应度,构建多个小生境并分别进行进化,提出了基于小生境策略的检测器生成算法;对算法进行了验证,讨论了实验中涉及的参数,与穷举检测器生成算法进行了比较;通过对实验结果的分析,在一定条件下,该算法基本达到了预期的目标。