Distributed multi-agent Gaussian regression via finite-dimensional approximations

We consider the problem of distributedly estimating Gaussian processes in multi-agent frameworks. Each agent collects few measurements and aims to collaboratively reconstruct a common estimate based on all data. Agents are assumed with limited computational and communication capabilities and to gather $M$ noisy measurements in total on input locations independently drawn from a known common probability density. The optimal solution would require agents to exchange all the $M$ input locations and measurements and then invert an $M \times M$ matrix, a non-scalable task. Differently, we propose two suboptimal approaches using the first $E$ orthonormal eigenfunctions obtained from the \ac{KL} expansion of the chosen kernel, where typically $E \ll M$. The benefits are that the computation and communication complexities scale with $E$ and not with $M$, and computing the required statistics can be performed via standard average consensus algorithms. We obtain probabilistic non-asymptotic bounds that determine a priori the desired level of estimation accuracy, and new distributed strategies relying on Stein's unbiased risk estimate (SURE) paradigms for tuning the regularization parameters and applicable to generic basis functions (thus not necessarily kernel eigenfunctions) and that can again be implemented via average consensus. The proposed estimators and bounds are finally tested on both synthetic and real field data

An evolutionary algorithm for online, resource constrained, multi-vehicle sensing mission planning

Mobile robotic platforms are an indispensable tool for various scientific and industrial applications. Robots are used to undertake missions whose execution is constrained by various factors, such as the allocated time or their remaining energy. Existing solutions for resource constrained multi-robot sensing mission planning provide optimal plans at a prohibitive computational complexity for online application [1],[2],[3]. A heuristic approach exists for an online, resource constrained sensing mission planning for a single vehicle [4]. This work proposes a Genetic Algorithm (GA) based heuristic for the Correlated Team Orienteering Problem (CTOP) that is used for planning sensing and monitoring missions for robotic teams that operate under resource constraints. The heuristic is compared against optimal Mixed Integer Quadratic Programming (MIQP) solutions. Results show that the quality of the heuristic solution is at the worst case equal to the 5% optimal solution. The heuristic solution proves to be at least 300 times more time efficient in the worst tested case. The GA heuristic execution required in the worst case less than a second making it suitable for online execution.Comment: 8 pages, 5 figures, accepted for publication in Robotics and Automation Letters (RA-L

Population extremal optimisation for discrete multi-objective optimisation problems

The power to solve intractable optimisation problems is often found through population based evolutionary methods. These include, but are not limited to, genetic algorithms, particle swarm optimisation, differential evolution and ant colony optimisation. While showing much promise as an effective optimiser, extremal optimisation uses only a single solution in its canonical form – and there are no standard population mechanics. In this paper, two population models for extremal optimisation are proposed and applied to a multi-objective version of the generalised assignment problem. These models use novel intervention/interaction strategies as well as collective memory in order to allow individual population members to work together. Additionally, a general non-dominated local search algorithm is developed and tested. Overall, the results show that improved attainment surfaces can be produced using population based interactions over not using them. The new EO approach is also shown to be highly competitive with an implementation of NSGA-II.No Full Tex

Bat Algorithm: Literature Review and Applications

Bat algorithm (BA) is a bio-inspired algorithm developed by Yang in 2010 and BA has been found to be very efficient. As a result, the literature has expanded significantly in the last 3 years. This paper provides a timely review of the bat algorithm and its new variants. A wide range of diverse applications and case studies are also reviewed and summarized briefly here. Further research topics are also discussed.Comment: 10 page

A Review on Energy Consumption Optimization Techniques in IoT Based Smart Building Environments

In recent years, due to the unnecessary wastage of electrical energy in residential buildings, the requirement of energy optimization and user comfort has gained vital importance. In the literature, various techniques have been proposed addressing the energy optimization problem. The goal of each technique was to maintain a balance between user comfort and energy requirements such that the user can achieve the desired comfort level with the minimum amount of energy consumption. Researchers have addressed the issue with the help of different optimization algorithms and variations in the parameters to reduce energy consumption. To the best of our knowledge, this problem is not solved yet due to its challenging nature. The gap in the literature is due to the advancements in the technology and drawbacks of the optimization algorithms and the introduction of different new optimization algorithms. Further, many newly proposed optimization algorithms which have produced better accuracy on the benchmark instances but have not been applied yet for the optimization of energy consumption in smart homes. In this paper, we have carried out a detailed literature review of the techniques used for the optimization of energy consumption and scheduling in smart homes. The detailed discussion has been carried out on different factors contributing towards thermal comfort, visual comfort, and air quality comfort. We have also reviewed the fog and edge computing techniques used in smart homes

Generating Interpretable Fuzzy Controllers using Particle Swarm Optimization and Genetic Programming

Autonomously training interpretable control strategies, called policies, using pre-existing plant trajectory data is of great interest in industrial applications. Fuzzy controllers have been used in industry for decades as interpretable and efficient system controllers. In this study, we introduce a fuzzy genetic programming (GP) approach called fuzzy GP reinforcement learning (FGPRL) that can select the relevant state features, determine the size of the required fuzzy rule set, and automatically adjust all the controller parameters simultaneously. Each GP individual's fitness is computed using model-based batch reinforcement learning (RL), which first trains a model using available system samples and subsequently performs Monte Carlo rollouts to predict each policy candidate's performance. We compare FGPRL to an extended version of a related method called fuzzy particle swarm reinforcement learning (FPSRL), which uses swarm intelligence to tune the fuzzy policy parameters. Experiments using an industrial benchmark show that FGPRL is able to autonomously learn interpretable fuzzy policies with high control performance.Comment: Accepted at Genetic and Evolutionary Computation Conference 2018 (GECCO '18