Monkey algorithm for robot path planning and vehicle routing problems

Swarm intelligence algorithms usually mimic nature or behavior of living beings such as birds, animal or insects. Swarm intelligence algorithms generally provide the meta-heuristic for optimization problems based upon the group behaviors of living beings. The living beings when in group tend to exhibit extraordinary mechanisms which form the basis for the swarm intelligence algorithms. Swarm intelligence algorithms are used to solve the NP-hard and combinatorial optimization problems. Ant colony optimization based upon ant behavior in their colony, Particle swarm optimization about the swarm of birds in the search of suitable location with better food are some of the examples. Monkey algorithm is one of the swarm intelligence algorithm which considers the behaviors of monkeys in the mountains in the search of good food. This paper discusses about the Monkey algorithm and its application to the optimization problems such as optimal robot path planning and the Open vehicle routing problems.