Evolving Deep Neural Network by Customized Moth Flame Optimization Algorithm for Underwater Targets Recognition

This chapter proposes using the Moth Flame Optimization (MFO) algorithm for finetuning a Deep Neural Network to recognize different underwater sonar datasets. Same as other models evolved by metaheuristic algorithms, premature convergence, trapping in local minima, and failure to converge in a reasonable time are three defects MFO confronts in solving problems with high-dimension search space. Spiral flying is the key component of the MFO as it determines how the moths adjust their positions in relation to flames; thereby, the shape of spiral motions can regulate the transition behavior between the exploration and exploitation phases. Therefore, this chapter investigates the efficiency of seven spiral motions with different curvatures and slopes in the performance of the MFO, especially for underwater target classification tasks. To assess the performance of the customized model, in addition to benchmark Sejnowski & Gorman's dataset, two experimental sonar datasets, i.e., the passive sonar and active datasets, are exploited. The results of MFO and its modifications are compared to four novel nature-inspired algorithms, including Heap-Based Optimizer (HBO), Chimp Optimization Algorithm (ChOA), Ant Lion Optimization (ALO), Stochastic Fractals Search (SFS), as well as the classic Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO). The results confirm that the customized MFO shows better performance than the other state-of-the-art models so that the classification rates are increased 1.5979, 0.9985, and 2.0879 for Sejnowski & Gorman, passive, and active datasets, respectively. The results also approve that time complexity is not significantly increased by using different spiral motions.