the Nest of Students

Tariq Rashid ... 222 pages - Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform; 1st edition (March, 2016) ... Language: English - ISBN-10: 1530826608 - ISBN-13: 978-1530826605 ...

A step-by-step gentle journey through the mathematics of neural networks, and making your own using the Python computer language. Neural networks are a key element of deep learning and artificial intelligence, which today is capable of some truly impressive feats. Yet too few really understand how neural networks actually work. This guide will take you on a fun and unhurried journey, starting from very simple ideas, and gradually building up an understanding of how neural networks work. You won't need any mathematics beyond secondary school, and an accessible introduction to calculus is also included. The ambition of this guide is to make neural networks as accessible as possible to as many readers as possible - there are enough texts for advanced readers already! You'll learn to code in Python and make your own neural network, teaching it to recognise human handwritten numbers, and performing as well as professionally developed networks. Part 1 is about ideas. We introduce the mathematical ideas underlying the neural networks, gently with lots of illustrations and examples. Part 2 is practical. We introduce the popular and easy to learn Python programming language, and gradually builds up a neural network which can learn to recognise human handwritten numbers, easily getting it to perform as well as networks made by professionals. Part 3 extends these ideas further. We push the performance of our neural network to an industry leading 98% using only simple ideas and code, test the network on your own handwriting, take a privileged peek inside the mysterious mind of a neural network, and even get it all working on a Raspberry Pi. All the code in this has been tested to work on a Raspberry Pi Zero.

Daniel Graupe ... 500 pages - Publisher: World Scientific Publishing; 3rd edition (November 19, 2013) ... Language: English - ISBN-10: 9814522732 - ISBN-13: 978-9814522731 ...

Artificial neural networks are most suitable for solving problems that are complex, ill-defined, highly nonlinear, of many and different variables, and/or stochastic. Such problems are abundant in medicine, in finance, in security and beyond. This volume covers the basic theory and architecture of the major artificial neural networks. Uniquely, it presents 18 complete case studies of applications of neural networks in various fields, ranging from cell-shape classification to micro-trading in finance and to constellation recognition all with their respective source codes. These case studies demonstrate to the readers in detail how such case studies are designed and executed and how their specific results are obtained. The book is written for a one-semester graduate or senior-level undergraduate course on artificial neural networks.

Shuming Wang, Junzo Watada ... 248 pages - Publisher: Springer; (March, 2012) ... Language: English - ISBN-10: 1441995595 - ISBN-13: 978-1441995599 ...

Covering in detail both theoretical and practical perspectives, this book is a self-contained and systematic depiction of current fuzzy stochastic optimization that deploys the fuzzy random variable as a core mathematical tool to model the integrated fuzzy random uncertainty. It proceeds in an orderly fashion from the requisite theoretical aspects of the fuzzy random variable to fuzzy stochastic optimization models and their real-life case studies. The volume reflects the fact that randomness and fuzziness (or vagueness) are two major sources of uncertainty in the real world, with significant implications in a number of settings. In industrial engineering, management and economics, the chances are high that decision makers will be confronted with information that is simultaneously probabilistically uncertain and fuzzily imprecise, and optimization in the form of a decision must be made in an environment that is doubly uncertain, characterized by a co-occurrence of randomness and fuzziness. This book begins by outlining the history and development of the fuzzy random variable before detailing numerous optimization models and applications that include the design of system controls for a dam.

Hugh Cartwright ... 340 pages - Publisher: Springer; 2nd edition (December, 2014) ... Language: English - ISBN-10: 1493922386 - ISBN-13: 978-1493922383 ...

Fei Tao, Lin Zhang, Yuanjun Laili ... 361 pages - Publisher: Springer; (September, 2016) ...
Language: English - ISBN-10: 3319380419 - ISBN-13: 978-3319380414 ...

Presenting the concept and design and implementation of configurable intelligent optimization algorithms in manufacturing systems, this book provides a new configuration method to optimize manufacturing processes. It provides a comprehensive elaboration of basic intelligent optimization algorithms, and demonstrates how their improvement, hybridization and parallelization can be applied to manufacturing. Furthermore, various applications of these intelligent optimization algorithms are exemplified in detail, chapter by chapter. The intelligent optimization algorithm is not just a single algorithm; instead it is a general advanced optimization mechanism which is highly scalable with robustness and randomness. Therefore, this book demonstrates the flexibility of these algorithms, as well as their robustness and reusability in order to solve mass complicated problems in manufacturing. Since the genetic algorithm was presented decades ago, a large number of intelligent optimization algorithms and their improvements have been developed. However, little work has been done to extend their applications and verify their competence in solving complicated problems in manufacturing. This book will provide an invaluable resource to students, researchers, consultants and industry professionals interested in engineering optimization. It will also be particularly useful to three groups of readers: algorithm beginners, optimization engineers and senior algorithm designers. It offers a detailed description of intelligent optimization algorithms to algorithm beginners; recommends new configurable design methods for optimization engineers, and provides future trends and challenges of the new configuration mechanism to senior algorithm designers.

David Goldberg ... 432 pages - Publisher: Addison-Wesley Professional; 1st edition (January, 1989) ...
Language: English - ISBN-10: 0201157675 - ISBN-13: 978-0201157673 ...

This book brings together - in an informal and tutorial fashion - the computer techniques, mathematical tools, and research results that will enable both students and practitioners to apply genetic algorithms to problems in many fields. Major concepts are illustrated with running examples, and major algorithms are illustrated by Pascal computer programs. No prior knowledge of GAs or genetics is assumed, and only a minimum of computer programming and mathematics background is required.

Muhammet Ünal, Ayça Ak, V. Topuz, H. Erdal ... 88 pages - Publisher: Springer; (September, 2012) ...
Language: English - ISBN-10: 3642328997 - ISBN-13: 978-3642328992 ...

Artificial neural networks, genetic algorithms and the ant colony optimization algorithm have become a highly effective tool for solving hard optimization problems. As their popularity has increased, applications of these algorithms have grown in more than equal measure. While many of the books available on these subjects only provide a cursory discussion of theory, the present book gives special emphasis to the theoretical background that is behind these algorithms and their applications. Moreover, this book introduces a novel real time control algorithm, that uses genetic algorithm and ant colony optimization algorithms for optimizing PID controller parameters. In general, the present book represents a solid survey on artificial neural networks, genetic algorithms and the ant colony optimization algorithm and introduces novel practical elements related to the application of these methods to  process system control.

Hojjat Adeli, Kamal C. Sarma ... 222 pages - Publisher: Wiley; 1st edition (October, 2006) ...
Language: English - ISBN-10: 0470867337 - ISBN-13: 978-0470867334 ...

While the weight of a structure constitutes a significant part of the cost, a minimum weight design is not necessarily the minimum cost design. Little attention in structural optimization has been paid to the cost optimization problem, particularly of realistic three-dimensional structures. Cost optimization is becoming a priority in all civil engineering projects, and the concept of Life-Cycle Costing is penetrating design, manufacturing and construction organizations.

In this groundbreaking book the authors present novel computational models for cost optimization of large scale, realistic structures, subjected to the actual constraints of commonly used design codes.
As the first book on the subject this book: Contains detailed step-by-step algorithms - Focuses on novel computing techniques such as genetic algorithms, fuzzy logic, and parallel computing - Covers both Allowable Stress Design (ASD) and Load and Resistance Factor Design (LRFD) codes. - Includes realistic design examples covering large-scale, high-rise building structures - Presents computational models that enable substantial cost savings in the design of structures. Fully automated structural design and cost optimization is where large-scale design technology is heading, thus Cost Optimization of Structures: Fuzzy Logic, Genetic Algorithms, and Parallel Computing will be of great interest to civil and structural engineers, mechanical engineers, structural design software developers, and architectural engineers involved in the design of structures and life-cycle cost optimisation. It is also a pioneering text for graduate students and researchers working in building design and structural optimization.

Fred W. Glover, Gary A. Kochenberger ... 570 pages - Publisher: Springer; 1st edition (January, 2003) ...
Language: English - ISBN-10: 1402072635 - ISBN-13: 978-1402072635 ...

This book provides both the research and practitioner communities with a comprehensive coverage of the metaheuristic methodologies that have proven to be successful in a wide variety of real-world problem settings. Moreover, it is these metaheuristic strategies that hold particular promise for success in the future. The various chapters serve as stand alone presentations giving both the necessary background underpinnings as well as practical guides for implementation.

Maurice Clerc, Bijaya Ketan Panigrahi, Yuhui Shi, Meng-Hiot Lim ... 
544 pages - Publisher: Springer;  (January, 2011) ... Language: English - ISBN-10: 3642173896 - ISBN-13: 978-3642173899.

From nature, we observe swarming behavior in the form of ant colonies, bird flocking, animal herding, honey bees, swarming of bacteria, and many more.  It is only in recent years that researchers have taken notice of such natural swarming systems as culmination of some form of innate collective intelligence, albeit swarm intelligence (SI) - a metaphor that inspires a myriad of computational problem-solving techniques.  In computational intelligence, swarm-like algorithms have been successfully applied to solve many real-world problems in engineering and sciences. This handbook volume serves as a useful foundational as well as consolidatory state-of-art collection of articles in the field from various researchers around the globe.  It has a rich collection of contributions pertaining to the theoretical and empirical study of single and multi-objective variants of swarm intelligence based algorithms like particle swarm optimization (PSO), ant colony optimization (ACO), bacterial foraging optimization algorithm (BFOA), honey bee social foraging algorithms, and harmony search (HS).  With chapters describing various applications of SI techniques in real-world engineering problems, this handbook can be a valuable resource for researchers and practitioners, giving an in-depth flavor of what SI is capable of achieving.

Marco Dorigo, Mauro Birattari, Christian Blum, Maurice Clerc, Thomas Stützle, Alan Winfield ... 416 pages - Publisher: Springer; (October, 2008) ... Language: English - ISBN-10: 3540875263 - ISBN-13: 978-3540875260.

This book constitutes the refereed proceedings of the 6th International Workshop on Ant Colony Optimization and Swarm Intelligence, ANTS 2008, held in Brussels, Belgium, in September 2008. The 17 revised full papers, 24 revised short papers, and 10 extended abstracts presented were carefully reviewed and selected from 91 submissions. The papers cover theoretical and foundational aspects of computational intelligence and related disciplines with special focus on swarm intelligence and are devoted to behavioral models of social insects and new algorithmic approaches, empirical and theoretical research in swarm intelligence, applications such as ant colony optimization or particle swarm optimization, and theoretical and experimental research in swarm robotics systems.

The series of biannual international conferences “ANTS – International C- ference on Ant Colony Optimization and Swarm Intelligence”, now in its sixth edition, was started ten years ago, with the organization of ANTS’98. As some readers might recall, the first edition of ANTS was titled “ANTS’98 – From Ant Colonies to Artificial Ants: First International Workshop on Ant Colony Op- mization. ” In fact, at that time the focus was mainly on ant colony optimization (ACO), the first swarm intelligence algorithm to go beyond a pure scientific interest and to enter the realm of real-world applications. Interestingly, in the ten years after the first edition there has been a gr- ing interest not only for ACO, but for a number of other studies that belong more generally to the area of swarmintelligence. The rapid growth of the swarm intelligence field is attested by a number of indicators. First, the number of s- missions and participants to the ANTS conferences has steadily increased over the years. Second, a number of international conferences in computational - intelligence and related disciplines organize workshops on subjects such as swarm intelligence, ant algorithms, ant colony optimization, and particle swarm op- mization. Third, IEEE startedorganizing,in 2003, the IEEE SwarmIntelligence Symposium (in order to maintain unity in this growing field, we are currently establishing a cooperation agreement between IEEE SISandANTSsoastohave 1 IEEE SIS in odd years and ANTS in even years). Last, the Swarm Intelligence journal was born.

Avi Ostfeld ... 352 pages - Publisher: InTech; 1st edition (February, 2011) ...
Language: English - ISBN-10: N/A - ISBN-13: 978-9533071572 ...

Ants communicate information by leaving pheromone tracks. A moving ant leaves, in varying quantities, some pheromone on the ground to mark its way. While an isolated ant moves essentially at random, an ant encountering a previously laid trail is able to detect it and decide with high probability to follow it, thus reinforcing the track with its own pheromone. The collective behavior that emerges is thus a positive feedback: where the more the ants following a track, the more attractive that track becomes for being followed; thus the probability with which an ant chooses a path increases with the number of ants that previously chose the same path. This elementary ant's behavior inspired the development of ant colony optimization by Marco Dorigo in 1992, constructing a meta-heuristic stochastic combinatorial computational methodology belonging to a family of related meta-heuristic methods such as simulated annealing, Tabu search and genetic algorithms. This book covers in twenty chapters state of the art methods and applications of utilizing ant colony optimization algorithms. New methods and theory such as multi colony ant algorithm based upon a new pheromone arithmetic crossover and a repulsive operator, new findings on ant colony convergence, and a diversity of engineering and science applications from transportation, water resources, electrical and computer science disciplines are presented.

Christine Solnon ... 320 pages - Publisher: Wiley-ISTE; (May, 2010) - Language: English - ISBN-10: 1848211309 - ISBN-13: 978-1848211308.

Ant colony optimization is a metaheuristic which has been successfully applied to a wide range of combinatorial optimization problems. The author describes this metaheuristic and studies its efficiency for solving some hard combinatorial problems, with a specific focus on constraint programming. The text is organized into three parts. The first part introduces constraint programming, which provides high level features to declaratively model problems by means of constraints. It describes the main existing approaches for solving constraint satisfaction problems, including complete tree search approaches and metaheuristics, and shows how they can be integrated within constraint programming languages.

The second part describes the ant colony optimization metaheuristic and illustrates its capabilities on different constraint satisfaction problems. The third part shows how the ant colony may be integrated within a constraint programming language, thus combining the expressive power of constraint programming languages, to describe problems in a declarative way, and the solving power of ant colony optimization to efficiently solve these problems.

Konstantinos L. Katsifarakis ... 174 pages - Publisher: WIT Press; (June, 2012) ... Language: English - ISBN-10: 1845646649 - ISBN-13: 978-1845646646.

With the population of our planet exceeding seven billion, funds for infrastructure works being limited worldwide, and climate change affecting water resources, their optimal development and management is literally vital. This volume deals with application of some non-traditional optimization techniques to hydraulics, hydrology and water resources management and aims at helping scientists dealing with these issues to reach the best decisions.

Jonas Mockus ... 322 pages - Publisher: Springer; (November, 2013) ... Language: English - ISBN-10: 1461371147 - ISBN-13: 978-1461371144

This book shows how the Bayesian Approach (BA) improves well­ known heuristics by randomizing and optimizing their parameters. That is the Bayesian Heuristic Approach (BHA). The ten in-depth examples are designed to teach Operations Research using Internet. Each example is a simple representation of some impor­ tant family of real-life problems. The accompanying software can be run by remote Internet users. The supporting web-sites include software for Java, C++, and other lan­ guages. A theoretical setting is described in which one can discuss a Bayesian adaptive choice of heuristics for discrete and global optimization prob­ lems. The techniques are evaluated in the spirit of the average rather than the worst case analysis. In this context, "heuristics" are understood to be an expert opinion defining how to solve a family of problems of dis­crete or global optimization. The term "Bayesian Heuristic Approach" means that one defines a set of heuristics and fixes some prior distribu­ tion on the results obtained. By applying BHA one is looking for the heuristic that reduces the average deviation from the global optimum. The theoretical discussions serve as an introduction to examples that are the main part of the book. All the examples are interconnected. Dif­ ferent examples illustrate different points of the general subject. How­ ever, one can consider each example separately, too.

Simon Haykin ... 936 pages - Publisher: PHIL; 3rd edition (2010) ... Language: English - ISBN-10: 8131763773 - ISBN-13: 978-8131763773 ...

The third edition of this classic book presents a comprehensive treatment of neural networks and learning machines. The book has been revised extensively to provide an up-to-date treatment of the subject.

Xiaolei Wang, Xiao-Zhi Gao, Kai Zenger ... 88 pages - Publisher: Springer; (September, 2014) ...
Language: English - ISBN-10: 3319083554 - ISBN-13: 978-3319083551 ...

This brief provides a detailed introduction, discussion and bibliographic review of the nature1-inspired optimization algorithm called Harmony Search. It uses a large number of simulation results to demonstrate the advantages of Harmony Search and its variants and also their drawbacks. The authors show how weaknesses can be amended by hybridization with other optimization methods. The Harmony Search Method with Applications will be of value to researchers in computational intelligence in demonstrating the state of the art of research on an algorithm of current interest. It also helps researchers and practitioners of electrical and computer engineering more generally in acquainting themselves with this method of vector-based optimization.