| In 1958 Croes published a twenty page article in Operations Research describing a new method to handle traveling salesman problems based on the iterative use of simple edge-exchange mechanisms. This article can be seen as the seminal paper on local search, reporting for the first time the success of simple neighborhood-based iteration methods when applied to combinatorial optimization problems.
Half a century of practice reveals that local search has become quite extensively used, and evidence exists that it has become one of the most frequently and widely applied heuristic search methods in engineering, operations research, and design. By October 2006 the well-known search engine Google returned over twenty million entries upon the query ‘local search’. Applications of local search are abundantly available in real life, and they are by no means limited to small-scale or insignificant toy problems. On the contrary, fields are known where local search provides a competitive edge to business and product engineering. For instance, in chip design, the use of tools applying local-search-based techniques for determining area-effective silicon layouts has resulted in smaller chips than those that could be obtained with other placement techniques, resulting in cost savings of several million euros on a yearly basis as a result of increased production yield. The use of local search techniques in logistics has enabled the computation of cost-effective routes for the transportation of packets that need to be shipped over a complex network of roads and railways. This improves throughput and shortens delivery time, which in turn leads to substantial cost savings. |
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 Network Performance Analysis: Using the J Programming LanguageThe J programming laguage is rich in mathematical functionality and ideally suited to analytical computing methods. It is, however, a somewhat terse language and not entirely intuitive at first, particularly if one is used to more conventional programming languages such as C, Pascal or Java. J functions (called verbs) are denoted by punctuation... | | Scandinavian Cooking
Beatrice Ojakangas brings to life the cuisines and customs of Norway, Sweden, Finland, and Denmark, countries that share borders and bounty. Danes lead with smørrebrød (an open-faced sandwich), which may be topped with cheese, green pepper, and sliced fresh strawberries. Finns specialize in earthy, chewy whole grain bread.... | | Pro Tools LE 7 Ignite! (Pro Tools Le 7 Ignite!: The Visual Guide for New Users)Get ready to explore the world of computer music creation with Pro Tools® LE 7! Even if you’ve never created music on your computer, Pro Tools LE 7 Ignite!, Second Edition will give you the skills you need to record and mix with confidence. Completely updated to cover the new features of Pro Tools LE 7.3 and 7.4, the book presents... |
| | Drug Therapy for Type 2 Diabetes
This book aims to provide an update on drugs available for the treatment
of type 2 diabetes and where they fit within current treatment algorithms.
The limited efficacy and tolerability of older drugs has spurred the
development of several new classes of oral and injectable glucose-lowering
agents with novel modes of action.... | | |
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