Related papers: Maximizing Drift is Not Optimal for Solving OneMax
Choosing a suitable algorithm from the myriads of different search heuristics is difficult when faced with a novel optimization problem. In this work, we argue that the purely academic question of what could be the best possible algorithm…
In many real-world optimization problems, the objective function evaluation is subject to noise, and we cannot obtain the exact objective value. Evolutionary algorithms (EAs), a type of general-purpose randomized optimization algorithm,…
In the last decade remarkable progress has been made in development of suitable proof techniques for analysing randomised search heuristics. The theoretical investigation of these algorithms on classes of functions is essential to the…
While most theoretical run time analyses of discrete randomized search heuristics focused on finite search spaces, we consider the search space $\mathbb{Z}^n$. This is a further generalization of the search space of multi-valued decision…
A decent number of lower bounds for non-elitist population-based evolutionary algorithms has been shown by now. Most of them are technically demanding due to the (hard to avoid) use of negative drift theorems -- general results which…
We propose a new, flexible approach for dynamically maintaining successful mutation rates in evolutionary algorithms using $k$-bit flip mutations. The algorithm adds successful mutation rates to an archive of promising rates that are…
We study a utility maximization problem in a financial market with a stochastic drift process, combining a worst-case approach with filtering techniques. Drift processes are difficult to estimate from asset prices, and at the same time…
Parameter control has succeeded in accelerating the convergence process of evolutionary algorithms. While empirical and theoretical studies have shed light on the behavior of algorithms for single-objective optimization, little is known…
Randomized search heuristics such as evolutionary algorithms, simulated annealing, and ant colony optimization are a broadly used class of general-purpose algorithms. Analyzing them via classical methods of theoretical computer science is a…
In this paper, the monotone submodular maximization problem (SM) is studied. SM is to find a subset of size $\kappa$ from a universe of size $n$ that maximizes a monotone submodular objective function $f$. We show using a novel analysis…
Evolutionary strategies have recently been shown to achieve competing levels of performance for complex optimization problems in reinforcement learning. In such problems, one often needs to optimize an objective function subject to a set of…
Optimising queries in real-world situations under imperfect conditions is still a problem that has not been fully solved. We consider finding the optimal order in which to execute a given set of selection operators under partial ignorance…
Large-scale multi-objective optimization poses challenges to existing evolutionary algorithms in maintaining the performances of convergence and diversity because of high dimensional decision variables. Inspired by the motion of particles…
The mathematical runtime analysis of evolutionary algorithms traditionally regards the time an algorithm needs to find a solution of a certain quality when initialized with a random population. In practical applications it may be possible…
Recent theoretical research has shown that self-adjusting and self-adaptive mechanisms can provably outperform static settings in evolutionary algorithms for binary search spaces. However, the vast majority of these studies focuses on…
We study unbiased $(1+1)$ evolutionary algorithms on linear functions with an unknown number $n$ of bits with non-zero weight. Static algorithms achieve an optimal runtime of $O(n (\ln n)^{2+\epsilon})$, however, it remained unclear whether…
It is well known that evolutionary algorithms (EAs) achieve peak performance only when their parameters are suitably tuned to the given problem. Even more, it is known that the best parameter values can change during the optimization…
We re-investigate a fundamental question: how effective is crossover in Genetic Algorithms in combining building blocks of good solutions? Although this has been discussed controversially for decades, we are still lacking a rigorous and…
Evolutionary algorithms excel in solving complex optimization problems, especially those with multiple objectives. However, their stochastic nature can sometimes hinder rapid convergence to the global optima, particularly in scenarios…
The performance of evolutionary algorithms can be heavily undermined when constraints limit the feasible areas of the search space. For instance, while Covariance Matrix Adaptation Evolution Strategy is one of the most efficient algorithms…