A novel cooperative swarm intelligence feature selection method for hybrid data based on fuzzy β covering and fuzzy self-information

As the generalization of fuzzy covering, fuzzy β covering can effectively deal with uncertain information in hybrid data. Swarm intelligence algorithm has unique advantages in feature selection. This paper proposes a novel cooperative swarm intelligence feature selection method for hybrid data based on fuzzy β covering and fuzzy self-information. First, the parameterized fuzzy β neighborhood and fuzzy decision in a fuzzy β covering decision information system are defined, and the lower and upper fuzzy approximations are further studied. Fuzzy rough set model exclusively focuses on the information derived from the lower fuzzy approximation within a decision. In actual circumstances, the uncertainty of fuzzy information is linked to not only the lower fuzzy approximation but also the upper fuzzy approximation. Then, by incorporating the lower and upper fuzzy approximations of a decision, fuzzy self-information and relative fuzzy self-information are introduced as two evaluation indicators of feature selection. Next, a forward feature selection algorithm based on heuristic search strategy is designed by means of these two evaluation indicators. Moreover, in order to effectively explore feature subsets to a greater extent, a cooperative swarm intelligent feature selection algorithm based on random search strategy is also designed by combining particle swarm optimization algorithm and cuckoo search algorithm. Finally, an array of experiments is executed to compare two designed algorithms with five other existing feature selection algorithms. Experimental results show that these two designed algorithms achieve a high feature selection rate while improving the classification accuracy of the raw data.