Parametric learning of associative functional networks through a modified memetic self-adaptive firefly algorithm

Abstract

Functional networks are a powerful extension of neural networks where the scalar weights are replaced by neural functions. This paper concerns the problem of parametric learning of the associative model, a functional network that represents the associativity operator. This problem can be formulated as a nonlinear continuous least-squares minimization problem, solved by applying a swarm intelligence approach based on a modified memetic self-adaptive version of the firefly algorithm. The performance of our approach is discussed through an illustrative example. It shows that our method can be successfully applied to solve the parametric learning of functional networks with unknown functions.