Parameter-Free Deterministic Global Search with Central Force Optimization

Abstract: This note describes a parameter-free implementation of Central Force Optimization for deterministic multidimensional search and optimization. The user supplies only one input: the objective function to be maximized, nothing more. The CFO equations of motion are simplified by assigning specific values to CFO's basic parameters, and this particular algorithmic implementation also includes hardwired internal parameters so that none is user-specified. The algorithm's performance is tested against a widely used suite of twenty three benchmark functions and compared to other state-of-the-art algorithms. CFO performs very well indeed. Includes important update 20 March 2010 addressing the issue of different probes coalescing into one.