Optimization of Evolutionary Neural Networks Using Hybrid Learning Algorithms

Evolutionary artificial neural networks (EANNs) refer to a special class of artificial neural networks (ANNs) in which evolution is another fundamental form of adaptation in addition to learning. Evolutionary algorithms are used to adapt the connection weights, network architecture and learning algorithms according to the problem environment. Even though evolutionary algorithms are well known as efficient global search algorithms, very often they miss the best local solutions in the complex solution space. In this paper, we propose a hybrid meta-heuristic learning approach combining evolutionary learning and local search methods (using 1st and 2nd order error information) to improve the learning and faster convergence obtained using a direct evolutionary approach. The proposed technique is tested on three different chaotic time series and the test results are compared with some popular neuro-fuzzy systems and a recently developed cutting angle method of global optimization. Empirical results reveal that the proposed technique is efficient in spite of the computational complexity

Discrete and fuzzy dynamical genetic programming in the XCSF learning classifier system

A number of representation schemes have been presented for use within learning classifier systems, ranging from binary encodings to neural networks. This paper presents results from an investigation into using discrete and fuzzy dynamical system representations within the XCSF learning classifier system. In particular, asynchronous random Boolean networks are used to represent the traditional condition-action production system rules in the discrete case and asynchronous fuzzy logic networks in the continuous-valued case. It is shown possible to use self-adaptive, open-ended evolution to design an ensemble of such dynamical systems within XCSF to solve a number of well-known test problems

Learning fuzzy inference systems using an adaptive membership function scheme

An adaptive membership function scheme for general additive fuzzy systems is proposed in this paper. The proposed scheme can adapt a proper membership function for any nonlinear input-output mapping, based upon a minimum number of rules and an initial approximate membership function. This parameter adjustment procedure is performed by computing the error between the actual and the desired decision surface. Using the proposed adaptive scheme for fuzzy system, the number of rules can be minimized. Nonlinear function approximation and truck backer-upper control system are employed to demonstrate the viability of the proposed method

A Review on the Application of Natural Computing in Environmental Informatics

Natural computing offers new opportunities to understand, model and analyze the complexity of the physical and human-created environment. This paper examines the application of natural computing in environmental informatics, by investigating related work in this research field. Various nature-inspired techniques are presented, which have been employed to solve different relevant problems. Advantages and disadvantages of these techniques are discussed, together with analysis of how natural computing is generally used in environmental research.Comment: Proc. of EnviroInfo 201

Fuzzy local linear approximation-based sequential design

When approximating complex high-fidelity black box simulators with surrogate models, the experimental design is often created sequentially. LOLA-Voronoi, a powerful state of the art method for sequential design combines an Exploitation and Exploration algorithm and adapts the sampling distribution to provide extra samples in non-linear regions. The LOLA algorithm estimates gradients to identify interesting regions, but has a bad complexity which results in long computation time when simulators are high-dimensional. In this paper, a new gradient estimation approach for the LOLA algorithm is proposed based on Fuzzy Logic. Experiments show the new method is a lot faster and results in experimental designs of comparable quality

Robust Dialog State Tracking for Large Ontologies

The Dialog State Tracking Challenge 4 (DSTC 4) differentiates itself from the previous three editions as follows: the number of slot-value pairs present in the ontology is much larger, no spoken language understanding output is given, and utterances are labeled at the subdialog level. This paper describes a novel dialog state tracking method designed to work robustly under these conditions, using elaborate string matching, coreference resolution tailored for dialogs and a few other improvements. The method can correctly identify many values that are not explicitly present in the utterance. On the final evaluation, our method came in first among 7 competing teams and 24 entries. The F1-score achieved by our method was 9 and 7 percentage points higher than that of the runner-up for the utterance-level evaluation and for the subdialog-level evaluation, respectively.Comment: Paper accepted at IWSDS 201

Cost-efficient modeling of antenna structures using Gradient Enhanced Kriging

Reliable yet fast surrogate models are indispensable in the design of contemporary antenna structures. Data-driven models, e.g., based on Gaussian Processes or support-vector regression, offer sufficient flexibility and speed, however, their setup cost is large and grows very quickly with the dimensionality of the design space. In this paper, we propose cost-efficient modeling of antenna structures using Gradient-Enhanced Kriging. In our approach, the training data set contains, apart from the EM-simulation responses of the structure at hand, also derivative data at the respective training locations obtained at little extra cost using adjoint sensitivity techniques. We demonstrate that introduction of the derivative information into the model allows for considerable reduction of the model setup cost (in terms of the number of training points required) without compromising its predictive power. The Gradient-Enhanced Kriging technique is illustrated using a dielectric resonator antenna structure. Comparison with conventional Kriging interpolation is also provided