A Flexible Combination Forecast Method for Modeling Agricultural Commodity Prices: A Case Study Iran’s ‎Livestock and Poultry Meat Market

In recent years, the fluctuation in agricultural commodity prices in Iran is increased and thus, accurate forecasting of price change is necessary. In this article, a flexible combined method in modeling monthly prices of beef, lamb and chicken from April 2001 to March 2021, was proposed. In this new method, three different approaches namely simple averaging, discounted and shrinkage methods were effectively used to combine the forecasting outputs of three hybrid methods (MLPANN-GA, MLPANN-PSO and MLPANN-ICA) together. In implementation stage of hybrid methods, based on test and error method, the optimal MLPANN structure was found with 3/2/4–6–1 architectures and the controlling parameters are carefully assigned. The results obtained from three hybrid methods indicate that, based on the RMSE statistical index, the MLPANN-ICA method performs the best when forecasting prices for beef, lamb, and chicken. The outputs of three combination approaches show that the shrinkage method, with a parameter value of K=0.25, achieves the highest prediction accuracy when forecasting prices for these three meats. In summary, the proposed method outperforms the other three hybrid methods overall

XgBoost Hyper-Parameter Tuning Using Particle Swarm Optimization for Stock Price Forecasting

Investment in the capital market has become a lifestyle for millennials in Indonesia as seen from the increasing number of SID (Single Investor Identification) from 2.4 million in 2019 to 10.3 million in December 2022. The increase is due to various reasons, starting from the Covid-19 pandemic, which limited the space for social interaction and the easy way to invest in the capital market through various e-commerce platforms. These investors generally use fundamental and technical analysis to maximize profits and minimize the risk of loss in stock investment. These methods may lead to problem where subjectivity and different interpretation may appear in the process. Additionally, these methods are time consuming due to the need in the deep research on the financial statements, economic conditions and company reports. Machine learning by utilizing historical stock price data which is time-series data is one of the methods that can be used for the stock price forecasting. This paper proposed XGBoost optimized by Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) for stock price forecasting. XGBoost is known for its ability to make predictions accurately and efficiently. PSO is used to optimize the hyper-parameter values of XGBoost. The results of optimizing the hyper-parameter of the XGBoost algorithm using the Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) method achieved the best performance when compared with standard XGBoost, Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM), Support Vector Regression (SVR) and Random Forest. The results in RSME, MAE and MAPE shows the lowest values in the proposed method, which are, 0.0011, 0.0008, and 0.0772%, respectively. Meanwhile, the  reaches the highest value. It is seen that the PSO-optimized XGBoost is able to predict the stock price with a low error rate, and can be a promising model to be implemented for the stock price forecasting. This result shows the contribution of the proposed method

Unity Attractors Inspired Programmable Cellular Automata and Barnacles Swarm Optimization-Based Energy Efficient Data Communication for Securing IoT

Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs) is the innovative technology that covers wide range of application that possesses high potential merits such as long-term operation, unmonitored network access, data transmission, and low implementation cost. In this context, Internet of Things (IoT) have evolved as an exciting paradigm with the rapid advancement of cellular mobile networks, near field communications and cloud computing. WSNs potentially interacts with the IoT devices based on the sensing features of web devices and communication technologies in sensors. At this juncture, IoT need to facilitate huge amount of data aggregation with security and disseminate it to the reliable path to make it reach the required base station. In this paper, Unity Attractors Inspired Programmable Cellular Automata and Barnacles Swarm Optimization-Based Energy Efficient Data Communication Mechanism (UAIPCA-BSO) is proposed for  Securing data and estimate the optimal path through which it can be forwarded in the IoT environment. In specific, Unity Attractors Inspired Programmable Cellular Automata is adopted for guaranteeing security during the data transmission process. It also aids in determining the optimal path of data transmission based on the merits of Barnacles Swarm Optimization Algorithm (BSOA), such that data is made to reach the base station at the required destination in time. The simulation results of UAIPCA-BSO confirmed minimized end-to-end delay , accuracy and time taken for malicious node detection, compared to the baseline approaches used for comparison

Improved hybrid teaching learning based optimization-jaya and support vector machine for intrusion detection systems

Most of the currently existing intrusion detection systems (IDS) use machine learning algorithms to detect network intrusion. Machine learning algorithms have widely been adopted recently to enhance the performance of IDSs. While the effectiveness of some machine learning algorithms in detecting certain types of network intrusion has been ascertained, the situation remains that no single method currently exists that can achieve consistent results when employed for the detection of multiple attack types. Hence, the detection of network attacks on computer systems has remain a relevant field of research for some time. The support vector machine (SVM) is one of the most powerful machine learning algorithms with excellent learning performance characteristics. However, SVM suffers from many problems, such as high rates of false positive alerts, as well as low detection rates of rare but dangerous attacks that affects its performance; feature selection and parameters optimization are important operations needed to increase the performance of SVM. The aim of this work is to develop an improved optimization method for IDS that can be efficient and effective in subset feature selection and parameters optimization. To achieve this goal, an improved Teaching Learning-Based Optimization (ITLBO) algorithm was proposed in dealing with subset feature selection. Meanwhile, an improved parallel Jaya (IPJAYA) algorithm was proposed for searching the best parameters (C, Gama) values of SVM. Hence, a hybrid classifier called ITLBO-IPJAYA-SVM was developed in this work for the improvement of the efficiency of network intrusion on data sets that contain multiple types of attacks. The performance of the proposed approach was evaluated on NSL-KDD and CICIDS intrusion detection datasets and from the results, the proposed approaches exhibited excellent performance in the processing of large datasets. The results also showed that SVM optimization algorithm achieved accuracy values of 0.9823 for NSL-KDD dataset and 0.9817 for CICIDS dataset, which were higher than the accuracy of most of the existing paradigms for classifying network intrusion detection datasets. In conclusion, this work has presented an improved optimization algorithm that can improve the accuracy of IDSs in the detection of various types of network attack

XgBoost Hyper-Parameter Tuning Using Particle Swarm Optimization for Stock Price Forecasting

Investment in the capital market has become a lifestyle for millennials in Indonesia as seen from the increasing number of SID (Single Investor Identification) from 2.4 million in 2019 to 10.3 million in December 2022. The increase is due to various reasons, starting from the Covid-19 pandemic, which limited the space for social interaction and the easy way to invest in the capital market through various e-commerce platforms. These investors generally use fundamental and technical analysis to maximize profits and minimize the risk of loss in stock investment. These methods may lead to problem where subjectivity and different interpretation may appear in the process. Additionally, these methods are time consuming due to the need in the deep research on the financial statements, economic conditions and company reports. Machine learning by utilizing historical stock price data which is time-series data is one of the methods that can be used for the stock price forecasting. This paper proposed XGBoost optimized by Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) for stock price forecasting. XGBoost is known for its ability to make predictions accurately and efficiently. PSO is used to optimize the hyper-parameter values of XGBoost. The results of optimizing the hyper-parameter of the XGBoost algorithm using the Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) method achieved the best performance when compared with standard XGBoost, Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM), Support Vector Regression (SVR) and Random Forest. The results in RSME, MAE and MAPE shows the lowest values in the proposed method, which are, 0.0011, 0.0008, and 0.0772%, respectively. Meanwhile, the reaches the highest value. It is seen that the PSO-optimized XGBoost is able to predict the stock price with a low error rate, and can be a promising model to be implemented for the stock price forecasting. This result shows the contribution of the proposed method

From metaheuristics to learnheuristics: Applications to logistics, finance, and computing

Un gran nombre de processos de presa de decisions en sectors estratègics com el transport i la producció representen problemes NP-difícils. Sovint, aquests processos es caracteritzen per alts nivells d'incertesa i dinamisme. Les metaheurístiques són mètodes populars per a resoldre problemes d'optimització difícils en temps de càlcul raonables. No obstant això, sovint assumeixen que els inputs, les funcions objectiu, i les restriccions són deterministes i conegudes. Aquests constitueixen supòsits forts que obliguen a treballar amb problemes simplificats. Com a conseqüència, les solucions poden conduir a resultats pobres. Les simheurístiques integren la simulació a les metaheurístiques per resoldre problemes estocàstics d'una manera natural. Anàlogament, les learnheurístiques combinen l'estadística amb les metaheurístiques per fer front a problemes en entorns dinàmics, en què els inputs poden dependre de l'estructura de la solució. En aquest context, les principals contribucions d'aquesta tesi són: el disseny de les learnheurístiques, una classificació dels treballs que combinen l'estadística / l'aprenentatge automàtic i les metaheurístiques, i diverses aplicacions en transport, producció, finances i computació.Un gran número de procesos de toma de decisiones en sectores estratégicos como el transporte y la producción representan problemas NP-difíciles. Frecuentemente, estos problemas se caracterizan por altos niveles de incertidumbre y dinamismo. Las metaheurísticas son métodos populares para resolver problemas difíciles de optimización de manera rápida. Sin embargo, suelen asumir que los inputs, las funciones objetivo y las restricciones son deterministas y se conocen de antemano. Estas fuertes suposiciones conducen a trabajar con problemas simplificados. Como consecuencia, las soluciones obtenidas pueden tener un pobre rendimiento. Las simheurísticas integran simulación en metaheurísticas para resolver problemas estocásticos de una manera natural. De manera similar, las learnheurísticas combinan aprendizaje estadístico y metaheurísticas para abordar problemas en entornos dinámicos, donde los inputs pueden depender de la estructura de la solución. En este contexto, las principales aportaciones de esta tesis son: el diseño de las learnheurísticas, una clasificación de trabajos que combinan estadística / aprendizaje automático y metaheurísticas, y varias aplicaciones en transporte, producción, finanzas y computación.A large number of decision-making processes in strategic sectors such as transport and production involve NP-hard problems, which are frequently characterized by high levels of uncertainty and dynamism. Metaheuristics have become the predominant method for solving challenging optimization problems in reasonable computing times. However, they frequently assume that inputs, objective functions and constraints are deterministic and known in advance. These strong assumptions lead to work on oversimplified problems, and the solutions may demonstrate poor performance when implemented. Simheuristics, in turn, integrate simulation into metaheuristics as a way to naturally solve stochastic problems, and, in a similar fashion, learnheuristics combine statistical learning and metaheuristics to tackle problems in dynamic environments, where inputs may depend on the structure of the solution. The main contributions of this thesis include (i) a design for learnheuristics; (ii) a classification of works that hybridize statistical and machine learning and metaheuristics; and (iii) several applications for the fields of transport, production, finance and computing

Forecasting: theory and practice

Forecasting has always been in the forefront of decision making and planning. The uncertainty that surrounds the future is both exciting and challenging, with individuals and organisations seeking to minimise risks and maximise utilities. The lack of a free-lunch theorem implies the need for a diverse set of forecasting methods to tackle an array of applications. This unique article provides a non-systematic review of the theory and the practice of forecasting. We offer a wide range of theoretical, state-of-the-art models, methods, principles, and approaches to prepare, produce, organise, and evaluate forecasts. We then demonstrate how such theoretical concepts are applied in a variety of real-life contexts, including operations, economics, finance, energy, environment, and social good. We do not claim that this review is an exhaustive list of methods and applications. The list was compiled based on the expertise and interests of the authors. However, we wish that our encyclopedic presentation will offer a point of reference for the rich work that has been undertaken over the last decades, with some key insights for the future of the forecasting theory and practice

Air pollution forecasts: An overview

© 2018 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. Air pollution is defined as a phenomenon harmful to the ecological system and the normal conditions of human existence and development when some substances in the atmosphere exceed a certain concentration. In the face of increasingly serious environmental pollution problems, scholars have conducted a significant quantity of related research, and in those studies, the forecasting of air pollution has been of paramount importance. As a precaution, the air pollution forecast is the basis for taking effective pollution control measures, and accurate forecasting of air pollution has become an important task. Extensive research indicates that the methods of air pollution forecasting can be broadly divided into three classical categories: statistical forecasting methods, artificial intelligence methods, and numerical forecasting methods. More recently, some hybrid models have been proposed, which can improve the forecast accuracy. To provide a clear perspective on air pollution forecasting, this study reviews the theory and application of those forecasting models. In addition, based on a comparison of different forecasting methods, the advantages and disadvantages of some methods of forecasting are also provided. This study aims to provide an overview of air pollution forecasting methods for easy access and reference by researchers, which will be helpful in further studies

A contribution to exchange rate forecasting based on machine learning techniques

El propòsit d'aquesta tesi és examinar les aportacions a l'estudi de la predicció de la taxa de canvi basada en l'ús de tècniques d'aprenentatge automàtic. Aquestes aportacions es veuen facilitades i millorades per l'ús de variables econòmiques, indicadors tècnics i variables de tipus ‘business and consumer survey’. Aquesta investigació s’organitza entorn d’una recopilació de quatre articles. L'objectiu de cadascun dels quatre treballs de recerca d'aquesta tesi és el de contribuir a l'avanç del coneixement sobre els efectes i mecanismes mitjançant els quals l'ús de variables econòmiques, indicadors tècnics, variables de tipus ‘business and consumer survey’, i la selecció dels paràmetres de models predictius són capaços de millorar les prediccions de la taxa de canvi. Fent ús d'una tècnica de predicció no lineal, el primer article d'aquesta tesi es centra majoritàriament en l'impacte que tenen l'ús de variables econòmiques i la selecció dels paràmetres dels models en les prediccions de la taxa de canvi per a dos països. L'últim experiment d'aquest primer article fa ús de la taxa de canvi del període anterior i d'indicadors econòmics com a variables d'entrada en els models predictius. El segon article d'aquesta tesi analitza com la combinació de mitjanes mòbils, variables de tipus ‘business and consumer survey’ i la selecció dels paràmetres dels models milloren les prediccions del canvi per a dos països. A diferència del primer article, aquest segon treball de recerca afegeix mitjanes mòbils i variables de tipus ‘business and consumer survey’ com a variables d'entrada en els models predictius, i descarta l'ús de variables econòmiques. Un dels objectius d'aquest segon article és determinar el possible impacte de les variables de tipus ‘business and consumer survey’ en les taxes de canvi. El tercer article d'aquesta tesi té els mateixos objectius que el segon, però amb l'excepció que l'anàlisi abasta les taxes de canvi de set països. El quart article de la tesi compta amb els mateixos objectius que l'article anterior, però amb la diferència que fa ús d'un sol indicador tècnic. En general, l'enfocament d'aquesta tesi pretén examinar diferents alternatives per a millorar les prediccions del tipus de canvi a través de l'ús de màquines de suport vectorial. Una combinació de variables i la selecció dels paràmetres dels models predictius ajudaran a aconseguir aquest propòsit.El propósito de esta tesis es examinar las aportaciones al estudio de la predicción de la tasa de cambio basada en el uso de técnicas de aprendizaje automático. Dichas aportaciones se ven facilitadas y mejoradas por el uso de variables económicas, indicadores técnicos y variables de tipo ‘business and consumer survey’. Esta investigación está organizada en un compendio de cuatro artículos. El objetivo de cada uno de los cuatro trabajos de investigación de esta tesis es el de contribuir al avance del conocimiento sobre los efectos y mecanismos mediante los cuales el uso de variables económicas, indicadores técnicos, variables de tipo ‘business and consumer survey’, y la selección de los parámetros de modelos predictivos son capaces de mejorar las predicciones de la tasa de cambio. Haciendo uso de una técnica de predicción no lineal, el primer artículo de esta tesis se centra mayoritariamente en el impacto que tienen el uso de variables económicas y la selección de los parámetros de los modelos en las predicciones de la tasa de cambio para dos países. El último experimento de este primer artículo hace uso de la tasa de cambio del periodo anterior y de indicadores económicos como variables de entrada en los modelos predictivos. El segundo artículo de esta tesis analiza cómo la combinación de medias móviles, variables de tipo ‘business and consumer survey’ y la selección de los parámetros de los modelos mejoran las predicciones del cambio para dos países. A diferencia del primer artículo, este segundo trabajo de investigación añade medias móviles y variables de tipo ‘business and consumer survey’ como variables de entrada en los modelos predictivos, y descarta el uso de variables económicas. Uno de los objetivos de este segundo artículo es determinar el posible impacto de las variables de tipo ‘business and consumer survey’ en las tasas de cambio. El tercer artículo de esta tesis tiene los mismos objetivos que el segundo, pero con la salvedad de que el análisis abarca las tasas de cambio de siete países. El cuarto artículo de esta tesis cuenta con los mismos objetivos que el artículo anterior, pero con la diferencia de que hace uso de un solo indicador técnico. En general, el enfoque de esta tesis pretende examinar diferentes alternativas para mejorar las predicciones del tipo de cambio a través del uso de máquinas de soporte vectorial. Una combinación de variables y la selección de los parámetros de los modelos predictivos ayudarán a conseguir este propósito.The purpose of this thesis is to examine the contribution made by machine learning techniques on exchange rate forecasting. Such contributions are facilitated and enhanced by the use of fundamental economic variables, technical indicators and business and consumer survey variables as inputs in the forecasting models selected. This research has been organized in a compendium of four articles. The aim of each of these four articles is to contribute to advance our knowledge on the effects and means by which the use of fundamental economic variables, technical indicators, business and consumer surveys, and a model’s free-parameters selection is capable of improving exchange rate predictions. Through the use of a non-linear forecasting technique, one research paper examines the effect of fundamental economic variables and a model’s parameters selection on exchange rate forecasts, whereas the other three articles concentrate on the effect of technical indicators, a model’s parameters selection and business and consumer surveys variables on exchange rate forecasting. The first paper of this thesis has the objective of examining fundamental economic variables and a forecasting model’s parameters in an effort to understand the possible advantages or disadvantages these variables may bring to the exchange rate predictions in terms of forecasting performance and accuracy. The second paper of this thesis analyses how the combination of moving averages, business and consumer surveys and a forecasting model’s parameters improves exchange rate predictions. Compared to the first paper, this second paper adds moving averages and business and consumer surveys variables as inputs to the forecasting model, and disregards the use of fundamental economic variables. One of the goals of this paper is to determine the possible effects of business and consumer surveys on exchange rates. The third paper of this thesis has the same objectives as the second paper, but its analysis is expanded by taking into account the exchange rates of 7 countries. The fourth paper in this thesis takes a similar approach as the second and third papers, but makes use of a single technical indicator. In general, this thesis focuses on the improvement of exchange rate predictions through the use of support vector machines. A combination of variables and a model’s parameters selection enhances the way to achieve this purpose