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While evolutionary algorithms are known to be very successful for a broad range of applications, the algorithm designer is often left with many algorithmic choices, for example, the size of the population, the mutation rates, and the…

Neural and Evolutionary Computing · Computer Science 2015-04-14 Benjamin Doerr , Carola Doerr

In this paper, we propose a new solution to reward adaptation (RA) in reinforcement learning, where the agent adapts to a target reward function based on one or more existing source behaviors learned a priori under the same domain dynamics…

Machine Learning · Computer Science 2025-10-23 Kevin Vora , Yu Zhang

We consider reinforcement learning in changing Markov Decision Processes where both the state-transition probabilities and the reward functions may vary over time. For this problem setting, we propose an algorithm using a sliding window…

Machine Learning · Computer Science 2018-05-28 Pratik Gajane , Ronald Ortner , Peter Auer

The connection between control algorithms for Markov decision processes and optimization algorithms has been implicitly and explicitly exploited since the introduction of dynamic programming algorithm by Bellman in the 1950s. Recently, this…

Optimization and Control · Mathematics 2025-12-09 Tolga Ok , Arman Sharifi Kolarijani , Mohamad Amin Sharif Kolarijani , Peyman Mohajerin Esfahani

We propose a reinforcement-learning algorithm to tackle the challenge of reconstructing phylogenetic trees. The search for the tree that best describes the data is algorithmically challenging, thus all current algorithms for phylogeny…

Populations and Evolution · Quantitative Biology 2023-03-14 Dana Azouri , Oz Granit , Michael Alburquerque , Yishay Mansour , Tal Pupko , Itay Mayrose

Reinforcement learning algorithms describe how an agent can learn an optimal action policy in a sequential decision process, through repeated experience. In a given environment, the agent policy provides him some running and terminal…

Theoretical Economics · Economics 2020-03-24 Arthur Charpentier , Romuald Elie , Carl Remlinger

In this paper, we consider the problem of optimization and learning for constrained and multi-objective Markov decision processes, for both discounted rewards and expected average rewards. We formulate the problems as zero-sum games where…

Optimization and Control · Mathematics 2021-03-05 Ather Gattami , Qinbo Bai , Vaneet Agarwal

Although differential evolution (DE) algorithms perform well on a large variety of complicated optimization problems, only a few theoretical studies are focused on the working principle of DE algorithms. To make the first attempt to reveal…

Neural and Evolutionary Computing · Computer Science 2022-08-16 Cong Wang , Jun He , Yu Chen , Xiufen Zou

This paper investigates the so-called reward-balancing methods, a novel class of algorithms for solving discounted-return reinforcement learning (RL) problems. These methods consist of iteratively adjusting the reward function to transform…

Optimization and Control · Mathematics 2026-04-23 Simone Baroncini , Bahman Gharesifard , Giuseppe Notarstefano

Reinforcement learning (RL) is a control approach that can handle nonlinear stochastic optimal control problems. However, despite the promise exhibited, RL has yet to see marked translation to industrial practice primarily due to its…

Machine Learning · Computer Science 2021-04-15 Elton Pan , Panagiotis Petsagkourakis , Max Mowbray , Dongda Zhang , Antonio del Rio-Chanona

Reinforcement Learning (RL) algorithms sample multiple n>1 solution attempts for each problem and reward them independently. This optimizes for pass@1 performance and prioritizes the strength of isolated samples at the expense of the…

Machine Learning · Computer Science 2025-12-16 Christian Walder , Deep Karkhanis

Discovering efficient algorithms for solving complex problems has been an outstanding challenge in mathematics and computer science, requiring substantial human expertise over the years. Recent advancements in evolutionary search with large…

Artificial Intelligence · Computer Science 2026-05-26 Anja Surina , Amin Mansouri , Lars Quaedvlieg , Amal Seddas , Maryna Viazovska , Emmanuel Abbe , Caglar Gulcehre

Model predictive control (MPC) is increasingly being considered for control of fast systems and embedded applications. However, the MPC has some significant challenges for such systems. Its high computational complexity results in high…

Systems and Control · Electrical Eng. & Systems 2024-10-28 Eivind Bøhn , Sebastien Gros , Signe Moe , Tor Arne Johansen

Cold atom traps are at the heart of many quantum applications in science and technology. The preparation and control of atomic clouds involves complex optimization processes, that could be supported and accelerated by machine learning. In…

Quantum Gases · Physics 2023-06-30 Malte Reinschmidt , József Fortágh , Andreas Günther , Valentin Volchkov

Reinforcement Learning is a powerful framework for training agents to navigate different situations, but it is susceptible to changes in environmental dynamics. However, solving Markov Decision Processes that are robust to changes is…

Machine Learning · Computer Science 2024-06-21 Etash Kumar Guha

Reinforcement learning (RL) problems are fundamental in online decision-making and have been instrumental in finding an optimal policy for Markov decision processes (MDPs). Function approximations are usually deployed to handle large or…

Machine Learning · Computer Science 2025-05-20 Jiashuo Jiang , Yiming Zong , Yinyu Ye

Constraint handling plays a key role in solving realistic complex optimization problems. Though intensively discussed in the last few decades, existing constraint handling techniques predominantly rely on human experts' designs, which more…

Neural and Evolutionary Computing · Computer Science 2026-02-03 Qianhao Zhu , Sijie Ma , Zeyuan Ma , Hongshu Guo , Yue-Jiao Gong

In this paper, we present a novel algorithm named synchronous integral Q-learning, which is based on synchronous policy iteration, to solve the continuous-time infinite horizon optimal control problems of input-affine system dynamics. The…

Systems and Control · Electrical Eng. & Systems 2021-05-20 Lei Guo , Han Zhao

Combinatorial optimization problems are a prominent application area of evolutionary algorithms, where the (1+1) EA is one of the most investigated. We extend this algorithm by introducing some problem knowledge with a specialized mutation…

Combinatorics · Mathematics 2022-03-17 Samuel Baguley , Tobias Friedrich , Timo Kötzing , Xiaoyue Li , Marcus Pappik , Ziena Zeif

Many applications -- including power systems, robotics, and economics -- involve a dynamical system interacting with a stochastic and hard-to-model environment. We adopt a reinforcement learning approach to control such systems.…

Optimization and Control · Mathematics 2025-08-26 Abed AlRahman Al Makdah , Oliver Kosut , Lalitha Sankar , Shaofeng Zou