Ant Colony Optimization for Intractable Problems: A step by step Approach

Abstract

This paper discusses the usage of basic ant colony optimization technique for solving an intractable problem. Ant colony optimization technique is inspired by the observation of natural ant colonies. Ant colonies are distributed systems and highly structured social organization that can accomplish complex tasks like solving TSP, an intractable problem where a polynomial time algorithms take a large amount of time to be of practical use. Although the paper is focused on intractable problem in general and its optimal or near optimal solution through ACO, but we restrict our self with a travelling sales man problem and their solution through ACO by illustrative example.