Extremal Optimization: Fundamentals, Algorithms, and Applications introduces state-of-the-art extremal optimization (EO) and modified EO (MEO) solutions from fundamentals, methodologies, and algorithms to applications based on numerous classic publications and the authors’ recent original research results. It promotes the movement of EO from academic study to practical applications. The book covers four aspects, beginning with a general review of real-world optimization problems and popular solutions with a focus on computational complexity, such as "NP-hard" and the "phase transitions" occurring on the search landscape. Next, it introduces computational extremal dynamics and its applications in EO from principles, mechanisms, and algorithms to the experiments on some benchmark problems such as TSP, spin glass, Max-SAT (maximum satisfiability), and graph partition. It then presents studies on the fundamental features of search dynamics and mechanisms in EO with a focus on self-organized optimization, evolutionary probability distribution, and structure features (e.g., backbones), which are based on the authors’ recent research results. Finally, it discusses applications of EO and MEO in multiobjective optimization, systems modeling, intelligent control, and production scheduling. The authors present the advanced features of EO in solving NP-hard problems through problem formulation, algorithms, and simulation studies on popular benchmarks and industrial applications. They also focus on the development of MEO and its applications. This book can be used as a reference for graduate students, research developers, and practical engineers who work on developing optimization solutions for those complex systems with hardness that cannot be solved with mathematical optimization or other computational intelligence, such as evolutionary computations.

Extremal Optimization: Fundamentals, Algorithms, and Applications introduces state-of-the-art extremal optimization (EO) and modified EO (MEO) solutions from fundamentals, methodologies, and algorithms to applications based on numerous classic publications and the authors’ recent original research results. It promotes the movement of EO from academic study to practical applications. The book covers four aspects, beginning with a general review of real-world optimization problems and popular solutions with a focus on computational complexity, such as "NP-hard" and the "phase transitions" occurring on the search landscape. Next, it introduces computational extremal dynamics and its applications in EO from principles, mechanisms, and algorithms to the experiments on some benchmark problems such as TSP, spin glass, Max-SAT (maximum satisfiability), and graph partition. It then presents studies on the fundamental features of search dynamics and mechanisms in EO with a focus on self-organized optimization, evolutionary probability distribution, and structure features (e.g., backbones), which are based on the authors’ recent research results. Finally, it discusses applications of EO and MEO in multiobjective optimization, systems modeling, intelligent control, and production scheduling. The authors present the advanced features of EO in solving NP-hard problems through problem formulation, algorithms, and simulation studies on popular benchmarks and industrial applications. They also focus on the development of MEO and its applications. This book can be used as a reference for graduate students, research developers, and practical engineers who work on developing optimization solutions for those complex systems with hardness that cannot be solved with mathematical optimization or other computational intelligence, such as evolutionary computations.

This invaluable book captures the proceedings of a workshop that brought together a group of distinguished scientists from a variety of disciplines to discuss how networking influences decision making. The individual lectures interconnect psychological testing, the modeling of neuron networks and brain dynamics to the transport of information within and between complex networks. Of particular importance was the introduction of a new principle that governs how complex networks talk to one another ? the Principle of Complexity Management (PCM). PCM establishes that the transfer of information from a stimulating complex network to a responding complex network is determined by how the complexity indices of the two networks are related. The response runs the gamut from being independent of the perturbation to being completely dominated by it, depending on the complexity mismatch.

This book reviews the literature on hand posture estimation using generative methods, identifying the current gaps, such as sensitivity to hand shapes, sensitivity to a good initial posture, difficult hand posture recovery in cases of loss in tracking, and lack of addressing multiple objectives to maximize accuracy and minimize computational cost. To fill these gaps, it proposes a new 3D hand model that combines the best features of the current 3D hand models in the literature. It also discusses the development of a hand shape optimization technique. To find the global optimum for the single-objective problem formulated, it improves and applies particle swarm optimization (PSO), one of the most highly regarded optimization algorithms and one that is used successfully in both science and industry. After formulating the problem, multi-objective particle swarm optimization (MOPSO) is employed to estimate the Pareto optimal front as the solution for this bi-objective problem. The book also demonstrates the effectiveness of the improved PSO in hand posture recovery in cases of tracking loss. Lastly, the book examines the formulation of hand posture estimation as a bi-objective problem for the first time. The case studies included feature 50 hand postures extracted from five standard datasets, and were used to benchmark the proposed 3D hand model, hand shape optimization, and hand posture recovery.

This book is a compilation of a selected subset of research articles presented at the Eighth INFORMS Computing Society Conference, held in Chandler, Arizona, from January 8 to 10, 2003. The articles in this book represent the diversity and depth of the interface between ORiMS (operations research and the management sciences) and CS/AI (computer science and artificial intelligence ). This volume starts with two papers that represent the reflective and integrative thinking that is critical to any scientific discipline. These two articles present philosophical perspectives on computation, covering a variety of traditional and newer methods for modeling, solving, and explaining mathematical models. The next set includes articles that study machine learning and computational heuristics, and is followed by articles that address issues in performance testing of solution algorithms and heuristics. These two sets of papers demonstrate the richness of thought that takes place at the ORiMS and CSI AI interface. The final set of articles demonstrates the usefulness of these and other methods at the interface towards solving problems in the real world, covering e-commerce, workflow, electronic negotiation, music, parallel computation, and telecommunications. The articles in this collection represent the results of cross-fertilization between ORiMS and CSI AI, making possible advances that could have not been achieved in isolation. The continuing aim ofthe INFORMS Computing Society and this research conference is to invigorate and further develop this interface.

Mathematical Optimization Terminology: A Comprehensive Glossary of Terms is a practical book with the essential formulations, illustrative examples, real-world applications and main references on the topic. This book helps readers gain a more practical understanding of optimization, enabling them to apply it to their algorithms. This book also addresses the need for a practical publication that introduces these concepts and techniques. - Discusses real-world applications of optimization and how it can be used in algorithms - Explains the essential formulations of optimization in mathematics - Covers a more practical approach to optimization

This book constitutes the refereed proceedings of the 16th European Conference on Evolutionary Computation in Combinatorial Optimization, EvoCOP 2016, held in Porto, Portugal, in March/April 2016, co-located with the Evo*2015 events EuroGP, EvoMUSART and EvoApplications. The 17 revised full papers presented were carefully reviewed and selected from 44 submissions. The papers cover methodology, applications and theoretical studies. The methods included evolutionary and memetic algorithms, variable neighborhood search, particle swarm optimization, hyperheuristics, mat-heuristic and other adaptive approaches. Applications included both traditional domains, such as graph coloring, vehicle routing, the longest common subsequence problem, the quadratic assignment problem; and new(er) domains such as the traveling thief problem, web service location, and finding short addition chains. The theoretical studies involved fitness landscape analysis, local search and recombination operator analysis, and the big valley search space hypothesis. The consideration of multiple objectives, dynamic and noisy environments was also present in a number of articles.

"Foundations of Intelligent Systems" presents selected papers from the 2013 International Conference on Intelligent Systems and Knowledge Engineering (ISKE2013). The aim of this conference is to bring together experts from different expertise areas to discuss the state-of-the-art in Intelligent Systems and Knowledge Engineering, and to present new research results and perspectives on future development. The topics in this volume include, but not limited to: Artificial Intelligence Theories, Pattern Recognition, Intelligent System Models, Speech Recognition, Computer Vision, Multi-Agent Systems, Machine Learning, Soft Computing and Fuzzy Systems, Biological Inspired Computation, Game Theory, Cognitive Systems and Information Processing, Computational Intelligence, etc. The proceedings are benefit for both researchers and practitioners who want to utilize intelligent methods in their specific research fields. Dr. Zhenkun Wen is a Professor at the College of Computer and Software Engineering, Shenzhen University, China. Dr. Tianrui Li is a Professor at the School of Information Science and Technology, Southwest Jiaotong University, Xi’an, China.

The LNCS series reports state-of-the-art results in computer science reserch, development, and education, at a high level and in both printed and electronic form. Enjoying light cooperation with the R&D community, with numerous individuals, as well as with prestigious organizations and societies, LNCS has grown into the most comprehensive computer science research forum available. The scope of LNCS, including its subseries LNAI and LNBI, spans the whole range of computer science and information technology including interdisciplinary topics in a variety of application fields. In parallel to the printed book, each new volume is published electronically in LNCS Online.

This volume constitutes the proceedings of the 7th International Conference on Simulated Evolution and Learning, SEAL 2008, held in Melbourne, Australia, during December 7-10, 2008. The 65 papers presented were carefully reviewed and selected from 140 submissions. The topics covered are evolutionary learning; evolutionary optimisation; hybrid learning; adaptive systems; theoretical issues in evolutionary computation; and real-world applications of evolutionary computation techniques.