Hybrid feature selection method based on particle swarm optimization and adaptive local search method

Machine learning has been expansively examined with data classification as the most popularly researched subject. The accurateness of prediction is impacted by the data provided to the classification algorithm. Meanwhile, utilizing a large amount of data may incur costs especially in data collection and preprocessing. Studies on feature selection were mainly to establish techniques that can decrease the number of utilized features (attributes) in classification, also using data that generate accurate prediction is important. Hence, a particle swarm optimization (PSO) algorithm is suggested in the current article for selecting the ideal set of features. PSO algorithm showed to be superior in different domains in exploring the search space and local search algorithms are good in exploiting the search regions. Thus, we propose the hybridized PSO algorithm with an adaptive local search technique which works based on the current PSO search state and used for accepting the candidate solution. Having this combination balances the local intensification as well as the global diversification of the searching process. Hence, the suggested algorithm surpasses the original PSO algorithm and other comparable approaches, in terms of performance.