Evolutionary Computation and Neural Networks (ECNN)

Organizer: Paulo Alexandre Ribeiro Cortez

Abstract:
Within the Artificial Intelligence (AI) field, there has been a trend to look at Nature for inspiration, when building problem solving models. In particular, studies on the central nervous system and biological evolution influenced the loom of powerful tools, such as Neural Networks (NNs) and Evolutionary Computation (EC), that enriched the design of intelligent systems in a broad set of applications (Data Mining or Engineering tasks). Both methods can also be combined in several ways, in order to gain improved performances.

The workshop is intended to gather researchers in these fields, with a special interest for hybrid approaches.

Topics of interest (but not limited to):

• Multilayer Perceptrons and Radial-Basis Functions
• Data filtering for NN feeding
• NN training and topology design methods
• Ensembles (i.e., combining outputs of different NNs)
• Genetic and Evolutionary Algorithms, Genetic and Evolutionary Programming, Particle Swarms
• Lamarck vs Baldwin evolution
• Reinforcement learning and Game Playing
• Artificial Life and Robotic environments
• Practical Applications of hybrid EC/NN methods

NOTE: All papers (max. 7 pages) must be submitted by email to the respective session chairs. DO NOT submit these papers through general conference submission.

Program Chairs:

• Paulo Alexandre Ribeiro Cortez (PhD, MSc)
• Assistant Lecturer - Information Systems Department (DSI)
• University of Minho, Campus de Azurém,
• 4800-058 Guimaraes, Portugal
• http://www.dsi.uminho.pt/~pcortez
• pcortez@dsi.uminho.pt
• Phone : +351 253510313
• Fax:+351 253510300

• Miguel Rocha (MSc)
• Assistant Lecturer - Computer Science Department (DI)
• University of Minho, Campus de Gualtar,
• 4710-057 Braga, Portugal
• mrocha@di.uminho.pt
• Phone: +351 253604435
• Fax: +351 253 604471