Learning and Searching Pseudo-Boolean Surrogate Functions from Small Samples

Citation

Swingler K (2020) Learning and Searching Pseudo-Boolean Surrogate Functions from Small Samples. Evolutionary Computation, 28 (2), pp. 317-338. https://doi.org/10.1162/evco_a_00257

Abstract
When searching for input configurations that optimise the output of a system, it can be useful to build a statistical model of the system being optimised. This is done in approaches such as surrogate model-based optimisation, estimation of distribution algorithms and linkage learning algorithms. This paper presents a method for modelling pseudo-Boolean fitness functions using Walsh bases and an algorithm designed to discover the non-zero coefficients while attempting to minimise the number of fitness function evaluations required. The resulting models reveal linkage structure that can be used to guide a search of the model efficiently. It presents experimental results solving benchmark problems in fewer fitness function evaluations than those reported in the literature for other search methods such as EDAs and linkage learners.

Keywords
Fitness Function Modelling; Estimation of Distribution Algorithms; Pseudo-Boolean Functions; Linkage Learning; Walsh Decomposition; Mixed Order Hyper Networks; Statistical Machine Learning

Journal
Evolutionary Computation: Volume 28, Issue 2

• Accepted manuscript