Co-Learning in Cartesian Genetic Programming

Tato práce se zabývá integrací souběžného učení do kartézského genetického programování. Úlohu symbolické regrese se již povedlo vyřešit kartézským genetickým programováním, ovšem tato metoda není dokonalá. Je totiž relativně pomalá a při některých úlohách má tendenci nenalézat požadované řešení. Ale se souběžným učením lze vylepšit některé z~těchto vlastností. V této práci je představena plasticita genotypu, která je založena na Baldwinově efektu. Tento přístup umožňuje jedinci změnit jeho fenotyp během generace. Souběžné učení bylo testováno na pěti rozdílných úlohách pro symbolickou regresi. V experimentech se ukázalo, že pomocí souběžného učení lze dosáhnout až 15násobného urychlení evoluce oproti standardnímu kartézskému genetickému programování bez učení.This thesis deals with the integration of co-learning into cartesian genetic programming. The task of symbolic regression was already solved by cartesian genetic programming, but this method is not perfect yet. It is relatively slow and for certain tasks it tends not to find the desired result. However with co-learning we can enhance some of these attributes. In this project we introduce a genotype plasticity, which is based on Baldwins effect. This approach allows us to change the phenotype of an individual while generation is running. Co-learning algorithms were tested on five different symbolic regression tasks. The best enhancement delivered in experiments by co-learning was that the speed of finding a result was 15 times faster compared to the algorithm without co-learning.

Colearning in Coevolutionary Algorithms

Kartézské genetické programování je druh genetického programování, ve kterém jsou kandidátní programy reprezentovány jako orientované acyklické grafy. Bylo ukázáno, že je možné evoluci kartézských programů urychlit použitím koevoluce, kde se ve druhé populaci vyvíjí prediktory fitness. Prediktory fitness slouží k přibližnému určení kvality kandidátních řešení. Nevýhodou koevolučního přístupu je nutnost provést mnoho časově náročných experimentů pro určení nejvýhodnější velikosti prediktoru pro daný problém. V této práci je představena nová reprezentace prediktorů fitness s plastickým fenotypem, založená na principech souběžného učení v evolučních algoritmech. Plasticita fenotypu umožňuje odvodit různé fenotypy ze stejného genotypu. Díky tomu je možné adaptovat velikost prediktoru na současný průběh evoluce a obtížnost řešeného problému. Navržený algoritmus byl implementován v jazyce C a optimalizován pomocí vektorových instrukcí SSE2 a AVX2. Z experimentů vyplývá, že použitím plastického fenotypu lze dosáhnout srovnatelné kvalitních obrazových filtrů jako u standardního CGP při kratší době běhu programu (průměrné zrychlení je 8,6násobné) a zároveň odpadá nutnost hledání nejvýhodnější velikosti prediktoru jako u koevoluce s prediktory s fixní velikostí.Cartesian genetic programming (CGP) is a form of genetic programming where candidate programs are represented in the form of directed acyclic graphs. It was shown that CGP can be accelerated using coevolution with a population of fitness predictors which are used to estimate the quality of candidate solutions. The major disadvantage of the coevolutionary approach is the necessity of performing many time-consuming experiments to determine the best size of the fitness predictor for the particular task. This project introduces a new fitness predictor representation with phenotype plasticity, based on the principles of colearning in evolutionary algorithms. Phenotype plasticity allows to derive various phenotypes from the same genotype. This allows to adapt the size of the predictors to the current state of the evolution and difficulty of the solved problem. The proposed algorithm was implemented in the C language and optimized using SSE2 and AVX2 vector instructions. The experimental results show that the resulting image filters are comparable with standard CGP in terms of filtering quality. The average speedup is 8.6 compared to standard CGP. The speed is comparable to standard coevolutionary CGP but it is not necessary to experimentally determine the best size of the fitness predictor while applying coevolution to a new, unknown task.

Machine learning and its applications in reliability analysis systems

In this thesis, we are interested in exploring some aspects of Machine Learning (ML) and its application in the Reliability Analysis systems (RAs). We begin by investigating some ML paradigms and their- techniques, go on to discuss the possible applications of ML in improving RAs performance, and lastly give guidelines of the architecture of learning RAs. Our survey of ML covers both levels of Neural Network learning and Symbolic learning. In symbolic process learning, five types of learning and their applications are discussed: rote learning, learning from instruction, learning from analogy, learning from examples, and learning from observation and discovery. The Reliability Analysis systems (RAs) presented in this thesis are mainly designed for maintaining plant safety supported by two functions: risk analysis function, i.e., failure mode effect analysis (FMEA) ; and diagnosis function, i.e., real-time fault location (RTFL). Three approaches have been discussed in creating the RAs. According to the result of our survey, we suggest currently the best design of RAs is to embed model-based RAs, i.e., MORA (as software) in a neural network based computer system (as hardware). However, there are still some improvement which can be made through the applications of Machine Learning. By implanting the 'learning element', the MORA will become learning MORA (La MORA) system, a learning Reliability Analysis system with the power of automatic knowledge acquisition and inconsistency checking, and more. To conclude our thesis, we propose an architecture of La MORA

The optimal placement of phasor measurement units and their effects on state estimation

Phasor measurement units (PMUs) are a key new technology for use in electric power systems as a backbone for sensing and measurement and to improve interface and decision support using instantaneous PMU data which will drive faster simulations and advanced visualisation tools that will help system operators assess dynamic challenges to system stability. The two main objectives of this work are to investigate and develop 1. a method for the algorithmic placement of a minimum number of PMUs into a system to ensure full observability, 2. conventional, hybrid and linear state estimation techniques to incorporate and utilize PMU measurement data to perform state estimation and to study the effects that differing PMU placement positions have on the accuracy of the resultant state estimator solution

Efficient Evolution of Neural Networks

This thesis addresses the study of evolutionary methods for the synthesis of neural network controllers. Chapter 1 introduces the research area, reviews the state of the art, discusses promising research directions, and presents the two major scientific objectives of the thesis. The first objective, which is covered in Chapter 2, is to verify the efficacy of some of the most promising neuro-evolutionary methods proposed in the literature, including two new methods that I elaborated. This has been made by designing extended version of the double-pole balancing problem, which can be used to more properly benchmark alternative algorithms, by studying the effect of critical parameters, and by conducting several series of comparative experiments. The obtained results indicate that some methods perform better with respect to all the considered criteria, i.e. performance, robustness to environmental variations and capability to scale-up to more complex problems. The second objective, which is targeted in Chapter 3, consists in the design of a new hybrid algorithm that combines evolution and learning by demonstration. The combination of these two processes is appealing since it potentially allows the adaptive agent to exploit a richer training feedback constituted by both a scalar performance objective (reinforcement signal or fitness measure) and a detailed description of a suitable behaviour (demonstration). The proposed method has been successfully evaluated on two qualitatively different robotic problems. Chapter 4 summarizes the results obtained and describes the major contributions of the thesis

Evolving Artificial Neural Networks using Cartesian Genetic Programming

NeuroEvolution is the application of Evolutionary Algorithms to the training of Artificial Neural Networks. NeuroEvolution is thought to possess many benefits over traditional training methods including: the ability to train recurrent network structures, the capability to adapt network topology, being able to create heterogeneous networks of arbitrary transfer functions, and allowing application to reinforcement as well as supervised learning tasks. This thesis presents a series of rigorous empirical investigations into many of these perceived advantages of NeuroEvolution. In this work it is demonstrated that the ability to simultaneously adapt network topology along with connection weights represents a significant advantage of many NeuroEvolutionary methods. It is also demonstrated that the ability to create heterogeneous networks comprising a range of transfer functions represents a further significant advantage. This thesis also investigates many potential benefits and drawbacks of NeuroEvolution which have been largely overlooked in the literature. This includes the presence and role of genetic redundancy in NeuroEvolution's search and whether program bloat is a limitation. The investigations presented focus on the use of a recently developed NeuroEvolution method based on Cartesian Genetic Programming. This thesis extends Cartesian Genetic Programming such that it can represent recurrent program structures allowing for the creation of recurrent Artificial Neural Networks. Using this newly developed extension, Recurrent Cartesian Genetic Programming, and its application to Artificial Neural Networks, are demonstrated to be extremely competitive in the domain of series forecasting

Active Control of Shocks and Sonic Boom Ground Signal

The manipulation of a flow field to obtain a desired change is a much heightened subject. Active flow control has been the subject of the major research areas in fluid mechanics for the past two decades. It offers new solutions for mitigation of shock strength, sonic boom alleviation, drag minimization, reducing blade-vortex interaction noise in helicopters, stall control and the performance maximization of existing designs to meet the increasing requirements of the aircraft industries. Despite the wide variety of the potential applications of active flow control, the majority of studies have been performed at subsonic speeds. The active flow control cases were investigated in transonic speed in this study. Although the active flow control provides significant improvements, the sensibility of aerodynamic performance to design parameters makes it a nontrivial and expensive problem, so the designer has to optimize a number of different parameters. For the purpose of gaining understanding of the active flow control concepts, an automated optimization cycle process was generated. Also, the optimization cycle reduces cost and turnaround time. The mass flow coefficient, location, width and angle were chosen as design parameters to maximize the aerodynamic performance of an aircraft. As the main contribution of this study, a detailed parametric study and optimization process were presented. The second step is to appraise the practicability of weakening the shock wave and thereby reducing the wave drag in transonic flight regime using flow control devices such as two dimensional contour bump, individual jet actuator, and also the hybrid control which includes both control devices together, thereby gaining the desired improvements in aerodynamic performance of the air-vehicle. After this study, to improve the aerodynamic performance, the flow control and shape parameters are optimized separately, combined, and in a serial combination. The remarkable part of all these studies is both gradient and non-gradient optimization techniques were used to find the global optimum point. The second part of this study includes investigation of the possibility of weakening the shock strength and the reduction of far field signature by using off-body energy addition. The main obstacle for flying supersonically over land is the detrimental effects of sonic boom on general public and structures. The shock waves generated from various parts of an aircraft flying at supersonic speed, coalesce to form a classic sonic boom acoustic signature, \u27N\u27 wave associated with the sonic boom on the ground. High pressure was imposed on certain parts of the computational domain to simulate the pulsed laser effects, and then the propagation and interaction of this pulsed shock with shock waves generated from the diamond shaped model were investigated. Optimization of the location and the power of the pulsed shock were achieved using the non-gradient optimization technique. The main contribution of this study is the optimization of the parameters of pulsed shock

Bio-inspired Dynamic Control Systems with Time Delays

The world around us exhibits a rich and ever changing environment of startling, bewildering and fascinating complexity. Almost everything is never as simple as it seems, but through the chaos we may catch fleeting glimpses of the mechanisms within. Throughout the history of human endeavour we have mimicked nature to harness it for our own ends. Our attempts to develop truly autonomous and intelligent machines have however struggled with the limitations of our human ability. This has encouraged some to shirk this responsibility and instead model biological processes and systems to do it for us. This Thesis explores the introduction of continuous time delays into biologically inspired dynamic control systems. We seek to exploit rich temporal dynamics found in physical and biological systems for modelling complex or adaptive behaviour through the artificial evolution of networks to control robots. Throughout, arguments have been presented for the modelling of delays not only to better represent key facets of physical and biological systems, but to increase the computational potential of such systems for the synthesis of control. The thorough investigation of the dynamics of small delayed networks with a wide range of time delays has been undertaken, with a detailed mathematical description of the fixed points of the system and possible oscillatory modes developed to fully describe the behaviour of a single node. Exploration of the behaviour for even small delayed networks illustrates the range of complex behaviour possible and guides the development of interesting solutions. To further exploit the potential of the rich dynamics in such systems, a novel approach to the 3D simulation of locomotory robots has been developed focussing on minimising the computational cost. To verify this simulation tool a simple quadruped robot was developed and the motion of the robot when undergoing a manually designed gait evaluated. The results displayed a high degree of agreement between the simulation and laser tracker data, verifying the accuracy of the model developed. A new model of a dynamic system which includes continuous time delays has been introduced, and its utility demonstrated in the evolution of networks for the solution of simple learning behaviours. A range of methods has been developed for determining the time delays, including the novel concept of representing the time delays as related to the distance between nodes in a spatial representation of the network. The application of these tools to a range of examples has been explored, from Gene Regulatory Networks (GRNs) to robot control and neural networks. The performance of these systems has been compared and contrasted with the efficacy of evolutionary runs for the same task over the whole range of network and delay types. It has been shown that delayed dynamic neural systems are at least as capable as traditional Continuous Time Recurrent Neural Networks (CTRNNs) and show significant performance improvements in the control of robot gaits. Experiments in adaptive behaviour, where there is not such a direct link between the enhanced system dynamics and performance, showed no such discernible improvement. Whilst we hypothesise that the ability of such delayed networks to generate switched pattern generating nodes may be useful in Evolutionary Robotics (ER) this was not borne out here. The spatial representation of delays was shown to be more efficient for larger networks, however these techniques restricted the search to lower complexity solutions or led to a significant falloff as the network structure becomes more complex. This would suggest that for anything other than a simple genotype, the direct method for encoding delays is likely most appropriate. With proven benefits for robot locomotion and the open potential for adaptive behaviour delayed dynamic systems for evolved control remain an interesting and promising field in complex systems research