Investigation of Effectiveness of Shuffled Frog-Leaping Optimizer in Training a Convolution Neural Network

One of the leading algorithms and architectures in deep learning is Convolution Neural Network (CNN). It represents a unique method for image processing, object detection, and classification. CNN has shown to be an efficient approach in the machine learning and computer vision fields. CNN is composed of several filters accompanied by nonlinear functions and pooling layers. It enforces limitations on the weights and interconnections of the neural network to create a good structure for processing spatial and temporal distributed data. A CNN can restrain the numbering of free parameters of the network through its weight-sharing property. However, the training of CNNs is a challenging approach. Some optimization techniques have been recently employed to optimize CNN’s weight and biases such as Ant Colony Optimization, Genetic, Harmony Search, and Simulated Annealing. This paper employs the well-known nature-inspired algorithm called Shuffled Frog-Leaping Algorithm (SFLA) for training a classical CNN structure (LeNet-5), which has not been experienced before. The training method is investigated by employing four different datasets. To verify the study, the results are compared with some of the most famous evolutionary trainers: Whale Optimization Algorithm (WO), Bacteria Swarm Foraging Optimization (BFSO), and Ant Colony Optimization (ACO). The outcomes demonstrate that the SFL technique considerably improves the performance of the original LeNet-5 although using this algorithm slightly increases the training computation time. The results also demonstrate that the suggested algorithm presents high accuracy in classification and approximation in its mechanism.