The role of artificial neural networks in evolutionary optimisation: a review

Abstract

This paper reviews the combination of Artificial Neural Networks (ANN) and Evolutionary Optimisation (EO) to solve challenging problems for the academia and the industry. Both methodologies has been mixed in several ways in the last decade with more or less degree of success, but most of the contributions can be classified into the two following groups: the use of EO techniques for optimizing the learning of ANN (EOANN) and the developing of ANNs to increase the efficiency of EO processes (ANNEO). The number of contributions shows that the combination of both methodologies is nowadays a mature field but some new trends and the advances in computer science permits to affirm that there is still room for noticeable improvements.