Daniel Zaldivar

A swarm optimization algorithm inspired in the behavior of the social-spider

Swarm intelligence is a research field that models the collective behavior in swarms of insects or animals. Several algorithms arising from such models have been proposed to solve a wide range of complex optimization problems. In this paper, a novel swarm algorithm called the Social Spider Optimization (SSO) is proposed for solving optimization tasks. The SSO algorithm is based on the simulation of cooperative behavior of social-spiders. In the proposed algorithm, individuals emulate a group of spiders which interact to each other based on the biological laws of the cooperative colony. The algorithm considers two different search agents (spiders): males and females. Depending on gender, each individual is conducted by a set of different evolutionary operators which mimic different cooperative behaviors that are typically found in the colony. In order to illustrate the proficiency and robustness of the proposed approach, it is compared to other well-known evolutionary methods. The comparison examines several standard benchmark functions that are commonly considered within the literature of evolutionary algorithms. The outcome shows a high performance of the proposed method for searching a global optimum with several benchmark functions.

A novel multi-threshold segmentation approach based on differential evolution optimization

Threshold selection is a critical preprocessing step for image analysis, pattern recognition and computer vision. On the other hand differential evolution (DE) is a heuristic method for solving complex optimization problems, yielding promising results. DE is easy to use, keeps a simple structure and holds acceptable convergence properties and robustness. In this work, a novel automatic image multi-threshold approach based on differential evolution optimization is proposed. Hereby the segmentation process is considered to be similar to an optimization problem. First, the algorithm fills the 1-D histogram of the image using a mix of Gaussian functions whose parameters are calculated using the differential evolution method. Each Gaussian function approximating the histogram represents a pixel class and therefore a threshold point. The proposed approach is not only computationally efficient but also does not require prior assumptions whatsoever about the image. The method is likely to be most useful for applications considering different and perhaps initially unknown image classes. Experimental results demonstrate the algorithms ability to perform automatic threshold selection while preserving main features from the original image.

A multi-threshold segmentation approach based on Artificial Bee Colony optimization

This paper explores the use of the Artificial Bee Colony (ABC) algorithm to compute threshold selection for image segmentation. ABC is an evolutionary algorithm inspired by the intelligent behavior of honey-bees which has been successfully employed to solve complex optimization problems. In this approach, an image 1-D histogram is approximated through a Gaussian mixture model whose parameters are calculated by the ABC algorithm. In the model, each Gaussian function represents a pixel class and therefore a threshold point. Unlike the Expectation-Maximization (EM) algorithm, the ABC method shows fast convergence and low sensitivity to initial conditions. Remarkably, it also improves complex time-consuming computations commonly required by gradient-based methods. Experimental results over multiple images with different range of complexity validate the efficiency of the proposed technique with regard to segmentation accuracy, speed, and robustness. The paper also includes an experimental comparison to the EM and to one gradient-based method which ultimately demonstrates a better performance from the proposed algorithm.

Circle detection using electro-magnetism optimization

Nature-inspired computing has yielded remarkable applications of collective intelligence which considers simple elements for solving complex tasks by common interaction. On the other hand, automatic circle detection in digital images has been considered an important and complex task for the computer vision community that has devoted a tremendous amount of research, seeking for an optimal circle detector. This paper presents an algorithm for the automatic detection of circular shapes embedded into cluttered and noisy images without considering conventional Hough transform techniques. The approach is based on a nature-inspired technique known as the Electro-magnetism Optimization (EMO). It follows the electro-magnetism principle regarding a collective attraction-repulsion mechanism which manages particles towards an optimal solution. Each particle represents a solution by holding a charge which is related to the objective function to be optimized. The algorithm uses the encoding of three non-collinear points embedded into an edge-only image as candidate circles. Guided by the values of the objective function, the set of encoded candidate circles (charged particles) are evolved using an EMO algorithm so that they can fit into actual circular shapes over the edge-only map of the image. Experimental evidence from several tests on synthetic and natural images which provide a varying range of complexity validates the efficiency of our approach regarding accuracy, speed and robustness.

Multilevel Thresholding Segmentation Based on Harmony Search Optimization

In this paper, a multilevel thresholding (MT) algorithm based on the harmony search algorithm (HSA) is introduced. HSA is an evolutionary method which is inspired in musicians improvising new harmonies while playing. Different to other evolutionary algorithms, HSA exhibits interesting search capabilities still keeping a low computational overhead. The proposed algorithm encodes random samples from a feasible search space inside the image histogram as candidate solutions, whereas their quality is evaluated considering the objective functions that are employed by the Otsu’s or Kapur’s methods. Guided by these objective values, the set of candidate solutions are evolved through the HSA operators until an optimal solution is found. Experimental results demonstrate the high performance of the proposed method for the segmentation of digital images.

Multi-circle detection on images using artificial bee colony (ABC) optimization

Hough transform has been the most common method for circle detection, exhibiting robustness, but adversely demanding considerable computational effort and large memory requirements. Alternative approaches include heuristic methods that employ iterative optimization procedures for detecting multiple circles. Since only one circle can be marked at each optimization cycle, multiple executions ought to be enforced in order to achieve multi-detection. This paper presents an algorithm for automatic detection of multiple circular shapes that considers the overall process as a multi-modal optimization problem. The approach is based on the artificial bee colony (ABC) algorithm, a swarm optimization algorithm inspired by the intelligent foraging behavior of honeybees. Unlike the original ABC algorithm, the proposed approach presents the addition of a memory for discarded solutions. Such memory allows holding important information regarding other local optima, which might have emerged during the optimization process. The detector uses a combination of three non-collinear edge points as parameters to determine circle candidates. A matching function (nectar-amount) determines if such circle candidates (bee-food sources) are actually present in the image. Guided by the values of such matching functions, the set of encoded candidate circles are evolved through the ABC algorithm so that the best candidate (global optimum) can be fitted into an actual circle within the edge-only image. Then, an analysis of the incorporated memory is executed in order to identify potential local optima, i.e., other circles. The proposed method is able to detect single or multiple circles from a digital image through only one optimization pass. Simulation results over several synthetic and natural images, with a varying range of complexity, validate the efficiency of the proposed technique regarding its accuracy, speed, and robustness.

Circle Detection by Harmony Search Optimization

Automatic circle detection in digital images has received considerable attention over the last years in computer vision as several novel efforts aim for an optimal circle detector. This paper presents an algorithm for automatic detection of circular shapes considering the overall process as an optimization problem. The approach is based on the Harmony Search Algorithm (HSA), a derivative free meta-heuristic optimization algorithm inspired by musicians improvising new harmonies while playing. The algorithm uses the encoding of three points as candidate circles (harmonies) over the edge-only image. An objective function evaluates (harmony quality) if such candidate circles are actually present in the edge image. Guided by the values of this objective function, the set of encoded candidate circles are evolved using the HSA so that they can fit into the actual circles on the edge map of the image (optimal harmony). Experimental results from several tests on synthetic and natural images with a varying complexity range have been included to validate the efficiency of the proposed technique regarding accuracy, speed and robustness.

Block-matching algorithm based on differential evolution for motion estimation

Motion estimation is one of the major problems in developing video coding applications. Among all motion estimation approaches, block-matching (BM) algorithms are the most popular methods due to their effectiveness and simplicity for both software and hardware implementations. A BM approach assumes that the movement of pixels within a defined region of the current frame (macro block, MB) can be modeled as a translation of pixels contained in the previous frame. In this procedure, the motion vector is obtained by minimizing the sum of absolute differences (SAD) produced by the MB of the current frame over a determined search window from the previous frame. The SAD evaluation is computationally expensive and represents the most consuming operation in the BM process. The most straightforward BM method is the full search algorithm (FSA), which finds the most accurate motion vector, exhaustively calculating the SAD values for all the elements of the search window. Over this decade, several fast BM algorithms have been proposed to reduce the number of SAD operations by calculating only a fixed subset of search locations at the cost of poor accuracy. In this paper, a new algorithm based on differential evolution (DE) is proposed to reduce the number of search locations in the BM process. To avoid computing several search locations, the algorithm estimates the SAD values (fitness) for some locations using the SAD values of previously calculated neighboring positions. As the proposed algorithm does not consider any fixed search pattern or any other different assumption, a high probability for finding the true minimum (accurate motion vector) is expected. In comparison with other fast BM algorithms, the proposed method deploys more accurate motion vectors, yet delivering competitive time rates.

Circle detection using discrete differential evolution optimization

This paper introduces a circle detection method based on differential evolution (DE) optimization. Just as circle detection has been lately considered as a fundamental component for many computer vision algorithms, DE has evolved as a successful heuristic method for solving complex optimization problems, still keeping a simple structure and an easy implementation. It has also shown advantageous convergence properties and remarkable robustness. The detection process is considered similar to a combinational optimization problem. The algorithm uses the combination of three edge points as parameters to determine circle candidates in the scene yielding a reduction of the search space. The objective function determines if some circle candidates are actually present in the image. This paper focuses particularly on one DE-based algorithm known as the discrete differential evolution (DDE), which eventually has shown better results than the original DE in particular for solving combinatorial problems. In the DDE, suitable conversion routines are incorporated into the DE, aiming to operate from integer values to real values and then getting integer values back, following the crossover operation. The final algorithm is a fast circle detector that locates circles with sub-pixel accuracy even considering complicated conditions and noisy images. Experimental results on several synthetic and natural images with varying range of complexity validate the efficiency of the proposed technique considering accuracy, speed, and robustness.

A novel evolutionary algorithm inspired by the states of matter for template matching

Template matching (TM) plays an important role in several image processing applications such as feature tracking, object recognition, stereo matching and remote sensing. The TM approach seeks the best possible resemblance between a sub-image, known as template, and its coincident region within a source image. TM has two critical aspects: similarity measurement and search strategy. The simplest available TM method finds the best possible coincidence between the images through an exhaustive computation of the Normalized Cross-Correlation (NCC) value (similarity measurement) for all elements in the source image (search strategy). Unfortunately, the use of such approach is strongly restricted since the NCC evaluation is a computationally expensive operation. Recently, several TM algorithms that are based on evolutionary approaches, have been proposed to reduce the number of NCC operations by calculating only a subset of search locations. In this paper, a new algorithm based on the states of matter phenomenon is proposed to reduce the number of search locations in the TM process. In the proposed approach, individuals emulate molecules that experiment state transitions which represent different exploration-exploitation levels. In the algorithm, the computation of search locations is drastically reduced by incorporating a fitness calculation strategy which indicates when it is feasible to calculate or to only estimate the NCC value for new search locations. Conducted simulations show that the proposed method achieves the best balance in comparison to other TM algorithms considering the estimation accuracy and the computational cost.