Cuckoo Search: From Cuckoo Reproduction Strategy to Combinatorial Optimization

Combinatorial optimization problems, specially those that are NP-hard, are increasingly being dealt with by stochastic, metaheuristic approaches. Most recently developed metaheuristics are nature-inspired and they are often inspired by some special characteristics in evolution, ecological or biological systems. This chapter discusses how to go from a biological phenomenon such as the aggressive reproduction strategy of cuckoos to solve tough problems in the combinatorial search space. Key features and steps are highlighted, together with the discussions of further research topics.