A Reflection on A Discrete Firefly Algorithm to Solve

a Rich Vehicle Routing Problem Modelling a

Newspaper Distribution System with Recycling
Policy

Algorithms is an important subject in computer science. Computer science students should study
algorithms in order to provide efficient solutions to different problems. As a computer science
student, I am not really that familiar with algorithms except for simple searching algorithms
such as binary search and sorting algorithms such as merge sort, quicksort, and bubble sort.
Reading about this paper – A Discrete Firefly Algorithm to Solve a Rich Vehicle Routing
Problem Modelling a Newspaper Distribution System with Recycling Policy – has taught
me a lot about what an algorithm can do. That is why I believe that it is very beneficial to apply
these algorithms to certain problems of our society.

The firefly algorithm is one of a few of nature inspired meta-heuristic algorithms designed to
solve NP-hard problems. Mimicking the flashing behavior of fireflies to attract mates, the firefly
algorithm uses this same mechanism to find local and global solutions to a problem. The
generated solutions may not be the best, but they are certainly better than what is available.

In the paper, the researchers proposed a version of the firefly algorithm to solve a Rich-Vehicle
Routing Problem (RVRP), which has never been done before. They named it discrete firefly
algorithm (DFA). Discrete, because the firefly algorithm was designed to solve continuous types
of problems. The paper talks about creating a new version of the firefly algorithm to optimize
newspaper delivery and pickup routes for several parts of a region. The researchers modeled the
routing problem in such a way that it became a multi-variable problem, similar like the real
world. Imitations of one-way roads, dense traffic during peak hours, variable travel times on
roads, and grouping of roads into regions were also applied. The proposed discrete firefly
algorithm had no existent benchmarking system at the present time of writing so the
researchers ran the algorithm 15 times and compared it to two known algorithms: evolutionary
algorithm and evolutionary simulated annealing. After the tests were ran, the results showed
that the DFA considerably outperformed the evolutionary algorithm and the evolutionary
simulated annealing.

Reading this paper has taught me about the firefly algorithm and its applications to our society.
There is so much more to be done with this algorithm. The algorithm has been developed, it is
up to us to find instances or problems wherein we may apply the firefly algorithm. With the new
gained knowledge that I now have about the firefly algorithm especially about the discrete firefly
algorithm, what I need to do now is find a problem that can be solved using this algorithm. So
that I, as a computer science student could be beneficial to our society.