Module 12414 (2001)

Syllabus page 2001/2002

06-12414
Introduction to Evolutionary Computation

Level M1

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10 credits in Semester 1

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The Module Description is a strict subset of this Syllabus Page. (The University module description has not yet been checked against the School's.)

Relevant Links


Outline


Aims

The aims of this module are to:

  • introduce the main concepts, techniques and applications in the field of evolutionary computation
  • give students some practical experience on when evolutionary techniques are useful, how to use them in practice and how to implement them with different programming languages.

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this module, the student should be able to: Assessed by:
1
2understand the relations between the most important evolutionary algorithms presented in the course, new algorithms to be found in the literature now or in the future, and other search and optimisation techniques Examination
3implement evolutionary algorithms Examination
4determine the right parameter settings to make different evolutionary algorithms work well Examination
5design new evolutionary operators, representations and fitness functions for specific practical and scientific applications Examination

Restrictions, Prerequisites and Corequisites

Restrictions:

Excluded combination with 06-02411 (Evolutionary Computation)

Prerequisites:

None

Co-requisites:


Teaching

Teaching Methods:

1 hr lecture, 1 hr exercise class/tutorial per week

Contact Hours:

24


Assessment

  • Supplementary (where allowed): As the sessional assessment
  • 2 hr open book examination (100%).

Recommended Books

TitleAuthor(s)Publisher, Date
Genetic Algorithms in Search, Optimisation & Machine LearningD E GoldbergAddison-Wesley, 1989
Genetic Programming: On the Programming of Computers by Means of Natural SelectionJ R KozaMIT Press, 1992
Genetic Programming: An IntroductionW Banzhaf, P Nordin, R E Keller & Frank D FranconeMorgan Kaufmann, 1999
Handbook of Genetic AlgorithmsL Davis (ed)Van Nostrand Reinhold, 1991
Genetic Algorithms + Data Structures = Evolution Programs (2nd ed)Z Michalewicz1994

Detailed Syllabus

  1. Natural and Artificial Evolution.
    • How nature does it: theories of evolution, how natural selection works, cell, DNA, reproduction, growth
    • Evolutionary Computation: motivations for simulating the process of evolution, nature-to-computer mapping, generic evolutionary algorithm.
  2. Genetic Algorithms.
    • Introduction: simple generational GA, an example
    • Solution encoding in GAs: Gray code in GAs, dynamic parameter encoding
    • Selection in GAs: fitness proportionate selection, rank selection, tournament selection, elitist selection
    • Crossover in GAs
    • Mutation in GAs.
  3. Optimisation with Genetic Algorithms.
    • Mapping objective functions into fitness functions
    • GA for unconstrained optimisation: examples
    • GAs for constrained optimisation
    • GAs for combinatorial optimisation: solving TSP with standard GAs, position dependent representations, design of genetic operators, permutation-respecting crossover.
  4. Schemata in Genetic Algorithms.
    • Introduction
    • Geometric Interpretation of Schemata: fitness of schemata/hyperplanes, some observations on schemata
    • Schema Theorem: effect of fitness proportionate selection on schemata, effect of one-point crossover on schemata, effect of mutation on schemata, schema theorem.
  5. Genetic Programming.
    • Introduction
    • Function set and terminal set in GP
    • Initial population in GP
    • Crossover in GP
    • Mutation in GP
    • Running Programs in GP
    • Fitness functions in GP
    • Symbolic Regression
    • Automatically Defined Functions
  6. Classifier Systems
    • Introduction
    • Components of a CFS: message list, classifier list, input and output interfaces
    • The CFS main cycle
    • What CFSs can do: Default hierarchies
    • Learning classifier systems: good and bad classifiers, the need for competition, quality of classifiers, adaption by credit assignment, adaption by rule discovery
    • Main cycle of learning classifier systems.

Last updated: 20 February 2002

Source file: /internal/modules/COMSCI/2001/xml/12414.xml

Links | Outline | Aims | Outcomes | Prerequisites | Teaching | Assessment | Books | Detailed Syllabus