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The Snake Optimizer (SO) is an advanced metaheuristic algorithm for solving complicated real-world optimization problems. However, despite its advantages, the SO faces certain challenges, such as susceptibility to local optima and suboptimal convergence performance in cases involving discretized, high-dimensional, and multi-constraint problems. To address these problems, this paper presents an improved version of the SO, known as the Snake Optimizer using Sobol sequential nonlinear factors and different learning strategies (SNDSO). Firstly, using Sobol sequences to generate better distributed initial populations helps to locate the global optimum solution faster. Secondly, the use of nonlinear factors based on the inverse tangent function to control the exploration and exploitation phases effectively improves the exploitation capability of the algorithm. Finally, introducing learning strategies improves the population diversity and reduces the probability of the algorithm falling into the local optimum trap. The effectiveness of the proposed SNDSO in solving discretized, high-dimensional, and multi-constraint problems is validated through a series of experiments. The performance of the SNDSO in tackling high-dimensional numerical optimization problems is first confirmed by using the Congress on Evolutionary Computation (CEC) 2015 and CEC2017 test sets. Then, twelve feature selection problems are used to evaluate the effectiveness of the SNDSO in discretized scenarios. Finally, five real-world technical multi-constraint optimization problems are employed to evaluate the performance of the SNDSO in high-dimensional and multi-constraint domains. The experiments show that the SNDSO effectively overcomes the challenges of discretization, high dimensionality, and multi-constraint problems and outperforms superior algorithms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The prediction of the ultimate bearing capacity (UBC) of composite foundations represents a critical application of test monitoring data within the field of intelligent geotechnical engineering. This paper introduces an effective combinational prediction algorithm, namely SA-IRMO-BP. By integrating the Improved Radial Movement Optimization (IRMO) algorithm with the simulated annealing (SA) algorithm, we develop a meta-heuristic optimization algorithm (SA-IRMO) to optimize the built-in weights and thresholds of backpropagation neural networks (BPNN). Leveraging this integrated prediction algorithm, we forecast the UBC of soil–cement mixed (SCM) pile composite foundations, yielding the following performance metrics: RMSE = 3.4626, MAE = 2.2712, R = 0.9978, VAF = 99.4339. These metrics substantiate the superior predictive performance of the proposed model. Furthermore, we utilize two distinct datasets to validate the generalizability of the prediction model presented herein, which carries significant implications for the safety and stability of civil engineering projects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many-objective optimization problems are today ever more common. The decomposition-based approach stands out among the evolutionary algorithms used for their solution, with MOEA/D and its variations playing significant roles. MOEA/D variations seek to improve weight vector definition, improve the dynamic adjustment of weight vectors during the evolution process, improve the evolutionary operators, use alternative decomposition methods, and hybridize with other metaheuristics, among others. Although an essential topic for the success of MOEA/D depends on how well the weight vectors are defined when decomposing the problem, not as much research has been performed on this topic as on the others. This paper proposes using a new mathematical object called augmented covering arrays (ACAs) that enable a better sampling of interactions of M objectives using the least number of weight vectors based on an interaction level (strength), defined a priori by the user. The proposed method obtains better results, measured in inverted generational distance, using small to medium populations (up to 850 solutions) of 30 to 100 objectives over DTLZ and WFG problems against the traditional weight vector definition used by MOEA/D-DE and results obtained by NSGA-III. Other MOEA/D variations can include the proposed approach and thus improve their results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper introduces the election optimization algorithm (EOA), a meta-heuristic approach for engineering optimization problems. Inspired by the democratic electoral system, focusing on the presidential election, EOA emulates the complete election process to optimize solutions. By simulating the presidential election, EOA introduces a novel position-tracking strategy that expands the scope of effectively solvable problems, surpassing conventional human-based algorithms, specifically, the political optimizer. EOA incorporates explicit behaviors observed during elections, including the party nomination and presidential election. During the party nomination, the search space is broadened to avoid local optima by integrating diverse strategies and suggestions from within the party. In the presidential election, adequate population diversity is maintained in later stages through further campaigning between elite candidates elected within the party. To establish a benchmark for comparison, EOA is rigorously assessed against several renowned and widely recognized algorithms in the field of optimization. EOA demonstrates superior performance in terms of average values and standard deviations across the twenty-three standard test functions and CEC2019. Through rigorous statistical analysis using the Wilcoxon rank-sum test at a significance level of 0.05, experimental results indicate that EOA consistently delivers high-quality solutions compared to the other benchmark algorithms. Moreover, the practical applicability of EOA is assessed by solving six complex engineering design problems, demonstrating its effectiveness in real-world scenarios. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accurate traffic flow prediction plays a crucial role in the development of intelligent traffic management. Despite numerous investigations into spatio-temporal methods, achieving high accuracy in traffic flow prediction remains challenging. This challenge arises from the complex dynamic spatio-temporal correlations within the traffic road network and the limitations imposed by the selection of hyperparameters based on experiments and manual experience, which can affect the performance of the network architecture. This paper introduces a novel transformer-based adaptive graph convolutional recurrent network. The proposed network automatically infers the interdependencies among different traffic sequences and incorporates the capability to capture global spatio-temporal correlations. This enables the dynamic capture of long-range temporal correlations. Furthermore, the whale optimization algorithm is employed to efficiently design an optimal network structure that aligns with the requirements of the traffic domain and maximizes the utilization of limited computational resources. This design approach significantly enhances the model's performance and improves the accuracy of traffic flow prediction. The experimental results on four real datasets demonstrate the efficacy of our approach. In PEMS03, it improves MAE by 2.6% and RMSE by 1.4%. In PEMS04, improvements are 1.6% in MAE and 1.4% in RMSE, with a similar MAPE score to the best baseline. For PEMS07, our approach shows a 4.1% improvement in MAE and 2.2% in RMSE. On PEMS08, it surpasses the current best baseline with a 3.4% improvement in MAE and 1.6% in RMSE. These results confirm the good performance of our model in traffic flow prediction across multiple datasets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Supply Chain (SC) Optimization is a key activity in today's industry with the goal of increasing operational efficiency, reducing costs, and improving customer satisfaction. Traditional optimization methods often struggle to effectively use resources while handling complex and dynamic Supply chain networks. This paper introduces a novel biomimetic metaheuristic algorithm called the Wombat Optimization Algorithm (WOA) for supply chain optimization. This algorithm replicates the natural behaviors observed in wombats living in the wild, particularly focusing on their foraging tactics and evasive maneuvers towards predators. The theory of WOA is described and then mathematically modeled in two phases: (i) exploration based on the simulation of wombat movements during foraging and trying to find food and (ii) exploitation based on simulating wombat movements when diving towards nearby tunnels to defend against its predators. The effectiveness of WOA in addressing optimization challenges is assessed by handling the CEC 2017 test suite across various problem dimensions, including 10, 30, 50, and 100. The findings of the optimization indicate that WOA demonstrates a strong ability to effectively manage exploration and exploitation, and maintains a balance between them throughout the search phase to deliver optimal solutions for optimization problems. A total of twelve well-known metaheuristic algorithms are called upon to test their performance against WOA in the optimization process. The outcomes of the simulations reveal that WOA outperforms the other algorithms, achieving superior results across most benchmark functions and securing the top ranking as the most efficient optimizer. Using a Wilcoxon rank sum test statistical analysis, it has been proven that WOA outperforms other algorithms significantly. WOA is put to the test with twenty-two constrained optimization problems from the CEC 2011 test suite and four engineering design problems to showcase its ability to solve real-world optimization problems. The results of the simulations demonstrate that WOA excels in real-world applications by delivering superior solutions and outperforming its competitors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In an effort to balance the distribution of services across a given territory, dispersion and diversity models typically aim to maximize the minimum distance between any pair of facilities. Specifically, in the capacitated dispersion problem (CDP), each facility has an associated capacity or level of service, and the objective is to select a set of facilities so that the minimum distance between any pair of them (dispersion) is maximized, while ensuring a user-defined level of service. This problem can be formulated as a linear integer model, where the sum of the capacities of the selected facilities must match or exceed the total demand in the network. Real-life applications often necessitate considering the levels of uncertainty affecting the capacity of the nodes. Failure to account for this uncertainty could lead to low-quality or infeasible solutions in practical scenarios. However, research addressing the stochastic version of the CDP is scarce. This paper introduces two models for the CDP with stochastic capacities, incorporating soft constraints and penalty costs for violating the total capacity constraint. The first model includes a probabilistic constraint to ensure the required level of service with a certain probability, while the second model introduces a soft constraint with penalty costs for violations. To solve both variants of the model, a forward–backward simheuristic algorithm is proposed. Our approach combines a metaheuristic algorithm with Monte Carlo simulation, enabling the efficient handling of the random behavior of node capacities and obtaining reliable solutions regardless of their probability distribution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the rapid development of the sharing economy, the distribution in third-party logistics (3PL) can be modeled as a variant of the open vehicle routing problem (OVRP). However, very few papers have studied 3PL with loading constraints. In this work, a two-dimensional loading open vehicle routing problem with time windows (2L-OVRPTW) is described, and a multi-objective learning whale optimization algorithm (MLWOA) is proposed to solve it. As the 2L-OVRPTW is integrated by the routing subproblem and the loading subproblem, the MLWOA is designed as a two-phase algorithm to deal with these subproblems. In the routing phase, the exploration mechanisms and learning strategy in the MLWOA are used to search the population globally. Then, a local search method based on four neighborhood operations is designed for the exploitation of the non-dominant solutions. In the loading phase, in order to avoid discarding non-dominant solutions due to loading failure, a skyline-based loading strategy with a scoring method is designed to reasonably adjust the loading scheme. From the simulation analysis of different instances, it can be seen that the MLWOA algorithm has an absolute advantage in comparison with the standard WOA and other heuristic algorithms, regardless of the running results at the scale of 25, 50, or 100 datasets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the emergence of the fourth industrial revolution, the use of intelligent technologies in supply chains is becoming increasingly common. The aim of this research is to propose an optimal design for an intelligent supply chain of multiple perishable products under a vendor-managed inventory management policy aided by IoT-related technologies to address the challenges associated with traditional supply chains. Various levels of the intelligent supply chain employ technologies such as Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs), Radio Frequency Identification (RFID), and Blockchain. In this paper, we develop a bi-objective nonlinear integer mathematical programming model for designing a four-level supply chain consisting of suppliers, manufacturers, retailers, and customers. The model determines the optimal network nodes, production level, product distribution and sales, and optimal choice of technology for each level. The objective functions are total cost and delivery times. The GAMS 24.2.1 optimization software is employed to solve the mathematical model in small dimensions. Considering the NP-Hard nature of the problem, the Grey Wolf Optimizer (GWO) algorithm is employed, and its performance is compared with the Multi-Objective Whale Optimization Algorithm (MOWOA) and NSGA-III. The results indicate that the adoption of these technologies in the supply chain can reduce delivery times and total supply chain costs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Whale Optimization Algorithm (WOA) is a swarm intelligence algorithm based on natural heuristics, which has gained considerable attention from researchers and engineers. However, WOA still has some limitations, including limited global search efficiency and a slow convergence rate. To address these issues, this paper presents an improved whale optimization algorithm with multiple strategies, called Dynamic Gain-Sharing Whale Optimization Algorithm (DGSWOA). Specifically, a Sine–Tent–Cosine map is first adopted to more effectively initialize the population, ensuring a more uniform distribution of individuals across the search space. Then, a gaining–sharing knowledge based algorithm is used to enhance global search capability and avoid falling into a local optimum. Finally, to increase the diversity of solutions, Dynamic Opposition-Based Learning is incorporated for population updating. The effectiveness of our approach is evaluated through comparative experiments on blackbox optimization benchmarking and two engineering application problems. The experimental results suggest that the proposed method is competitive in terms of solution quality and convergence speed in most cases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Predicting diseases in the early stages is extremely important. By taking advantage of advances in deep learning and fuzzy logic techniques, a new model is proposed in this paper for disease evaluation depending on the adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference system (ANFIS) with a genetic algorithm (GA) for classification, and the pre-trained DenseNet-201 model for feature extraction, in addition to the whale optimization algorithm (WOA) for feature selection. Two medical databases (chest X-ray and MRI brain tumor) for the diagnosis of two disease types were used as input in the suggested model. The optimization of ANFIS parameters was performed by GA to achieve the optimum prediction capability. DenseNet-201 for feature extraction was employed to obtain better classification accuracy. Having more features sometimes leads to lower accuracy, and this issue can be rectified using a feature selection strategy WOA which gave good results. The proposed model was evaluated utilizing statistical metrics root mean square error (RMSE), mean square error (MSE), standard deviation (STD), and coefficient of determination ( R 2 ), and it was compared with the conventional ANFIS model, with the proposed model (ANFIS-GA) showing a superior prediction capability over the ANFIS model. As a result, it can be concluded that the proposed ANFIS-GA model is efficient and has the potential for a robust diseases evaluation with good accuracy. Also, we conclude from this work that integrating optimization algorithms with ANFIS boosts its performance, resulting in a more accurate and reliable model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we investigate a single machine scheduling problem with a proportional job deterioration. Under release times (dates) of jobs, the objective is to minimize the total weighted completion time. For the general condition, some dominance properties, a lower bound and an upper bound are given, then a branch-and-bound algorithm is proposed. In addition, some meta-heuristic algorithms (including the tabu search ( T S ), simulated annealing ( S A ) and heuristic ( N E H ) algorithms) are proposed. Finally, experimental results are provided to compare the branch-and-bound algorithm and another three algorithms, which indicate that the branch-and-bound algorithm can solve instances of 40 jobs within a reasonable time and that the N E H and S A are more accurate than the T S . [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Harris Hawks Optimization algorithm (HHO) is a sophisticated metaheuristic technique that draws inspiration from the hunting process of Harris hawks, which has gained attention in recent years. However, despite its promising features, the algorithm exhibits certain limitations, including the tendency to converge to local optima and a relatively slow convergence speed. In this paper, we propose the multi-strategy improved HHO algorithm (MSI-HHO) as an enhancement to the standard HHO algorithm, which adopts three strategies to improve its performance, namely, inverted S-shaped escape energy, a stochastic learning mechanism based on Gaussian mutation, and refracted opposition-based learning. At the same time, we conduct a comprehensive comparison between our proposed MSI-HHO algorithm with the standard HHO algorithm and five other well-known metaheuristic optimization algorithms. Extensive simulation experiments are conducted on both the 23 classical benchmark functions and the IEEE CEC 2020 benchmark functions. Then, the results of the non-parametric tests indicate that the MSI-HHO algorithm outperforms six other comparative algorithms at a significance level of 0.05 or greater. Additionally, the visualization analysis demonstrates the superior convergence speed and accuracy of the MSI-HHO algorithm, providing evidence of its robust performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Heuristic optimization algorithms have been proved to be powerful in solving nonlinear and complex optimization problems; therefore, many effective optimization algorithms have been applied to solve optimization problems in real-world scenarios. This paper presents a modification of the recently proposed Gaining–Sharing Knowledge (GSK)-based algorithm and applies it to optimize resource scheduling in the Internet of Vehicles (IoV). The GSK algorithm simulates different phases of human life in gaining and sharing knowledge, which is mainly divided into the senior phase and the junior phase. The individual is initially in the junior phase in all dimensions and gradually moves into the senior phase as the individual interacts with the surrounding environment. The main idea used to improve the GSK algorithm is to divide the initial population into different groups, each searching independently and communicating according to two main strategies. Opposite-based learning is introduced to correct the direction of convergence and improve the speed of convergence. This paper proposes an improved algorithm, named parallel opposition-based Gaining–Sharing Knowledge-based algorithm (POGSK). The improved algorithm is tested with the original algorithm and several classical algorithms under the CEC2017 test suite. The results show that the improved algorithm significantly improves the performance of the original algorithm. When POGSK was applied to optimize resource scheduling in IoV, the results also showed that POGSK is more competitive. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Internet of Things (IoT) edge is an emerging technology of sensors and devices that communicate real-time data to a network. IoT edge computing was introduced to handle the latency concerns related to cloud computing data management, as the data are processed closer to their point of origin. Clustering and scheduling tasks on IoT edge computing are considered a challenging problem due to the diverse nature of task and resource characteristics. Metaheuristics and optimization methods are widely used in IoT edge task clustering and scheduling. This paper introduced a new task clustering and scheduling mechanism using differential evolution optimization on IoT edge computing. The proposed mechanism aims to optimize task clustering and scheduling to find optimal execution times for submitted tasks. The proposed mechanism for task clustering is based on the degree of similarity of task characteristics. The proposed mechanisms use an evolutionary mechanism to distribute system tasks across suitable IoT edge resources. The clustering tasks process categorizes tasks with similar requirements and then maps them to appropriate resources. To evaluate the proposed differential evolution mechanism for IoT edge task clustering and scheduling, this study conducted several simulation experiments against two established mechanisms: the Firefly Algorithm (FA) and Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO). The simulation configuration was carefully created to mimic real-world IoT edge computing settings to ensure the proposed mechanism's applicability and the simulation results' relevance. In the heavyweight workload scenario, the proposed DE mechanism started with an execution time of 916.61 milliseconds, compared to FA's 1092 milliseconds and PSO's 1026.09 milliseconds. By the 50th iteration, the proposed DE mechanism had reduced its execution time significantly to around 821.27 milliseconds, whereas FA and PSO showed lesser improvements, with FA at approximately 1053.06 milliseconds and PSO stabilizing at 956.12 milliseconds. The simulation results revealed that the proposed differential evolution mechanism for edge task clustering and scheduling outperforms FA and PSO regarding system efficiency and stability, significantly reducing execution time and having minimal variation across simulation iterations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Disassembling discarded electrical products plays a crucial role in product recycling, contributing to resource conservation and environmental protection. While disassembly lines are progressively transitioning to automation, manual or human–robot collaborative approaches still involve numerous workers dealing with hazardous disassembly tasks. In such scenarios, achieving a balance between low risk and high revenue becomes pivotal in decision making for disassembly line balancing, determining the optimal assignment of tasks to workstations. This paper tackles a new disassembly line balancing problem under the limitations of quantified penalties for hazardous component disassembly and the switching time between adjacent tasks. The objective function is to maximize the overall profit, which is equal to the disassembly revenue minus the total cost. A mixed-integer linear program is formulated to precisely describe and optimally solve the problem. Recognizing its NP-hard nature, a metaheuristic algorithm, inspired by human idea generation and population evolution processes, is devised to achieve near-optimal solutions. The exceptional performance of the proposed algorithm on practical test cases is demonstrated through a comprehensive comparison involving its solutions, exact solutions obtained using CPLEX to solve the proposed mixed-integer linear program, and those of competitive peer algorithms. It significantly outperforms its competitors and thus implies its great potential to be used in practice. As computing power increases, the effectiveness of the proposed methods is expected to increase further. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Group train operation (GTO) applications have reduced the tracking intervals for overloaded trains, and can affect the efficiency of rail transport. In this paper, we first analyze the differences between GTO and traditional operation (TO). A new mathematical model and simulated annealing algorithm are then used to study the problem of mixed group train operation. The optimization objective of this model is to maximize the transportation volume of special heavy-haul railway lines within the optimization period. The main constraint conditions are extracted from the maintenance time, the minimum ratio of freight volume, and the committed arrival time at each station. A simulated annealing algorithm is constructed to generate the mixed GTO plan. Through numerical experiments conducted on actual heavy-haul railway structures, we validate the effectiveness of the proposed model and meta-heuristic algorithm. The results of the first contrastive experiment show that the freight volume for group trains is 37.5% higher than that of traditional trains, and the second experiment shows a 30.6% reduction in the time during which the line is occupied by trains in GTO. These findings provide compelling evidence that GTO can effectively enhance the capacity and reduce the transportation time cost of special heavy-haul railway lines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accurate parameter estimation is crucial and challenging for the design and modeling of PV cells/modules. However, the high degree of non-linearity of the typical I–V characteristic further complicates this task. Consequently, significant research interest has been generated in recent years. Currently, this trend has been marked by a noteworthy acceleration, mainly due to the rise of swarm intelligence and the rapid progress of computer technology. This paper proposes a developed Mountain Gazelle Optimizer (MGO) to generate the best values of the unknown parameters of PV generation units. The MGO mimics the social life and hierarchy of mountain gazelles in the wild. The MGO was compared with well-recognized recent algorithms, which were the Grey Wolf Optimizer (GWO), the Squirrel Search Algorithm (SSA), the Differential Evolution (DE) algorithm, the Bat–Artificial Bee Colony Optimizer (BABCO), the Bat Algorithm (BA), Multiswarm Spiral Leader Particle Swarm Optimization (M-SLPSO), the Guaranteed Convergence Particle Swarm Optimization algorithm (GCPSO), Triple-Phase Teaching–Learning-Based Optimization (TPTLBO), the Criss-Cross-based Nelder–Mead simplex Gradient-Based Optimizer (CCNMGBO), the quasi-Opposition-Based Learning Whale Optimization Algorithm (OBLWOA), and the Fractional Chaotic Ensemble Particle Swarm Optimizer (FC-EPSO). The experimental findings and statistical studies proved that the MGO outperformed the competing techniques in identifying the parameters of the Single-Diode Model (SDM) and the Double-Diode Model (DDM) PV models of Photowatt-PWP201 (polycrystalline) and STM6-40/36 (monocrystalline). The RMSEs of the MGO on the SDM and the DDM of Photowatt-PWP201 and STM6-40/36 were 2.042717 × 10 − 3 , 1.387641 × 10 − 3 , 1.719946 × 10 − 3 , and 1.686104 × 10 − 3 , respectively. Overall, the identified results highlighted that the MGO-based approach featured a fast processing time and steady convergence while retaining a high level of accuracy in the achieved solution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper addresses a parameter identification problem for discrete-time stochastic systems models with multiplicative and additive noises. Stochastic systems with additive and multiplicative noises are considered when solving many practical problems related to the processing of measurements information. The purpose of this work is to develop a numerically stable gradient-free instrumental method for solving the parameter identification problems for a class of mathematical models described by discrete-time linear stochastic systems with multiplicative and additive noises on the basis of metaheuristic optimization and singular value decomposition. We construct an identification criterion in the form of the negative log-likelihood function based on the values calculated by the newly proposed SVD-based Kalman-type filtering algorithm, taking into account the multiplicative noises in the equations of the state and measurements. Metaheuristic optimization algorithms such as the GA (genetic algorithm) and SA (simulated annealing) are used to minimize the identification criterion. Numerical experiments confirm the validity of the proposed method and its numerical stability compared with the usage of the conventional Kalman-type filtering algorithm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Efficient exploration in multi-robot systems is significantly influenced by the initial start positions of the robots. This paper introduces the hybrid cheetah exploration technique with intelligent initial configuration (HCETIIC), a novel strategy explicitly designed to optimize exploration efficiency across varying initial start configurations: uniform distribution, centralized position, random positions, perimeter positions, clustered positions, and strategic positions. To establish the effectiveness of HCETIIC, we engage in a comparative analysis with four other prevalent hybrid methods in the domain. These methods amalgamate the principles of coordinated multi-robot exploration (CME) with different metaheuristic algorithms and have demonstrated compelling results in their respective studies. The performance comparison is based on essential measures such as runtime, the percentage of the explored area, and failure rate. The empirical results reveal that the proposed HCETIIC method consistently outperforms the compared strategies across different start positions, thereby emphasizing its considerable potential for enhancing efficiency in multi-robot exploration tasks across a wide range of real-world scenarios. This research underscores the critical, yet often overlooked, role of the initial robot configuration in multi-robot exploration, establishing a new direction for further improvements in this field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Harris Hawk Optimization (HHO) is a well-known nature-inspired metaheuristic model inspired by the distinctive foraging strategy and cooperative behavior of Harris Hawks. As with numerous other algorithms, HHO is susceptible to getting stuck in local optima and has a sluggish convergence rate. Several techniques have been proposed in the literature to improve the performance of metaheuristic algorithms (MAs) and to tackle their limitations. Chaos optimization strategies have been proposed for many years to enhance MAs. There are four distinct categories of Chaos strategies, including chaotic mapped initialization, randomness, iterations, and controlled parameters. This paper introduces SHHOIRC, a novel hybrid algorithm designed to enhance the efficiency of HHO. Self-adaptive Harris Hawk Optimization using three chaotic optimization methods (SHHOIRC) is the proposed algorithm. On 16 well-known benchmark functions, the proposed hybrid algorithm, authentic HHO, and five HHO variants are evaluated. The computational results and statistical analysis demonstrate that SHHOIRC exhibits notable similarities to other previously published algorithms. The proposed algorithm outperformed the other algorithms by 81.25%, compared to 18.75% for the prior algorithms, by obtaining the best average solutions for 13 benchmark functions. Furthermore, the proposed algorithm is tested on a real-life problem, which is the maximum coverage problem of Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs), and compared with pure HHO, and two well-known algorithms, Grey Wolf Optimization (GWO) and Whale Optimization Algorithm (WOA). For the maximum coverage experiments, the proposed algorithm demonstrated superior performance, surpassing other algorithms by obtaining the best coverage rates of 95.4375% and 97.125% for experiments 1 and 2, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Squirrel Search Algorithm (SSA) is widely used due to its simple structure and efficient search ability. However, SSA exhibits relatively slow convergence speed and imbalanced exploration and exploitation. To address these limitations, this paper proposes a fuzzy squirrel search algorithm based on a wide-area search mechanism named FSSSA. The fuzzy inference system and sine cosine mutation are employed to enhance the convergence speed. The wide-area search mechanism is introduced to achieve a better balance between exploration and exploitation, as well as improve the convergence accuracy. To evaluate the effectiveness of the proposed strategies, FSSSA is compared with SSA on 24 diverse benchmark functions, using four evaluation indexes: convergence speed, convergence accuracy, balance and diversity, and non-parametric test. The experimental results demonstrate that FSSSA outperforms SSA in all four indexes. Furthermore, a comparison with eight metaheuristic algorithms is conducted to illustrate the optimization performance of FSSSA. The results indicate that FSSSA exhibits excellent convergence speed and overall performance. Additionally, FSSSA is applied to four engineering problems, and experimental verification confirms that it maintains superior performance in realistic optimization problems, thus demonstrating its practicality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Scheduling jobs within a cloud environment is a critical area of research that necessitates meticulous analysis. It entails the challenge of optimally assigning jobs to various cloud servers, each with different capabilities, and is classified as a non-deterministic polynomial (NP) problem. Many conventional methods have been suggested to tackle this difficulty, but they often struggle to find nearly perfect solutions within a reasonable timeframe. As a result, researchers have turned to evolutionary algorithms to tackle this problem. However, relying on a single metaheuristic approach can be problematic as it may become trapped in local optima, resulting in slow convergence. Therefore, combining different metaheuristic strategies to improve the overall system enactment is essential. This paper presents a novel approach that integrates three methods to enhance exploration and exploitation, increasing search process efficiency and optimizing many-objective functions. In the initial phase, we adopt cooperative game theory with merge-and-split techniques to train computing hosts at different utilization load levels, determining the ideal utilization for each server. This approach ensures that servers operate at their highest utilization range, maximizing their profitability. In the second stage, we incorporate the mean variation of the grey wolf optimization algorithm, making significant adjustments to the encircling and hunting phases to enhance the exploitation of the search space. In the final phase, we introduce an innovative pollination operator inspired by the sunflower optimization algorithm to enrich the exploration of the search domain. By skillfully balancing exploration and exploitation, we effectively address many-objective optimization problems. To validate the performance of our proposed method, we conducted experiments using both real-world and synthesized datasets, employing CloudSim software version 5.0. The evaluation involved two sets of experiments to measure different evaluation metrics. In the first experiment, we focused on minimizing factors such as energy costs, completion time, latency, and SLA violations. The second experiment, in contrast, aimed at maximizing metrics such as service quality, bandwidth utilization, asset utilization ratio, and service provider outcomes. The results from these experiments unequivocally demonstrate the outstanding performance of our algorithm, surpassing existing state-of-the-art approaches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposes a wireless channel equalization method applied to the constant modulus blind equalization system, which addresses the slow convergence and strong randomness in the initialization of equalizer weights in the constant modulus blind equalization algorithm (CMA) by introducing a hybrid arithmetic whale optimization algorithm (HAWOA). The mean square error in the CMA is utilized as the cost function for the HAWOA to obtain a more effective initial weights for the equalizer. To validate the superiority of the hybrid arithmetic whale constant modulus blind equalization algorithm, tests are conducted on the equalization system using 16QAM and 64QAM signals. The simulation results demonstrate that the proposed algorithm achieved better initial weights compared to the CMA and the constant modulus blind equalization algorithm based on the whale optimization algorithm. It can obtain the desired mean square error with a lower symbol error rate in fewer iterations. Furthermore, the hybrid arithmetic whale constant modulus blind equalization algorithm exhibited faster convergence in optimizing initial weights, effectively enhancing the equalization performance of the CMA in wireless channels while ensuring timeliness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Metaheuristic optimization algorithms play a crucial role in optimization problems. However, the traditional identification methods have the following problems: (1) difficulties in nonlinear data processing; (2) high error rates caused by local stagnation; and (3) low classification rates resulting from premature convergence. This paper proposed a variant based on the gray wolf optimization algorithm (GWO) with chaotic disturbance, candidate migration, and attacking mechanisms, naming it the enhanced gray wolf optimizer (EGWO), to solve the problem of premature convergence and local stagnation. The performance of the EGWO was tested on IEEE CEC 2014 benchmark functions, and the results of the EGWO were compared with the performance of three GWO variants, five traditional and popular algorithms, and six recent algorithms. In addition, EGWO optimized the weights and biases of a multi-layer perceptron (MLP) and proposed an EGWO-MLP disease identification model; the model was tested on IEEE CEC 2014 benchmark functions, and EGWO-MLP was verified by UCI dataset including Tic-Tac-Toe, Heart, XOR, and Balloon datasets. The experimental results demonstrate that the proposed EGWO-MLP model can effectively avoid local optimization problems and premature convergence and provide a quasi-optimal solution for the optimization problem. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Peak particle velocity (PPV) caused by blasting is an unfavorable environmental issue that can damage neighboring structures or equipment. Hence, a reliable prediction and minimization of PPV are essential for a blasting site. To estimate PPV caused by tunnel blasting, this paper proposes two neuro-based metaheuristic models: neuro-imperialism and neuro-swarm. The prediction was made based on extensive observation and data collecting from a tunnelling project that was concerned about the presence of a temple near the blasting operations and tunnel site. A detailed modeling procedure was conducted to estimate PPV values using both empirical methods and intelligence techniques. As a fair comparison, a base model considered a benchmark in intelligent modeling, artificial neural network (ANN), was also built to predict the same output. The developed models were evaluated using several calculated statistical indices, such as variance account for (VAF) and a-20 index. The empirical equation findings revealed that there is still room for improvement by implementing other techniques. This paper demonstrated this improvement by proposing the neuro-swarm, neuro-imperialism, and ANN models. The neuro-swarm model outperforms the others in terms of accuracy. VAF values of 90.318% and 90.606% and a-20 index values of 0.374 and 0.355 for training and testing sets, respectively, were obtained for the neuro-swarm model to predict PPV induced by blasting. The proposed neuro-based metaheuristic models in this investigation can be utilized to predict PPV values with an acceptable level of accuracy within the site conditions and input ranges used in this study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Flexible Job Shop Scheduling Problem (FJSSP) continues to be studied extensively to test new metaheuristics and because of its closeness to current production systems. A variant of the FJSSP uses fuzzy processing times instead of fixed times. This paper proposes a new algorithm for FJSSP with fuzzy processing times called the global neighborhood with hill-climbing algorithm (GN-HC). This algorithm performs solution exploration using simple operators concurrently for global search neighborhood handling. For local search, random restart hill-climbing is applied at each solution to find the best machine for each operation. For the selection of operations in hill climbing, a record of the operations defining the fuzzy makespan is employed to use them as a critical path. Finally, an estimation of the crisp makespan with the longest processing times in hill climbing is made to improve the speed of the GN-HC. The GN-HC is compared with other recently proposed methods recognized for their excellent performance, using 6 FJSSP instances with fuzzy times. The obtained results show satisfactory competitiveness for GN-HC compared to state-of-the-art algorithms. The GN-HC implementation was performed in Matlab and can be found on GitHub (check Data Availability Statement at the end of the paper). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recycling tasks are the most effective method for reducing waste generation, protecting the environment, and boosting the overall national economy. The productivity and effectiveness of the recycling process are strongly dependent on the cleanliness and precision of processed primary sources. However, recycling operations are often labor intensive, and computer vision and deep learning (DL) techniques aid in automatically detecting and classifying trash types during recycling chores. Due to the dimensional challenge posed by pre-trained CNN networks, the scientific community has developed numerous techniques inspired by biology, swarm intelligence theory, physics, and mathematical rules. This research applies a new meta-heuristic algorithm called the artificial hummingbird algorithm (AHA) to solving the waste classification problem based on feature selection. However, the performance of the AHA is barely satisfactory; it may be stuck in optimal local regions or have a slow convergence. To overcome these limitations, this paper develops two improved versions of the AHA called the AHA-ROBL and the AHA-OBL. These two versions enhance the exploitation stage by using random opposition-based learning (ROBL) and opposition-based learning (OBL) to prevent local optima and accelerate the convergence. The main purpose of this paper is to apply the AHA-ROBL and AHA-OBL to select the relevant deep features provided by two pre-trained models of CNN (VGG19 & ResNet20) to recognize a waste classification. The TrashNet dataset is used to verify the performance of the two proposed approaches (the AHA-ROBL and AHA-OBL). The effectiveness of the suggested methods (the AHA-ROBL and AHA-OBL) is compared with that of 12 modern and competitive optimizers, namely the artificial hummingbird algorithm (AHA), Harris hawks optimizer (HHO), Salp swarm algorithm (SSA), aquila optimizer (AO), Henry gas solubility optimizer (HGSO), particle swarm optimizer (PSO), grey wolf optimizer (GWO), Archimedes optimization algorithm (AOA), manta ray foraging optimizer (MRFO), sine cosine algorithm (SCA), marine predators algorithm (MPA), and rescue optimization algorithm (SAR). A fair evaluation of the proposed algorithms' performance is achieved using the same dataset. The performance analysis of the two proposed algorithms is applied in terms of different measures. The experimental results confirm the two proposed algorithms' superiority over other comparative algorithms. The AHA-ROBL and AHA-OBL produce the optimal number of selected features with the highest degree of precision. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper introduces a parallel meta-heuristic algorithm called Cuckoo Flower Search (CFS). This algorithm combines the Flower Pollination Algorithm (FPA) and Cuckoo Search (CS) to train Multi-Layer Perceptron (MLP) models. The algorithm is evaluated on standard benchmark problems and its competitiveness is demonstrated against other state-of-the-art algorithms. Multiple datasets are utilized to assess the performance of CFS for MLP training. The experimental results are compared with various algorithms such as Genetic Algorithm (GA), Grey Wolf Optimization (GWO), Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO), Evolutionary Search (ES), Ant Colony Optimization (ACO), and Population-based Incremental Learning (PBIL). Statistical tests are conducted to validate the superiority of the CFS algorithm in finding global optimum solutions. The results indicate that CFS achieves significantly better outcomes with a higher convergence rate when compared to the other algorithms tested. This highlights the effectiveness of CFS in solving MLP optimization problems and its potential as a competitive algorithm in the field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposes a new metaheuristic algorithm called Particle Swarm-based picking time minimization (Pkt_PSO), ideated for picking time minimization in manual warehouses. As the name suggests, Pkt_PSO is inspired by Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO), and it is specifically designed to minimize the picking time in order case picking contexts. To assess the quality and the robustness of Pkt_PSO, it is compared to five alternative algorithms used as benchmarks. The comparisons are made in nine different scenarios obtained by changing the layout of the warehouse and the length of the picking list. The results of the analysis show that Pkt_PSO has a slower convergence rate and suffers less of early stagnation in local minima; this ensures a more extensive and accurate exploration of the solution space. In fact, the solutions provided by Pkt_PSO are always better (or at least comparable) to the ones found by the benchmarks, both in terms of quality (closeness to the overall best) and reliability (frequency with which the best solution is found). Clearly, as more solutions are explored, the computational time of Pkt_PSO is longer, but it remains compatible with the operational needs of most practical applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, metaheuristic methods have shown remarkable efficacy in resolving complex combinatorial challenges across a broad spectrum of fields. Nevertheless, the escalating complexity of these problems necessitates the continuous development of innovative techniques to enhance the performance and reliability of these methods. This paper aims to contribute to this endeavor by examining the impact of solution initialization methods on the performance of a hybrid algorithm applied to the set union knapsack problem (SUKP). Three distinct solution initialization methods, random, greedy, and weighted, have been proposed and evaluated. These have been integrated within a sine cosine algorithm employing k-means as a binarization procedure. Through testing on medium- and large-sized SUKP instances, the study reveals that the solution initialization strategy influences the algorithm's performance, with the weighted method consistently outperforming the other two. Additionally, the obtained results were benchmarked against various metaheuristics that have previously solved SUKP, showing favorable performance in this comparison. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

At complex industrial sites, the high number of large consumers that make the technological process chain requires direct supply from the main high-voltage grid. Often, for operational flexibility and redundancy, the main external supply is complemented with small local generation units. When a contingency occurs in the grid and the main supply is cut off, the local generators are used to keep in operation the critical consumers until the safe shutdown of the entire process can be achieved. In these scenarios, in order to keep the balance between local generation and consumption, the classic approach is to use under-frequency load-shedding schemes. This paper proposes a new load-shedding algorithm that uses particle swarm optimization and forecasted load data to provide a low-cost alternative to under-frequency methods. The algorithm is built using the requirements and input data provided by a real industrial site from Romania. The results show that local generation and critical consumption can be kept in stable operation for the time interval required for the safe shutdown of the running processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Metaheuristic algorithms are an important area of research in artificial intelligence. The tumbleweed optimization algorithm (TOA) is the newest metaheuristic optimization algorithm that mimics the growth and reproduction of tumbleweeds. In practice, chaotic maps have proven to be an improved method of optimization algorithms, allowing the algorithm to jump out of the local optimum, maintain population diversity, and improve global search ability. This paper presents a chaotic-based tumbleweed optimization algorithm (CTOA) that incorporates chaotic maps into the optimization process of the TOA. By using 12 common chaotic maps, the proposed CTOA aims to improve population diversity and global exploration and to prevent the algorithm from falling into local optima. The performance of CTOA is tested using 28 benchmark functions from CEC2013, and the results show that the circle map is the most effective in improving the accuracy and convergence speed of CTOA, especially in 50D. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposes an Improved Multi-phase Particle Swarm Optimization (IMPPSO) to solve a Dynamic Job Shop Scheduling Problem (DJSSP) known as an non-deterministic polynomial-time hard (NP-hard) problem. A cellular neighbor network, a velocity reinitialization strategy, a randomly select sub-dimension strategy, and a constraint handling function are introduced in the IMPPSO. The IMPPSO is used to solve the Kundakcı and Kulak problem set and is compared with the original Multi-phase Particle Swarm Optimization (MPPSO) and Heuristic Kalman Algorithm (HKA). The results show that the IMPPSO has better global exploration capability and convergence. The IMPPSO has improved fitness for most of the benchmark instances of the Kundakcı and Kulak problem set, with an average improvement rate of 5.16% compared to the Genetic Algorithm-Mixed (GAM) and of 0.74% compared to HKA. The performance of the IMPPSO for solving real-world problems is verified by a case study. The high level of operational efficiency is also evaluated and demonstrated by proposing a simulation model capable of using the decision-making algorithm in a real-world environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The deficiency number of one hand, i.e., the number of tiles needed to change in order to win, is an important factor in the game Mahjong, and plays a significant role in the development of artificial intelligence (AI) for Mahjong. However, it is often difficult to compute due to the large amount of possible combinations of tiles. In this paper, a novel discrete differential evolution (DE) algorithm is presented to calculate the deficiency number of the tiles. In detail, to decrease the difficulty of computing the deficiency number, some pretreatment mechanisms are first put forward to convert it into a simple combinatorial optimization problem with varying variables by changing its search space. Subsequently, by means of the superior framework of DE, a novel discrete DE algorithm is specially developed for the simplified problem through devising proper initialization, a mapping solution method, a repairing solution technique, a fitness evaluation approach, and mutation and crossover operations. Finally, several experiments are designed and conducted to evaluate the performance of the proposed algorithm by comparing it with the tree search algorithm and three other kinds of metaheuristic methods on a large number of various test cases. Experimental results indicate that the proposed algorithm is efficient and promising. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A microgrid is an autonomous electrical system that consists of renewable energy and efficiently achieves power balance in a network. The complexity in the distribution network arises due to the intermittent nature of renewable generation units and varying power. One of the important objectives of a microgrid is to perform energy management based on situational awareness and solve an optimization problem. This paper proposes an enhanced multi-objective multi-verse optimizer algorithm (MOMVO) for stochastic generation power optimization in a renewable energy-based islanded microgrid framework. The proposed algorithm is utilized for optimum power scheduling among various available generation sources to minimize the microgrid's generation costs and power losses. The performance of MOMVO is assessed on a 6-unit and 10-unit test system. Simulation results show that the proposed algorithm outperforms other metaheuristic algorithms for multi-objective optimization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Phasmatodea Population Evolution (PPE) algorithm, inspired by the evolution of the phasmatodea population, is a recently proposed meta-heuristic algorithm that has been applied to solve problems in engineering. Chaos theory has been increasingly applied to enhance the performance and convergence of meta-heuristic algorithms. In this paper, we introduce chaotic mapping into the PPE algorithm to propose a new algorithm, the Chaotic-based Phasmatodea Population Evolution (CPPE) algorithm. The chaotic map replaces the initialization population of the original PPE algorithm to enhance performance and convergence. We evaluate the effectiveness of the CPPE algorithm by testing it on 28 benchmark functions, using 12 different chaotic maps. The results demonstrate that CPPE outperforms PPE in terms of both performance and convergence speed. In the performance analysis, we found that the CPPE algorithm with the Tent map showed improvements of 8.9647%, 10.4633%, and 14.6716%, respectively, in the Final, Mean, and Standard metrics, compared to the original PPE algorithm. In terms of convergence, the CPPE algorithm with the Singer map showed an improvement of 65.1776% in the average change rate of fitness value, compared to the original PPE algorithm. Finally, we applied our CPPE to stock prediction. The results showed that the predicted curve was relatively consistent with the real curve. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To cope with increasingly complex models of engineering design problems and to obtain more accurate design solutions, this paper proposed an improved population-based, bio-inspired optimization algorithm, called the pity beetle algorithm based on pheromone dispersion model (PBA-PDM). PBA-PDM enables a local and global search for optimization problems through the pheromone release mechanisms in female beetles and the interaction relationship between male beetles. The experimental results compared with other state-of-the-art metaheuristic optimization algorithms show that PBA-PDM has an ideal performance when dealing with both classical test functions and CEC2017 benchmark test functions. Then, the PBA-PDM is applied in dealing with real-world constrained engineering design problems to verify the effectiveness and applicability. The above experimental results show that the PBA-PDM proposed in this paper is an effective and efficient algorithm for solving real-world optimization problems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The dynamic single row facility layout problem (DSRFLP) is defined as the problem of arranging facilities along a straight line during a multi-period planning horizon with the objective of minimizing the sum of the material handling and rearrangement costs. The material handling cost is the sum of the products of the flow costs and center-to-center distances between facilities. In this paper, we focus on metaheuristic algorithms for this problem. The main contributions of the paper are three-fold. First, a variable neighborhood search (VNS) algorithm for the DSRFLP is proposed. The main version of VNS uses an innovative strategy to start the search from a solution obtained by constructing an instance of the single row facility layout problem (SRFLP) from a given instance of the DSRFLP and applying a heuristic algorithm for the former problem. Second, a fast local search (LS) procedure is developed. The innovations of this procedure are two-fold: (i) the fast insertion and swap neighborhood exploration techniques are adapted for the case of the dynamic version of the SRFLP; and (ii) to reduce the computational time, the swap operation is restricted on pairs of facilities of equal lengths. Provided the number of planning periods is a constant, the neighborhood exploration procedures for n facilities have only O (n 2) time complexity. The superiority of these procedures over traditional LS techniques is also shown by performing numerical tests. Third, computational experiments on DSRFLP instances with up to 200 facilities and three or five planning periods are carried out to validate the effectiveness of the VNS approach. The proposed VNS heuristic is compared with the simulated annealing (SA) method which is the state of the art algorithm for the DSRFLP. Experiments show that VNS outperforms SA by a significant margin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a novel composite heuristic algorithm for global optimization by organically integrating the merits of a water cycle algorithm (WCA) and gravitational search algorithm (GSA). To effectively reinforce the exploration and exploitation of algorithms and reasonably achieve their balance, a modified WCA is first put forward to strengthen its search performance by introducing the concept of the basin, where the position of the solution is also considered into the assignment of the sea or river and its streams, and the number of the guider solutions is adaptively reduced during the search process. Furthermore, the enhanced WCA is adaptively cooperated with the gravitational search to search for new solutions based on their historical performance within a certain stage. Moreover, the binomial crossover operation is also incorporated after the water cycle search or the gravitational search to further improve the search capability of the algorithm. Finally, the performance of the proposed algorithm is evaluated by comparing with six excellent meta-heuristic algorithms on the IEEE CEC2014 test suite, and the numerical results indicate that the proposed algorithm is very competitive. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article handles the challenging problem of identifying the unknown parameters of solar cell three models on one hand and of photovoltaic module three models on the other hand. This challenge serves as the basis for fault detection, control, and modelling of PV systems. An accurate model of PV is essential for the simulation research of PV systems, where it has a significant role in the dynamic study of these systems. The mathematical models of the PV cell and module have nonlinear I-V and P-V characteristics with many undefined parameters. In this paper, this identification problem is solved as an optimization problem based on metaheuristic optimization algorithms. These algorithms use root mean square error (RMSE) between the calculated and the measured current as an objective function. A new metaheuristic amalgamation algorithm, namely biogeography-based teaching learning-based optimization (BB-TLBO) is proposed. This algorithm is a hybridization of two algorithms, the first one is called BBO (biogeography-based optimization) and the second is TLBO (teaching learning-based optimization). The BB-TLBO is proposed to identify the unknown parameters of one, two and three-diode models of the RTC France silicon solar cell and of the commercial photovoltaic solar module monocrystalline STM6-40/36, taking into account the performance indices: high precision, more reliability, short execution time and high convergence speed. This identification is carried out using experimental data from the RTC France silicon solar cell and the STM6-40/36 photovoltaic module. The efficiency of BB-TLBO is checked by comparing its identification results with its own single algorithm BBO, TLBO and newly introduced hybrid algorithms such as DOLADE, LAPSO and others. The results reveal that the suggested approach surpasses all compared algorithms in terms of RMSE (RMSE min, RMSE mean and RMSE max), standard deviation of RMSE values (STD), CPU (execution time), and convergence speed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The moth search algorithm (MS) is a relatively new metaheuristic optimization algorithm which mimics the phototaxis and Lévy flights of moths. Being an NP-hard problem, the 0–1 multidimensional knapsack problem (MKP) is a classical multi-constraint complicated combinatorial optimization problem with numerous applications. In this paper, we present a hybrid learning MS (HLMS) by incorporating two learning mechanisms, global-best harmony search (GHS) learning and Baldwinian learning for solving MKP. (1) GHS learning guides moth individuals to search for more valuable space and the potential dimensional learning uses the difference between two random dimensions to generate a large jump. (2) Baldwinian learning guides moth individuals to change the search space by making full use of the beneficial information of other individuals. Hence, GHS learning mainly provides global exploration and Baldwinian learning works for local exploitation. We demonstrate the competitiveness and effectiveness of the proposed HLMS by conducting extensive experiments on 87 benchmark instances. The experimental results show that the proposed HLMS has better or at least competitive performance against the original MS and some other state-of-the-art metaheuristic algorithms. In addition, the parameter sensitivity of Baldwinian learning is analyzed and two important components of HLMS are investigated to understand their impacts on the performance of the proposed algorithm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

End-to-end obstacle avoidance path planning for intelligent vehicles has been a widely studied topic. To resolve the typical issues of the solving algorithms, which are weak global optimization ability, ease in falling into local optimization and slow convergence speed, an efficient optimization method is proposed in this paper, based on the whale optimization algorithm. We present an adaptive adjustment mechanism which can dynamically modify search behavior during the iteration process of the whale optimization algorithm. Meanwhile, in order to coordinate the global optimum and local optimum of the solving algorithm, we introduce a controllable variable which can be reset according to specific routing scenarios. The evolutionary strategy of differential variation is also applied in the algorithm presented to further update the location of search individuals. In numerical experiments, we compared the proposed algorithm with the following six well-known swarm intelligence optimization algorithms: Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO), Bat Algorithm (BA), Gray Wolf Optimization Algorithm (GWO), Dragonfly Algorithm (DA), Ant Lion Algorithm (ALO), and the traditional Whale Optimization Algorithm (WOA). Our method gave rise to better results for the typical twenty-three benchmark functions. In regard to path planning problems, we observed an average improvement of 18.95% in achieving optimal solutions and 77.86% in stability. Moreover, our method exhibited faster convergence compared to some existing approaches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Optimization is a broad field for researchers to develop new algorithms for solving various types of problems. There are various popular techniques being worked on for improvement. Grey wolf optimization (GWO) is one such algorithm because it is efficient, simple to use, and easy to implement. However, GWO has several drawbacks as it is stuck in local optima, has a low convergence rate, and has poor exploration. Several attempts have been made recently to overcome these drawbacks. This paper discusses some strategies that can be applied to GWO to overcome its drawbacks. This article proposes a novel algorithm to enhance the convergence rate, which was poor in GWO, and it is also compared with the other optimization algorithms. GWO also has the limitation of becoming stuck in local optima when used in complex functions or in a large search space, so these issues are further addressed. The most remarkable factor is that GWO purely depends on the initialization constraints such as population size and wolf initial positions. This study demonstrates the improved position of the wolf by applying strategies with the same population size. As a result, this novel algorithm has enhanced its exploration capability compared to other algorithms presented, and statistical results are also presented to demonstrate its superiority. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Competitive Swarm Optimizer (CSO) has emerged as a prominent technique for solving intricate optimization problems by updating only half of the population in each iteration. Despite its effectiveness, the CSO algorithm often exhibits a slow convergence rate and a tendency to become trapped in local optimal solutions, as is common among metaheuristic algorithms. To address these challenges, this paper proposes a hybrid approach combining the CSO with the Salp Swarm algorithm (SSA), CL-SSA, to increase the convergence rate and enhance search space exploration. The proposed approach involves a two-step process. In the first step, a pairwise competition mechanism is introduced to segregate the solutions into winners and losers. The winning population is updated through strong exploitation using the SSA algorithm. In the second step, non-winning solutions learn from the winners, achieving a balance between exploration and exploitation. The performance of the CL-SSA is evaluated on various benchmark functions, including the CEC2017 benchmark with dimensions 50 and 100, the CEC2008lsgo benchmark with dimensions 200, 500 and 1000, as well as a set of seven well-known constrained design challenges in various engineering domains defined in the CEC2020 conference. The CL-SSA is compared to other metaheuristics and advanced algorithms, and its results are analyzed through statistical tests such as the Friedman and Wilcoxon rank-sum tests. The statistical analysis demonstrates that the CL-SSA algorithm exhibits improved exploitation, exploration, and convergence patterns compared to other algorithms, including SSA and CSO, as well as popular algorithms. Furthermore, the proposed hybrid approach performs better in solving most test functions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Thermoelectric generators (TEGs) have gained significant interest as a sustainable energy source, due to their ability to convert thermal energy into electrical energy through the Seebeck effect. However, the power output of TEGs is highly dependent on the thermoelectric material properties and operational conditions. Accurate modeling and parameter estimation are essential for optimizing and designing TEGs, as well as for integrating them into smart grids to meet fluctuating energy demands. This work examines the challenges of accurate modeling and parameter estimation of TEGs and explores various optimization metaheuristics techniques to find TEGs parameters in real applications from experimental conditions. The paper stresses the importance of determining the properties of TEGs with precision and using parameter estimation as a technique for determining the optimal values for parameters in a TEG mathematical model that represent the actual behavior of a thermoelectric module. This methodological approach can improve TEG performance and aid in efficient energy supply and demand management, thus reducing the reliance on traditional fossil fuel-based power generation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the increasing demand for electrical energy and the challenges related to its production, along with the need to be environmentally friendly to achieve sustainability for future generations, proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) are emerging as a clean energy source that can effectively replace conventional energy sources, in various fields of application and especially in the field of transportation exploiting electric vehicles (EVs). To improve the development and control of the PEMFCs, the precise determination of its mathematical model remains an essential task. Indeed, the accuracy of such a model depends on the ability to overcome the constraints associated with the nonlinearity and the numerous involved unknown parameters. The present paper proposes a new Dandelion Optimizer (DO) to accurately identify, for the first time, the parameters of the PEMFC model. The DO addresses the weaknesses of the majority of metaheuristic algorithms related to the self-adaptation of parameters, the stagnation of convergence to local minima, and the ability to refer to the whole population. The high ability of the proposed method is investigated using both steady-state and dynamic situations. The DO-based parameters estimation approach has been assessed through a specific comparative study with the most recently published techniques including GWO, GBO, HHO, IAEO, VSDE, and ABCDESC is performed using two typical PEMFC modules, namely 250 W PEMFC and NedStack PS6. The results obtained proved that the proposed approach obtained promising achievements and better performances comparatively with well-recognized and competitive methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The artificial Gorilla Troop Optimization (GTO) algorithm (GTO) is a metaheuristic optimization algorithm that simulates the social life of gorillas. This paper proposes three innovative strategies considering the GTO algorithm's insufficient convergence accuracy and low convergence speed. First, a shrinkage control factor fusion strategy is proposed to expand the search space and reduce search blindness by strengthening the communication between silverback gorillas and other gorillas to improve global optimization performance. Second, a sine cosine interaction fusion strategy based on closeness is proposed to stabilize the performance of silverback gorillas and other gorilla individuals and improve the convergence ability and speed of the algorithm. Finally, a gorilla individual difference identification strategy is proposed to reduce the difference between gorilla and silverback gorillas to improve the quality of the optimal solution. In order to verify the optimization effect of the modified artificial gorilla troop optimization (MGTO) algorithm, we used 23 classic benchmark functions, 30 CEC2014 benchmark functions, and 10 CEC2020 benchmark functions to test the performance of the proposed MGTO algorithm. In this study, we used a total of 63 functions for algorithm comparison. At the same time, we carried out the exploitation and exploration balance experiment of 30 CEC2014 and 10 CEC2020 functions for the MGTO algorithm. In addition, the MGTO algorithm was also applied to test seven practical engineering problems, and it achieved good results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent advances in electric grid technology have led to sustainable, modern, decentralized, bidirectional microgrids (MGs). The MGs can support energy storage, renewable energy sources (RESs), power electronics converters, and energy management systems. The MG system is less costly and creates less CO2 than traditional power systems, which have significant operational and fuel expenses. In this paper, the proposed hybrid MG adopts renewable energies, including solar photovoltaic (PV), wind turbines (WT), biomass gasifiers (biogasifier), batteries' storage energies, and a backup diesel generator. The energy management system of the adopted MG resources is intended to satisfy the load demand of Basra, a city in southern Iraq, considering the city's real climate and demand data. For optimal sizing of the proposed MG components, a meta-heuristic optimization algorithm (Hybrid Grey Wolf with Cuckoo Search Optimization (GWCSO)) is applied. The simulation results are compared with those achieved using Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO), Genetic Algorithms (GA), Grey Wolf Optimization (GWO), Cuckoo Search Optimization (CSO), and Antlion Optimization (ALO) to evaluate the optimal sizing results with minimum costs. Since the adopted GWCSO has the lowest deviation, it is more robust than the other algorithms, and their optimal number of component units, annual cost, and Levelized Cost Of Energy (LCOE) are superior to the other ones. According to the optimal annual analysis, LCOE is 0.1192 and the overall system will cost about USD 2.6918 billion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, finding the optimal solution for image segmentation has become more important in many applications. The whale optimization algorithm (WOA) is a metaheuristic optimization technique that has the advantage of achieving the global optimal solution while also being simple to implement and solving many real-time problems. If the complexity of the problem increases, the WOA may stick to local optima rather than global optima. This could be an issue in obtaining a better optimal solution. For this reason, this paper recommends a hybrid algorithm that is based on a mixture of the WOA and gray wolf optimization (GWO) for segmenting the brain sub regions, such as the gray matter (GM), white matter (WM), ventricle, corpus callosum (CC), and hippocampus (HC). This hybrid mixture consists of two steps, i.e., the WOA and GWO. The proposed method helps in diagnosing Alzheimer's disease (AD) by segmenting the brain sub regions (SRs) by using a hybrid of the WOA and GWO (H-WOA-GWO, which is represented as HWGO). The segmented region was validated with different measures, and it shows better accuracy results of 92%. Following segmentation, the deep learning classifier was utilized to categorize normal and AD images. The combination of WOA and GWO yields an accuracy of 90%. As a result, it was discovered that the suggested method is a highly successful technique for identifying the ideal solution, and it is paired with a deep learning algorithm for classification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]