Parameter tuning of software effort estimation models using antlion optimization

In this work, the antlion optimization (ALO) is employed due to its efficiency and wide applicability to estimate the parameters of four modified models of the basic constructive cost model (COCOMO) model. Three tests are carried out to show the effectiveness of ALO: first, it is used with Bailey and Basili dataset for the basic COCOMO Model and Sheta’s Model 1 and 2, and is compared with the firefly algorithm (FA), genetic algorithms (GA), and particle swarm optimization (PSO). Second, parameters of Sheta’s Model 1 and 2, Uysal’s Model 1 and 2 are optimized using Bailey and Basili dataset; results are compared with directed artificial bee colony algorithm (DABCA), GA, and simulated annealing (SA). Third, ALO is used with Basic COCOMO model and four large datasets, results are compared with hybrid bat inspired gravitational search algorithm (hBATGSA), improved BAT (IBAT), and BAT algorithms. Results of Test1 and Test2 show that ALO outperformed others, as for Test3, ALO is better than BAT and IBAT using MAE and the number of best estimations. ALO proofed achieving better results than hBATGSA for datasets 2 and 4 out of the four datasets explored in terms of MAE and the number of best estimates

An Effective Precision Enhancement Approach to Estimate Software Development Cost: Nature Inspired Way

In recent years, many researchers and practitioners have explored the possibility of estimating effort and cost using nature inspired algorithms. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the relevance of bacterial foraging optimization algorithm (BFOA) for optimizing the COCOMO model coefficients to estimate the software development time. The goal of this research is to minimize the fitness function value which is the measure of the deflection of estimated time from the real time taken in the software development. Results of the experimental study conducted shows that the proposed approach produces promising results in comparison to COCOMO model and other existing approaches listed in literature. Results show that COCOMO model and other existing approaches are less accurate in comparison to BFOA with MMRE as 0.16 and PRED(25) as 0.9. Thus BFOA can help software industry in predicting accurate and reliable values for planning and maintenance of software project

Bio-inspired optimization in integrated river basin management

Water resources worldwide are facing severe challenges in terms of quality and quantity. It is essential to conserve, manage, and optimize water resources and their quality through integrated water resources management (IWRM). IWRM is an interdisciplinary field that works on multiple levels to maximize the socio-economic and ecological benefits of water resources. Since this is directly influenced by the river’s ecological health, the point of interest should start at the basin-level. The main objective of this study is to evaluate the application of bio-inspired optimization techniques in integrated river basin management (IRBM). This study demonstrates the application of versatile, flexible and yet simple metaheuristic bio-inspired algorithms in IRBM. In a novel approach, bio-inspired optimization algorithms Ant Colony Optimization (ACO) and Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) are used to spatially distribute mitigation measures within a basin to reduce long-term annual mean total nitrogen (TN) concentration at the outlet of the basin. The Upper Fuhse river basin developed in the hydrological model, Hydrological Predictions for the Environment (HYPE), is used as a case study. ACO and PSO are coupled with the HYPE model to distribute a set of measures and compute the resulting TN reduction. The algorithms spatially distribute nine crop and subbasin-level mitigation measures under four categories. Both algorithms can successfully yield a discrete combination of measures to reduce long-term annual mean TN concentration. They achieved an 18.65% reduction, and their performance was on par with each other. This study has established the applicability of these bio-inspired optimization algorithms in successfully distributing the TN mitigation measures within the river basin. Stakeholder involvement is a crucial aspect of IRBM. It ensures that researchers and policymakers are aware of the ground reality through large amounts of information collected from the stakeholder. Including stakeholders in policy planning and decision-making legitimizes the decisions and eases their implementation. Therefore, a socio-hydrological framework is developed and tested in the Larqui river basin, Chile, based on a field survey to explore the conditions under which the farmers would implement or extend the width of vegetative filter strips (VFS) to prevent soil erosion. The framework consists of a behavioral, social model (extended Theory of Planned Behavior, TPB) and an agent-based model (developed in NetLogo) coupled with the results from the vegetative filter model (Vegetative Filter Strip Modeling System, VFSMOD-W). The results showed that the ABM corroborates with the survey results and the farmers are willing to extend the width of VFS as long as their utility stays positive. This framework can be used to develop tailor-made policies for river basins based on the conditions of the river basins and the stakeholders' requirements to motivate them to adopt sustainable practices. It is vital to assess whether the proposed management plans achieve the expected results for the river basin and if the stakeholders will accept and implement them. The assessment via simulation tools ensures effective implementation and realization of the target stipulated by the decision-makers. In this regard, this dissertation introduces the application of bio-inspired optimization techniques in the field of IRBM. The successful discrete combinatorial optimization in terms of the spatial distribution of mitigation measures by ACO and PSO and the novel socio-hydrological framework using ABM prove the forte and diverse applicability of bio-inspired optimization algorithms

Scientific research trends about metaheuristics in process optimization and case study using the desirability function

This study aimed to identify the research gaps in Metaheuristics, taking into account the publications entered in a database in 2015 and to present a case study of a company in the Sul Fluminense region using the Desirability function. To achieve this goal, applied research of exploratory nature and qualitative approach was carried out, as well as another of quantitative nature. As method and technical procedures were the bibliographical research, some literature review, and an adopted case study respectively. As a contribution of this research, the holistic view of opportunities to carry out new investigations on the theme in question is pointed out. It is noteworthy that the identified study gaps after the research were prioritized and discriminated, highlighting the importance of the viability of metaheuristic algorithms, as well as their benefits for process optimization

An optimized cost-based data allocation model for heterogeneous distributed computing systems

Continuous attempts have been made to improve the flexibility and effectiveness of distributed computing systems. Extensive effort in the fields of connectivity technologies, network programs, high processing components, and storage helps to improvise results. However, concerns such as slowness in response, long execution time, and long completion time have been identified as stumbling blocks that hinder performance and require additional attention. These defects increased the total system cost and made the data allocation procedure for a geographically dispersed setup difficult. The load-based architectural model has been strengthened to improve data allocation performance. To do this, an abstract job model is employed, and a data query file containing input data is processed on a directed acyclic graph. The jobs are executed on the processing engine with the lowest execution cost, and the system's total cost is calculated. The total cost is computed by summing the costs of communication, computation, and network. The total cost of the system will be reduced using a Swarm intelligence algorithm. In heterogeneous distributed computing systems, the suggested approach attempts to reduce the system's total cost and improve data distribution. According to simulation results, the technique efficiently lowers total system cost and optimizes partitioned data allocation

A Comprehensive Survey on Particle Swarm Optimization Algorithm and Its Applications

Particle swarm optimization (PSO) is a heuristic global optimization method, proposed originally by Kennedy and Eberhart in 1995. It is now one of the most commonly used optimization techniques. This survey presented a comprehensive investigation of PSO. On one hand, we provided advances with PSO, including its modifications (including quantum-behaved PSO, bare-bones PSO, chaotic PSO, and fuzzy PSO), population topology (as fully connected, von Neumann, ring, star, random, etc.), hybridization (with genetic algorithm, simulated annealing, Tabu search, artificial immune system, ant colony algorithm, artificial bee colony, differential evolution, harmonic search, and biogeography-based optimization), extensions (to multiobjective, constrained, discrete, and binary optimization), theoretical analysis (parameter selection and tuning, and convergence analysis), and parallel implementation (in multicore, multiprocessor, GPU, and cloud computing forms). On the other hand, we offered a survey on applications of PSO to the following eight fields: electrical and electronic engineering, automation control systems, communication theory, operations research, mechanical engineering, fuel and energy, medicine, chemistry, and biology. It is hoped that this survey would be beneficial for the researchers studying PSO algorithms

Review and Classification of Bio-inspired Algorithms and Their Applications

Scientists have long looked to nature and biology in order to understand and model solutions for complex real-world problems. The study of bionics bridges the functions, biological structures and functions and organizational principles found in nature with our modern technologies, numerous mathematical and metaheuristic algorithms have been developed along with the knowledge transferring process from the lifeforms to the human technologies. Output of bionics study includes not only physical products, but also various optimization computation methods that can be applied in different areas. Related algorithms can broadly be divided into four groups: evolutionary based bio-inspired algorithms, swarm intelligence-based bio-inspired algorithms, ecology-based bio-inspired algorithms and multi-objective bio-inspired algorithms. Bio-inspired algorithms such as neural network, ant colony algorithms, particle swarm optimization and others have been applied in almost every area of science, engineering and business management with a dramatic increase of number of relevant publications. This paper provides a systematic, pragmatic and comprehensive review of the latest developments in evolutionary based bio-inspired algorithms, swarm intelligence based bio-inspired algorithms, ecology based bio-inspired algorithms and multi-objective bio-inspired algorithms