16 - Artificial Plant Optimization Algorithm

Abstract

Artificial plant optimization algorithm (APOA) is a novel evolutionary strategy inspired by tree’s growing process. In this chapter, the methodologies of prototypal APOA and its updated version are illustrated. First, the primary framework is introduced by accounting for photosynthesis and phototropism phenomena. Since some important factors are ignored during mimicking branch’s growing, the optimization is sometimes misleading and time-consuming. Therefore, the standard version is developed by adding geotropism mechanism and apical dominance operator. The quality of the proposed technique is verified by two applications on artificial neural network training and toy model of protein folding. Simulation results are consistent with reported numerical data, indicating that the new optimization approach is valid and shows broad application in other fields.