A Real Coded Vector Population-Based Incremental Learning Algorithm for Multi-Objective Optimizations of Electromagnetic Devices

Even though evolutionary algorithm (EA) has now become the standard and paradigm for solving multi-objective design problems, the complexity of its genetic operation is, however, limiting its popularity in engineering applications. Hitherto, there has been insufficient research that addresses the inadequacy of EAs in extracting the characteristic landscape features of an objective function. However, increasing attentions have now been devoted to EAs based on probabilistic models (EAPMs) in computational intelligence studies. A real coded scalar population-based incremental learning algorithm, an EAPM, is proposed for multi-objective optimizations of electromagnetic devices. Major improvements include the design of a generating mechanism for new intermediate solutions, the selection of elite solutions to update the probability matrix, matrix updating formulations, and refinement mechanism for intervals to precisely generate intermediate solution. Also, a methodology to consider quantitatively both the number of improved objectives and the amount of improvements in a specified objective of multi-objective design problems is introduced in fitness assignments. Numerical results on a high frequency and a low inverse problem are reported to showcase the merits of the proposed algorithm.