Sławomir T. Wierzchoń

Numerical optimization within the immune paradigm

922

Abstract

To be able to recognize never seen pathogens, the immune system applies a number of methods allowing maintaining sufficient diversity of its receptors. The most important methods are: clonal selection, and suppression of ineffective receptors (programmed death of cells). That is receptors reacting against pathogens are subjected cloning, and further the clones are genetically mutated. Only most efficient mutants survive, while poorly behaving clones are killed. In effect the immune system admits maturation affinity property: during its functioning it still improves its ability to recognize new types of pathogens. This idea had found many interesting computer-oriented applications. In this report a simple and easy to implement algorithm for multimodal function optimization is proposed. It is based on clonal selection cell suppression principles. Empirical results confirming its usability for uni- and multimodal optimization are presented, and review of other related approaches is given.

Key words: Artificial Immune Systems, Multimodal Optimization, Clonal Selection, Affinity Maturation.