Deterministic Annealing and Nonlinear Assignment

For combinatorial optimization problems that can be formulated as Ising or Potts spin systems, the Mean Field (MF) approximation yields a versatile and simple ANN heuristic, Deterministic Annealing. For assignment problems the situation is more complex -- the natural analog of the MF approximation lacks the simplicity present in the Potts and Ising cases. In this article the difficulties associated with this issue are investigated, and the options for solving them discussed. Improvements to existing Potts-based MF-inspired heuristics are suggested, and the possibilities for defining a proper variational approach are scrutinized.Comment: 15 pages, 3 figure

Analog Photonics Computing for Information Processing, Inference and Optimisation

This review presents an overview of the current state-of-the-art in photonics computing, which leverages photons, photons coupled with matter, and optics-related technologies for effective and efficient computational purposes. It covers the history and development of photonics computing and modern analogue computing platforms and architectures, focusing on optimization tasks and neural network implementations. The authors examine special-purpose optimizers, mathematical descriptions of photonics optimizers, and their various interconnections. Disparate applications are discussed, including direct encoding, logistics, finance, phase retrieval, machine learning, neural networks, probabilistic graphical models, and image processing, among many others. The main directions of technological advancement and associated challenges in photonics computing are explored, along with an assessment of its efficiency. Finally, the paper discusses prospects and the field of optical quantum computing, providing insights into the potential applications of this technology.Comment: Invited submission by Journal of Advanced Quantum Technologies; accepted version 5/06/202

Random Neural Networks and Optimisation

In this thesis we introduce new models and learning algorithms for the Random Neural Network (RNN), and we develop RNN-based and other approaches for the solution of emergency management optimisation problems. With respect to RNN developments, two novel supervised learning algorithms are proposed. The first, is a gradient descent algorithm for an RNN extension model that we have introduced, the RNN with synchronised interactions (RNNSI), which was inspired from the synchronised firing activity observed in brain neural circuits. The second algorithm is based on modelling the signal-flow equations in RNN as a nonnegative least squares (NNLS) problem. NNLS is solved using a limited-memory quasi-Newton algorithm specifically designed for the RNN case. Regarding the investigation of emergency management optimisation problems, we examine combinatorial assignment problems that require fast, distributed and close to optimal solution, under information uncertainty. We consider three different problems with the above characteristics associated with the assignment of emergency units to incidents with injured civilians (AEUI), the assignment of assets to tasks under execution uncertainty (ATAU), and the deployment of a robotic network to establish communication with trapped civilians (DRNCTC). AEUI is solved by training an RNN tool with instances of the optimisation problem and then using the trained RNN for decision making; training is achieved using the developed learning algorithms. For the solution of ATAU problem, we introduce two different approaches. The first is based on mapping parameters of the optimisation problem to RNN parameters, and the second on solving a sequence of minimum cost flow problems on appropriately constructed networks with estimated arc costs. For the exact solution of DRNCTC problem, we develop a mixed-integer linear programming formulation, which is based on network flows. Finally, we design and implement distributed heuristic algorithms for the deployment of robots when the civilian locations are known or uncertain

A neurodynamic optimization approach to constrained pseudoconvex optimization.

Guo, Zhishan.Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2011.Includes bibliographical references (p. 71-82).Abstracts in English and Chinese.Abstract --- p.iAcknowledgement i --- p.iiChapter 1 --- Introduction --- p.1Chapter 1.1 --- Constrained Pseudoconvex Optimization --- p.1Chapter 1.2 --- Recurrent Neural Networks --- p.4Chapter 1.3 --- Thesis Organization --- p.7Chapter 2 --- Literature Review --- p.8Chapter 2.1 --- Pseudo convex Optimization --- p.8Chapter 2.2 --- Recurrent Neural Networks --- p.10Chapter 3 --- Model Description and Convergence Analysis --- p.17Chapter 3.1 --- Model Descriptions --- p.18Chapter 3.2 --- Global Convergence --- p.20Chapter 4 --- Numerical Examples --- p.27Chapter 4.1 --- Gaussian Optimization --- p.28Chapter 4.2 --- Quadratic Fractional Programming --- p.36Chapter 4.3 --- Nonlinear Convex Programming --- p.39Chapter 5 --- Real-time Data Reconciliation --- p.42Chapter 5.1 --- Introduction --- p.42Chapter 5.2 --- Theoretical Analysis and Performance Measurement --- p.44Chapter 5.3 --- Examples --- p.45Chapter 6 --- Real-time Portfolio Optimization --- p.53Chapter 6.1 --- Introduction --- p.53Chapter 6.2 --- Model Description --- p.54Chapter 6.3 --- Theoretical Analysis --- p.56Chapter 6.4 --- Illustrative Examples --- p.58Chapter 7 --- Conclusions and Future Works --- p.67Chapter 7.1 --- Concluding Remarks --- p.67Chapter 7.2 --- Future Works --- p.68Chapter A --- Publication List --- p.69Bibliography --- p.7

I. On a Family of Generalized Colorings. II. Some Contributions to the Theory of Neural Networks. III. Embeddings of Ultrametric Spaces

This thesis comprises three apparently very independent parts. However, there is a unity behind I would like to sketch very briefly. Formally graphs are in the background of most chapters and so is the duality local versus global. The first section is concerned with globally coloring graphs under some local assumptions. Algorithmically it is an intrinsically difficult task and neural networks, the topic of the second part can be used to approach intractable problems. Simple local interactions with emergent collective behavior are one of the essential features of these networks. Their current models are similar to some of those encountered in statistical mechanics, like spin glasses. In the third part, we study ultrametricity, a concept recently rediscovered by theoretical physicists in the analysis of spin-glasses. Ultrametricity can be expressed as a local constraint on the shape of each triangle of the given metric space. Unless otherwise stated, results in the first and second part are essentially original. Since the third part represents a joint work with Michael Aschbacher, Eric Baum and Richard Wilson, I should perhaps try to outline my contribution though paternity of collective results is somewhat fuzzy. While working on neural networks and spin glasses Eric and I got interested in ultrametricity. Several of us had found an initial polynomial upper bound, but the final results of "n + 1" was first reached independently by Michael and Richard. I think I obtained the theorems: 4.5, 6.1, 6.3 (using an idea of Eric), 6.4, 6.5, 6.6, 6.7 (with Richard and helpful references from Bruce Rothschild and Olga Taussky) and participated in some other results.</p