Chases and Escapes, and Optimization Problems

Abstract: We propose a new approach for solving combinatorial optimization problem by utilizing the mechanism of chases and escapes, which has a long history in mathematics. In addition to the well-used steepest descent and neighboring search, we perform a chase and escape game on the "landscape" of the cost function. We have created a concrete algorithm for the Traveling Salesman Problem. Our preliminary test indicates a possibility that this new fusion of chases and escapes problem into combinatorial optimization search is fruitful.