Optimization problems in practice are diverse and evolve over time, giving rise to - quirements both for ready-to-use optimization software packages and for optimization software libraries, which provide more or less adaptable building blocks for app- cation-specific software systems. In order to apply optimization methods to a new type of problem, corresponding models and algorithms have to be “coded” so that they are accessible to a computer. One way to achieve this step is the use of a mod- ing language. Such modeling systems provide an excellent interface between models and solvers, but only for a limited range of model types (in some cases, for example, linear) due, in part, to limitations imposed by the solvers. Furthermore, while m- eling systems especially for heuristic search are an active research topic, it is still an open question as to whether such an approach may be generally successful. Modeling languages treat the solvers as a “black box” with numerous controls. Due to variations, for example, with respect to the pursued objective or specific problem properties, - dressing real-world problems often requires special purpose methods. Thus, we are faced with the difficulty of efficiently adapting and applying appropriate methods to these problems. Optimization software libraries are intended to make it relatively easy and cost effective to incorporate advanced planning methods in application-specific software systems. A general classification provides a distinction between callable packages, nume- cal libraries, and component libraries.

This book provides both the research and practitioner communities with a comprehensive coverage of the metaheuristic methodologies that have proven to be successful in a wide variety of real-world problem settings. Moreover, it is these metaheuristic strategies that hold particular promise for success in the future. The various chapters serve as stand alone presentations giving both the necessary background underpinnings as well as practical guides for implementation.

This book offers an excellent presentation of intelligent engineering and informatics foundations for researchers in this field as well as many examples with industrial application. It contains extended versions of selected papers presented at the inaugural ACASE 2012 Conference dedicated to the Applications of Systems Engineering. This conference was held from the 6th to the 8th of February 2012, at the University of Technology, Sydney, Australia, organized by the University of Technology, Sydney (Australia), Wroclaw University of Technology (Poland) and the University of Applied Sciences in Hagenberg (Austria). The book is organized into three main parts. Part I contains papers devoted to the heuristic approaches that are applicable in situations where the problem cannot be solved by exact methods, due to various characteristics or dimensionality problems. Part II covers essential issues of the network management, presents intelligent models of the next generation of networks and distributed systems as well as discusses applications of modern numerical methods in large intractable systems. Part III covers salient issues of complexity in intelligent system applications. This part also contains papers and articles which discuss concurrency issues that arise when multiple systems attempt to use the same radio space and the inter-connected system applications in the field of medical simulation and training.

"This 10-volume compilation of authoritative, research-based articles contributed by thousands of researchers and experts from all over the world emphasized modern issues and the presentation of potential opportunities, prospective solutions, and future directions in the field of information science and technology"--Provided by publisher.

Software is the essential enabling means for science and the new economy. It helps us to create a more reliable, flexible and robust society. But software often falls short of our expectations. Current methodologies, tools, and techniques remain expensive and are not yet sufficiently reliable, while many promising approaches have proved to be no more than case-by-case oriented methods. This book contains extensively reviewed papers from the thirteenth International Conference on New Trends in software Methodology, Tools and Techniques (SoMeT_14), held in Langkawi, Malaysia, in September 2014. The conference provides an opportunity for scholars from the international research community to discuss and share research experiences of new software methodologies and techniques, and the contributions presented here address issues ranging from research practices and techniques and methodologies to proposing and reporting solutions for global world business. The emphasis has been on human-centric software methodologies, end-user development techniques and emotional reasoning, for an optimally harmonized performance between the design tool and the user. Topics covered include the handling of cognitive issues in software development to adapt it to the user's mental state and intelligent software design in software utilizing new aspects on conceptual ontology and semantics reflected on knowledge base system models. This book provides an opportunity for the software science community to show where we are today and where the future may take us.

"This book provides applications of nature inspired computing for economic theory and practice, finance and stock-market, manufacturing systems, marketing, e-commerce, e-auctions, multi-agent systems and bottom-up simulations for social sciences and operations management"--Provided by publisher.

This book constitutes the refereed proceedings of the Third International Workshop on Hybrid Metaheuristics, HM 2006, held in Gran Canaria, Spain, in October 2006. The 13 revised full papers presented together with one invited paper were carefully reviewed and selected from 42 submissions.