Elitist clonal selection algorithm for optimal choice of free knots in B-spline data fitting

Data fitting with B-splines is a challenging problem in reverse engineering for CAD/CAM, virtual reality, data visualization, and many other fields. It is well-known that the fitting improves greatly if knots are considered as free variables. This leads, however, to a very difficult multimodal and multivariate continuous nonlinear optimization problem, the so-called knot adjustment problem. In this context, the present paper introduces an adapted elitist clonal selection algorithm for automatic knot adjustment of B-spline curves. Given a set of noisy data points, our method determines the number and location of knots automatically in order to obtain an extremely accurate fitting of data. In addition, our method minimizes the number of parameters required for this task. Our approach performs very well and in a fully automatic way even for the cases of underlying functions requiring identical multiple knots, such as functions with discontinuities and cusps. To evaluate its performance, it has been applied to three challenging test functions, and results have been compared with those from other alternative methods based on AIS and genetic algorithms. Our experimental results show that our proposal outperforms previous approaches in terms of accuracy and flexibility. Some other issues such as the parameter tuning, the complexity of the algorithm, and the CPU runtime are also discussed.     

一种快速解压的无损压缩算法

随着信息技术的不断发展,大量数据给存储和传输都带来了巨大的挑战。数据压缩能够有效减少数据量,方便数据的处理和传输。无损压缩是一种利用数据的冗余特点进行压缩的压缩方法,解压时可以完全还原数据而不会有任何失真。在研究LZO算法的快速解压原理基础上,设计了一种新的压缩算法。该算法通过减少压缩数据中压缩块的数量,降低了解压程序的执行开销。测试结果表明,新算法可实现比LZO算法更快的解压速度。     

A practical assessment of risk-averse approaches in production lot-sizing problems

ABSTRACT

This paper presents an empirical assessment of four state-of-the-art risk-averse approaches to deal with the capacitated lot-sizing problem under stochastic demand. We analyse two mean-risk models based on the semideviation and on the conditional value-at-risk risk measures, and alternate first and second-order stochastic dominance approaches. The extensive computational experiments based on different instances characteristics and on a case-study suggest that CVaR exhibits a good trade-off between risk and performance, followed by the semideviation and first-order stochastic dominance approach. For all approaches, enforcing risk-aversion helps to reduce the cost-standard deviation substantially, which is usually accomplished via increasing production rates. Overall, we can say that very risk-averse decision-makers would be willing to pay an increased price to have a much less risky solution given by CVaR. In less risk-averse settings, though, semideviation and first-order stochastic dominance can be appealing alternatives to provide significantly more stable production planning costs with a marginal increase of the expected costs.     

Genetic algorithm and self organizing map based fuzzy hybrid intelligent method for color image segmentation

The grouping of pixels based on some similarity criteria is called image segmentation. In this paper the problem of color image segmentation is considered as a clustering problem and a fixed length genetic algorithm (GA) is used to handle it. The effectiveness of GA depends on the objective function (fitness function) and the initialization of the population. A new objective function is proposed to evaluate the quality of the segmentation and the fitness of a chromosome. In fixed length genetic algorithm the chromosomes have same length, which is normally set by the user. Here, a self organizing map (SOM) is used to determine the number of segments in order to set the length of a chromosome automatically. An opposition based strategy is adopted for the initialization of the population in order to diversify the search process. In some cases the proposed method makes the small regions of an image as separate segments, which leads to noisy segmentation. A simple ad hoc mechanism is devised to refine the noisy segmentation. The qualitative and quantitative results show that the proposed method performs better than the state-of-the-art methods.     

A bat-neural network multi-agent system (BNNMAS) for stock price prediction: Case study of DAX stock price

Creating an intelligent system that can accurately predict stock price in a robust way has always been a subject of great interest for many investors and financial analysts. Predicting future trends of financial markets is more remarkable these days especially after the recent global financial crisis. So traders who access to a powerful engine for extracting helpful information throw raw data can meet the success. In this paper we propose a new intelligent model in a multi-agent framework called bat-neural network multi-agent system (BNNMAS) to predict stock price. The model performs in a four layer multi-agent framework to predict eight years of DAX stock price in quarterly periods. The capability of BNNMAS is evaluated by applying both on fundamental and technical DAX stock price data and comparing the outcomes with the results of other methods such as genetic algorithm neural network (GANN) and some standard models like generalized regression neural network (GRNN), etc. The model tested for predicting DAX stock price a period of time that global financial crisis was faced to economics. The results show that BNNMAS significantly performs accurate and reliable, so it can be considered as a suitable tool for predicting stock price specially in a long term periods.     

Congestion management by determining optimal location of series FACTS devices using hybrid bacterial foraging and Nelder–Mead algorithm

In this paper, the Thyristor-Controlled Series-Compensated (TCSC) devices are located for congestion management in the power system by considering the non-smooth fuel cost function and penalty cost of emission. For this purpose, it is considered that the objective function of the proposed optimal power flow (OPF) problem is minimizing fuel and emission penalty cost of generators. A hybrid method that is the combination of the bacterial foraging (BF) algorithm with Nelder–Mead (NM) method (BF-NM) is employed to solve the OPF problems. The optimal location of the TCSC devices are then determined for congestion management. The size of the TCSC is obtained by using of the BF-NM algorithm to minimize the cost of generation, cost of emission, and cost of TCSC. The simulation results on IEEE 30-bus, modified IEEE 30-bus and IEEE 118-bus test system confirm the efficiency of the proposed method for finding the optimal location of the TCSC with non-smooth non-convex cost function and emission for congestion management in the power system. In addition, the results clearly show that a better solution can be achieved by using the proposed OPF problem in comparison with other intelligence methods.     

Lagrangian relaxation hybrid with evolutionary algorithm for short-term generation scheduling

Short-term generation scheduling is an important function in daily operational planning of power systems. It is defined as optimal scheduling of power generators over a scheduling period while respecting various generator constraints and system constraints. Objective of the problem includes costs associated with energy production, start-up cost and shut-down cost along with profits. The resulting problem is a large scale nonlinear mixed-integer optimization problem for which there is no exact solution technique available. The solution to the problem can be obtained only by complete enumeration, often at the cost of a prohibitively computation time requirement for realistic power systems. This paper presents a hybrid algorithm which combines Lagrangian Relaxation (LR) together with Evolutionary Algorithm (EA) to solve the problem in cooperative and competitive energy environments. Simulation studies were carried out on different systems containing various numbers of units. The outcomes from different algorithms are compared with that from the proposed hybrid algorithm and the advantages of the proposed algorithm are briefly discussed.     

Augmented context-based recommendation service framework using knowledge over the Linked Open Data cloud

This research proposes ACARDS (Augmented-Context bAsed RecommenDation Service) framework that is able to utilize knowledge over the Linked Open Data (LOD) cloud to recommend context-based services to users. To improve the level of user satisfaction with the result of the recommendation, the ACARDS framework implements a novel recommendation algorithm that can utilize the knowledge over the LOD cloud. In addition, the noble algorithm is able to use new concepts like the enriched tags and the augmented tags that originate from the hashtags on the SNSs materials. These tags are utilized to recommend the most appropriate services in the user’s context, which can change dynamically. Last but not least, the ACARDS framework implements the context-based reshaping algorithm on the augmented tag cloud. In the reshaping process, the ACARDS framework can recommend the highly receptive services in the users’ context and their preferences. To evaluate the performance of the ACARDS framework, we conduct four kinds of experiments using the Instagram materials and the LOD cloud. As a result, we proved that the ACARDS framework contributes to increasing the query efficiency by reducing the search space and improving the user satisfaction on the recommended services.     

Abrasive waterjet micro-machining of channels in metals: Comparison between machining in air and submerged in water

Abrasive water jet technology can be used for micro-milling using recently developed miniaturized nozzles. Abrasive water jet (AWJ) machining is often used with both the nozzle tip and workpiece submerged in water to reduce noise and contain debris. This paper compares the performance of submerged and unsubmerged abrasive water jet micro-milling of channels in 316L stainless steel and 6061-T6 aluminum at various nozzle angles and standoff distances. The effect of submergence on the diameter and effective footprint of AWJ erosion footprints was measured and compared. It was found that the centerline erosion rate decreased with channel depth due to the spreading of the jet as the effective standoff distance increased, and because of the growing effect of stagnation as the channel became deeper. The erosive jet spread over a larger effective footprint in air than in water, since particles on the jet periphery were slowed much more quickly in water due to increased drag. As a result, the width of a channel machined in air was wider than that in water. Moreover, it was observed that the instantaneous erosion rate decreased with channel depth, and that this decrease was a function only of the channel cross-sectional geometry, being independent of the type of metal, the jet angle, the standoff distance, and regardless of whether the jet was submerged or in air, in either the forward or backward directions. It is shown that submerged AWJM results in narrower features than those produced while machining in air, without a decrease in centerline etch rate.