Egret Swarm Optimization Algorithm: An Evolutionary Computation Approach for Model Free Optimization

A novel meta-heuristic algorithm, Egret Swarm Optimization Algorithm (ESOA), is proposed in this paper, which is inspired by two egret species' (Great Egret and Snowy Egret) hunting behavior. ESOA consists of three primary components: Sit-And-Wait Strategy, Aggressive Strategy as well as Discriminant Conditions. The performance of ESOA on 36 benchmark functions as well as 2 engineering problems are compared with Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO), Genetic Algorithm (GA), Differential Evolution (DE), Grey Wolf Optimizer (GWO), and Harris Hawks Optimization (HHO). The result proves the superior effectiveness and robustness of ESOA. The source code used in this work can be retrieved from https://github.com/Knightsll/Egret_Swarm_Optimization_Algorithm; https://ww2.mathworks.cn/matlabcentral/fileexchange/115595-egret-swarm-optimization-algorithm-esoa.

Thermodynamically-informed Air-based Soft Heat Engine Design

Soft heat engines are poised to play a vital role in future soft robots due to their easy integration into soft structures and low-voltage power requirements. Recent works have demonstrated soft heat engines relying on liquid-to-gas phase change materials. However, despite the fact that many soft robots have air as a primary component, soft air cycles are not a focus of the field. In this paper, we develop theory for air-based soft heat engines design and efficiency, and demonstrate experimentally that efficiency can be improved through careful cycle design. We compare a simple constant-load cycle to a designed decreasing-load cycle, inspired by the Otto cycle. While both efficiencies are relatively low, the Otto-like cycle improves efficiency by a factor of 11.3, demonstrating the promise of this approach. Our results lay the foundation for the development of air-based soft heat engines as a new option for powering soft robots.