Effect of feedback delays on solution quality in amoeba-inspired computing system that solves traveling salesman problem

Abstract

We investigate how feedback delays affect the quality of solutions from an amoeba-inspired analog electronic computing system that solves the “traveling salesman problem”. Delays in the feedback process induce the oscillation of state variables. With an appropriate delay length, the system converges to the stable state that corresponds to the solution after oscillation. We find that the solution quality is improved by increasing the delay length. Consequently, delays bring a trade-off between the solution search time and the solution quality. Delay scheduling can further improve solution quality.