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In numerous scientific disciplines and practical applications, addressing optimization challenges is a common imperative. Nature-inspired optimization algorithms represent a highly valuable and pragmatic approach to tackling these complexities. This paper introduces Dendritic Growth Optimization (DGO), a novel algorithm inspired by natural branching patterns. DGO offers a novel solution for intricate optimization problems and demonstrates its efficiency in exploring diverse solution spaces. The algorithm has been extensively tested with a suite of machine learning algorithms, deep learning algorithms, and metaheuristic algorithms, and the results, both before and after optimization, unequivocally support the proposed algorithm's feasibility, effectiveness, and generalizability. Through empirical validation using established datasets like diabetes and breast cancer, the algorithm consistently enhances model performance across various domains. Beyond its working and experimental analysis, DGO's wide-ranging applications in machine learning, logistics, and engineering for solving real-world problems have been highlighted. The study also considers the challenges and practical implications of implementing DGO in multiple scenarios. As optimization remains crucial in research and industry, DGO emerges as a promising avenue for innovation and problem solving. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposes a novel nature-inspired meta-heuristic algorithm, named Snow Geese Algorithm. It is inspired by the migratory behavior of snow geese and emulates the distinctive "Herringbone" and "Straight Line" shaped flight patterns observed during their migration. The algorithm is structured into three main phases for benchmark testing. In the first phase, the Snow Geese Algorithm's numerical results are compared with those of several classical meta-heuristic algorithms using the same test functions and original data from these algorithms. In the second phase, in order to minimize potential variations during the comparison, all algorithms undergo evaluation on a standardized testing platform. In the third phase, this paper applies the Snow Geese Algorithm to solve four widely recognized engineering optimization problems: the tubular column design, piston lever optimization design, reinforced concrete beam design and car side impact design. These real-world engineering problems serve as test cases to assess Snow Geese Algorithm problem-solving capabilities. The primary objective of the Snow Geese Algorithm is to provide an alternative perspective for tackling complex optimization problems. Please note that the complete source code for the Snow Geese Algorithm is publicly available at https://github.com/stones3421/SGA-project. • Snow Geese Algorithm: A novel meta-heuristic approach inspired by snow geese flight behavior, tackling optimization problems. • Two-stage Strategy: Mimics snow geese exploration and exploitation patterns, setting it apart from traditional methods. • Performance Evaluation: Multiple algorithms are assessed on different problems. • Algorithm Features: Experimental results validate the effectiveness of the Snow Geese Algorithm. • Practical Applications: Snow Geese Algorithm shows potential in engineering optimization, aiding accurate decision-making. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Photovoltaic (PV) generation systems that are partially shaded have a non-linear operating curve that is highly dependent on temperature and irradiance conditions. Shading from surrounding objects like clouds, trees, and buildings creates partial shading conditions (PSC) that can cause hot spot formation on PV panels. To prevent this, bypass diodes are installed in parallel across each panel, resulting in a global maximum power point (GMPP) and multiple local maximum power points (LMPPs) on the power-voltage (P-V) curve. Traditional methods for maximum power point tracking (MPPT), such as perturb and observe (P&O) and incremental conductance (INC), converge for LMPPs on the P-V curve, but metaheuristic algorithms can track the GMPP effectively. This paper proposes a new, efficient, and robust GMPP tracking technique based on a nature-inspired algorithm called Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves (AFT). Utilizing the AFT algorithm for MPPT in PV systems has several novel features and advantages, including its adaptability, exploration-exploitation balance, simplicity, efficiency, and innovative approach. These characteristics make AFT a promising choice for enhancing the efficiency of PV systems under varied circumstances. The performance of the proposed method in tracking the GMPP is evaluated using a simulation model under MATLAB/Simulink environment, the achieved simulation results are compared to particle swarm optimization (PSO). The proposed method is also tested in real-time using the Hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) emulator to validate the achieved simulation results. The findings indicate that the proposed AFT-based GMPP tracking method performs better under complex partial irradiance conditions than PSO. [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]

This paper proposes the Love Evolution Algorithm (LEA), a novel evolutionary algorithm inspired by the stimulus–value–role theory. The optimization process of the LEA includes three phases: stimulus, value, and role. Both partners evolve through these phases and benefit from them regardless of the outcome of the relationship. This inspiration is abstracted into mathematical models for global optimization. The efficiency of the LEA is validated through numerical experiments with CEC2017 benchmark functions, outperforming seven metaheuristic algorithms as evidenced by the Wilcoxon signed-rank test and the Friedman test. Further tests using the CEC2022 benchmark functions confirm the competitiveness of the LEA compared to seven state-of-the-art metaheuristics. Lastly, the study extends to real-world problems, demonstrating the performance of the LEA across eight diverse engineering problems. Source codes of the LEA are publicly available at https://ww2.mathworks.cn/matlabcentral/fileexchange/159101-love-evolution-algorithm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cyber-physical systems (CPSes) are rapidly evolving in critical infrastructure (CI) domains such as smart grid, healthcare, the military, and telecommunication. These systems are continually threatened by malicious software (malware) attacks by adversaries due to their improvised tactics and attack methods. A minor configuration change in a CPS through malware has devastating effects, which the world has seen in Stuxnet, BlackEnergy, Industroyer, and Triton. This paper is a comprehensive review of malware analysis practices currently being used and their limitations and efficacy in securing CPSes. Using well-known real-world incidents, we have covered the significant impacts when a CPS is compromised. In particular, we have prepared exhaustive hypothetical scenarios to discuss the implications of false positives on CPSes. To improve the security of critical systems, we believe that nature-inspired metaheuristic algorithms can effectively counter the overwhelming malware threats geared toward CPSes. However, our detailed review shows that these algorithms have not been adapted to their full potential to counter malicious software. Finally, the gaps identified through this research have led us to propose future research directions using nature-inspired algorithms that would help in bringing optimization by reducing false positives, thereby increasing the security of such systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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

The Internet of Things is widely used, which results in the collection of enormous amounts of data with numerous redundant, irrelevant, and noisy features. In addition, many of these features need to be managed. Consequently, developing an effective feature selection (FS) strategy becomes a difficult goal. Many FS techniques, based on bioinspired metaheuristic methods, have been developed to tackle this problem. However, these methods still suffer from limitations; so, in this paper, we developed an alternative FS technique, based on integrating operators of the chameleon swarm algorithm (Cham) with the quantum-based optimization (QBO) technique. With the use of eighteen datasets from various real-world applications, we proposed that QCham is investigated and compared to well-known FS methods. The comparisons demonstrate the benefits of including a QBO operator in the Cham because the proposed QCham can efficiently and accurately detect the most crucial features. Whereas the QCham achieves nearly 92.6%, with CPU time(s) nearly 1.7 overall the tested datasets. This indicates the advantages of QCham among comparative algorithms and high efficiency of integrating the QBO with the operators of Cham algorithm that used to enhance the process of balancing between exploration and exploitation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Salp swarm algorithm (SSA) is a relatively new bio‐inspired meta‐heuristic optimization algorithm that mimics the navigating and foraging behavior of salps in oceans. This paper presents an orthogonal quasi‐opposition‐based learning‐driven dynamic SSA (OBDSSA) for solving global optimization problems. The proposed methodology integrates orthogonal quasi‐opposition‐based learning (OQOBL) tactic and dynamic learning (DL) strategy with SSA to improve its performance. The OQOBL technique is used to enrich the exploration and development capability of the canonical SSA to help the salp chain jump out of local optimum, while the DL mechanism is applied to the basic approach to expand the neighborhood searching capabilities of the search agents. To investigate the proposed operators and OBDSSA algorithm, 18 widely used benchmark functions and parameter extraction problem of photovoltaic (PV) model have been experimented upon. The comparisons reveal that OBDSSA outperforms all competitors, including the standard SSA, SSA variants, and other state‐of‐the‐art algorithms. Finally, the developed approach is applied to path planning and obstacle avoidance (PPOA) tasks in autonomous mobile robots (AMR) and satisfactory results are obtained. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As distribution networks operate in their majority in a radial way, this condition becomes one of the most important constraints of distribution network reconfiguration (DNR) problem. There are diverse ways to represent this in DNR, but a lack of studies that provide an analysis of its behavior is noted, specially regarding its influence in metaheuristics and bio‐inspired metaheuristics. This paper presents a discussion between two alternatives to represent this in DNR in conjunction with three new bio‐inspired metaheuristics. One is based on the formation of the incidence matrix of the system and its determinant; the other is a modified approach of a method that establishes a set of forbidden switches through the analysis of the system fundamental loops. To solve DNR, three new bio‐inspired metaheuristics are presented: monarch butterfly optimization (MBO), gray wolf optimizer (GWO), and marine predators algorithm (MPA). A comparison is performed with selective particle swarm optimization (SPSO). To test the alternatives, three systems are used (33‐, 69‐, and 84‐ bus), with results showing the influence of the radiality approach in the results of bio‐inspired metaheuristics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the world of optimization, especially concerning metaheuristics, solving complex problems represented by applying big data and constraint instances can be difficult. This is mainly due to the difficulty of implementing efficient solutions that can solve complex optimization problems in adequate time, which do exist in different industries. Big data has demonstrated its efficiency in solving different concerns in information management. In this paper, an approach based on multiprocessing is proposed wherein clusterization and parallelism are used together to improve the search process of metaheuristics when solving large instances of complex optimization problems, incorporating collaborative elements that enhance the quality of the solution. The proposal deals with machine learning algorithms to improve the segmentation of the search space. Particularly, two different clustering methods belonging to automatic learning techniques, are implemented on bio-inspired algorithms to smartly initialize their solution population, and then organize the resolution from the beginning of the search. The results show that this approach is competitive with other techniques in solving a large set of cases of a well-known NP-hard problem without incorporating too much additional complexity into the metaheuristic algorithms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper introduces a novel population-based bio-inspired meta-heuristic optimization algorithm, called Blood Coagulation Algorithm (BCA). BCA derives inspiration from the process of blood coagulation in the human body. The underlying concepts and ideas behind the proposed algorithm are the cooperative behavior of thrombocytes and their intelligent strategy of clot formation. These behaviors are modeled and utilized to underscore intensification and diversification in a given search space. A comparison with various state-of-the-art meta-heuristic algorithms over a test suite of 23 renowned benchmark functions reflects the efficiency of BCA. An extensive investigation is conducted to analyze the performance, convergence behavior and computational complexity of BCA. The comparative study and statistical test analysis demonstrate that BCA offers very competitive and statistically significant results compared to other eminent meta-heuristic algorithms. Experimental results also show the consistent performance of BCA in high dimensional search spaces. Furthermore, we demonstrate the applicability of BCA on real-world applications by solving several real-life engineering problems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present study, a new local grid reconstruction algorithm for automatic fracture modelling with complex morphologies evolved in rock crack propagation is developed. The algorithm is inspired by the Coulomb force equilibrium of idealized electrons in a constrained area, which leads to the relative uniform distribution of these electrons. As a physically inspired computing algorithm, nodes in the re-meshing area are equivalent to idealized electrons with different charges. This meta-heuristic algorithm includes several efficient implementation aspects, such as the treatment of initial seed, re-meshing area confirmation, Coulomb force calculation and mesh improvement. The algorithm can efficiently transform a structured background mesh with complex boundaries into a high-quality conforming mesh with low aspect ratio and high stretch value triangular elements. Combined with a discrete crack method, the proposed algorithm has been implemented in cracking simulation. Distinguishing with the previous methods, the meshing quality, efficiency, computing speed and calculating accuracy are greatly improved. Next, based on verification and validation of the methodology, the proposed algorithm is applied to the cracking simulations of compression induced wing cracks and mixed-mode cracks that evolve in three-point bending tests. The ability of the method for the simulation of cracking process is fully demonstrated. Highlights: An automatic local re-meshing algorithm for crack simulation inspired from the Coulomb force equilibrium of idealised electrons in constrained area is developed. Meshing quality, efficiency, computing speed, convergence rate and calculating accuracy are greatly improved. The ability of the algorithm for the cracking process simulation is well demonstrated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Marine predators algorithm (MPA) is a newly developed swarm-based meta-heuristic algorithm that is inspired by the foraging strategies of marine predators: Lévy, Brownian motions and optimal encounter rate strategies, and has shown competitive performance with other state-of-the-art algorithms. Despite the effectiveness of original MPA and existing improved MPA in many real applications, the diversity of the population and the solution accuracy of MPA still deserve to be improved. To this end, an enhanced marine predators algorithm with the neighborhood-based learning strategy and the adaptive population size strategy is proposed in this paper, which is termed NMPA. Also, the superiority of the proposed NMPA is verified by being compared with the original MPA, other improved MPA and popular nature-inspired optimization algorithms on the well-known CEC 2017 and CEC 2020 test suites as well as three engineering design problems, respectively. Furthermore, the practicability of NMPA is illustrated by solving a real-world application of approximate developable surface modeling. By taking the maximization of developability degree of the developable surface as the evaluation criterion, the model for interpolating two given spatial curves to design an approximate developable surface is established. Then, the proposed NMPA is used to solve the optimization model, and the approximate developable surfaces with the maximum developability degree can be obtained. The experimental results show the superior performance of NMPA over other algorithms in terms of precision, convergence rate and solution quality. To sum up, NMPA is potentially a competitive and excellent meta-heuristic algorithm for constructing approximate developable surface and solving engineering optimization problems. • An enhanced marine predators algorithm termed NMPA is proposed. • The proposed NMPA is tested on CEC2017 and CEC2020 test suites as well as 3 engineering design problems. • The superiority and validity of NMPA is verified by comparing with multiple intelligent algorithms. • Optimization model for constructing developable surface through two given space curves is established. • The NMPA is applied to the solutions of the established optimization model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A novel method to improve the performance of population-based optimizers. • The combination lock algorithm used as a pre-processing optimization method. • The combination lock algorithm produces an elite individual. • The elite individual is inserted into the initial population of optimizers. • The new algorithm significantly improves the performance of optimizers. Nature-inspired population-based metaheuristics are promising search methods for solving optimization problems. In this paper, a novel systematic pre-processing approach, called the combination lock algorithm, for obtaining a good starting point for population-based algorithms is proposed. The proposed algorithm is tested on 32 benchmark unconstrained multidimensional optimization problems of different characteristics that are either unimodal or multimodal, continuous or non-continuous, separable or non-separable, differentiable or non-differentiable. The tests also include four engineering constrained optimization benchmark problems. The experimental results of applying the proposed algorithm for the Particle Swarm Optimization, the Ant Colony Optimization for Continuous Domain, and the Grey Wolf Optimization were compared with the results obtained from the conventional approach of initializing the starting population of population-based metaheuristic methods. The simulation results show the potential of the proposed algorithm as an efficient and reliable approach to enhance the performance of population-based optimization algorithms such that, overall, 50% and up to 100% of the tested problems "across various population size" settings, had either improved or equalled the optimal values when the proposed algorithm was applied. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, a new bio-inspired meta-heuristic algorithm, named artificial rabbits optimization (ARO), is proposed and tested comprehensively. The inspiration of the ARO algorithm is the survival strategies of rabbits in nature, including detour foraging and random hiding. The detour foraging strategy enforces a rabbit to eat the grass near other rabbits' nests, which can prevent its nest from being discovered by predators. The random hiding strategy enables a rabbit to randomly choose one burrow from its own burrows for hiding, which can decrease the possibility of being captured by its enemies. Besides, the energy shrink of rabbits will result in the transition from the detour foraging strategy to the random hiding strategy. This study mathematically models such survival strategies to develop a new optimizer. The effectiveness of ARO is tested by comparison with other well-known optimizers by solving a suite of 31 benchmark functions and five engineering problems. The results show that ARO generally outperforms the tested competitors for solving the benchmark functions and engineering problems. ARO is applied to the fault diagnosis of a rolling bearing, in which the back-propagation (BP) network optimized by ARO is developed. The case study results demonstrate the practicability of the ARO optimizer in solving challenging real-world problems. The source code of ARO is publicly available at https://seyedalimirjalili.com/aro and https://ww2.mathworks.cn/matlabcentral/fileexchange/110250-artificial-rabbits-optimization-aro. • A new bio-inspired artificial rabbits optimization (ARO) algorithm is proposed. • ARO is inspired by the survival strategies of rabbits in nature. • The results on 31 well-known test functions show the efficiency of ARO. • ARO yields superior results over its competitors on 5 engineering problems. • ARO is successfully applied in fault diagnosis of rolling bearing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]