Genetic Algorithm and Direct Search Toolbox™ 2.3

Product Description

• Introduction and Key Features
• Graphical User Interface and Command-Line Functions
• Genetic Algorithm Tools
• Direct Search and Simulated Annealing Tools
• Solving Constrained Optimization Problems and Using Other Solvers
• Displaying, Monitoring, and Outputting Results

Genetic Algorithm Tools

The genetic algorithm solves optimization problems by mimicking the principles of biological evolution, repeatedly modifying a population of individual points using rules modeled on gene combinations in biological reproduction. Due to its random nature, the genetic algorithm improves your chances of finding a global solution.

The Genetic Algorithm and Direct Search Toolbox provides the following standard algorithm options.

Step	Algorithm Option
Creation	Uniform
Fitness scaling	Rank-based, proportional, top (truncation), linear scaling, shift
Selection	Roulette, stochastic uniform selec­tion (SUS), tournament, uniform
Crossover	Arithmetic, heuristic, inter­mediate, scattered, single-point, two-point
Mutation	Adaptive feasible, Gaussian, uniform
Plotting	Best fitness, best individual, distance among individuals, expectation of individuals, range, diversity of population, selection index, stopping conditions

The toolbox also lets you specify:

• Constraints for your optimization problem
• Population size
• Number of elite children
• Crossover fraction
• Migration among subpopulations (using ring topology)

You can customize these algorithm options by providing user-defined functions and represent your problem in a variety of data formats, for example by using variables that are either mixed-integer or complex.

You can base the stopping criteria for the algorithm on time, stalling, fitness limit, or number of generations. Finally, you can vectorize your fitness function to improve execution speed.

M-file of an optimization created using the automatic code generation feature in the Genetic Algorithm and Direct Search Toolbox. You can export your optimization from the GUI as commented code that can be called from the command line and used to automate routines and preserve your work. Click on image to see enlarged view.