Automatic design of convolutional neural network architectures using multi-objective metaheuristics for classification of medical databases

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.61467/2007.1558.2026.v17i4.1213

Keywords:

Automatic search of neural architectures, CNN, Evolutionary Computation, Hyperparameters, Metaheuristics, computación evolutiva, hiperparámetros, metaheurísticas

Abstract

Convolutional neural networks (CNNs) have been used for different classification tasks, achieving superior performance to machine learning techniques. However, it is necessary to modify the hyperparameters, as their performance depends on the value assigned to them, and the empirical design of CNNs requires a lot of time and effort. Therefore, in this work, we propose a generic methodology, Neural Architecture Search (NAS), to automatically find architectures that classify different medical databases from literature, generating new models that maximize efficiency through the F1 score and minimize the number of parameters. The results of a single-objective (GA) and multi-objective (NSGA-II) genetic algorithm that generated a single architecture for three different medical databases were compared, obtaining an F1 score of 2.9 and 2.831 out of a total of 3 (1 for each database) as the best performance result, respectively. Although results show that the GA got better results than the NSGA-II, the latter took a sixth of the execution time to find the solution compared to the GA. The proposed generic method, with hyperparameter encoding in predefined ranges, allows binary medical databases (e.g., pneumonia or no pneumonia) to be classified efficiently with a single architecture.

 

Spanish-language metadata / Metadatos en español
Título en español:
Diseño automático de arquitecturas de redes neuronales convolucionales mediante metaheurísticas multiobjetivo para la clasificación de bases de datos médicas

Resumen:
Las redes neuronales convolucionales (CNN) se han utilizado en diferentes tareas de clasificación y han alcanzado un desempeño superior al de las técnicas de aprendizaje automático. Sin embargo, es necesario modificar sus hiperparámetros, ya que su desempeño depende de los valores que se les asignen, y el diseño empírico de las CNN requiere una cantidad considerable de tiempo y esfuerzo. Por lo tanto, en este trabajo se propone una metodología genérica de búsqueda de arquitecturas neuronales —Neural Architecture Search (NAS)— para encontrar automáticamente arquitecturas capaces de clasificar diferentes bases de datos médicas procedentes de la literatura. La metodología genera nuevos modelos que maximizan la eficiencia mediante la puntuación F1 y minimizan el número de parámetros.

Se compararon los resultados de un algoritmo genético de objetivo único (GA) y de un algoritmo genético multiobjetivo (NSGA-II), los cuales generaron una única arquitectura para tres bases de datos médicas diferentes. Como mejores resultados de desempeño, se obtuvieron puntuaciones F1 acumuladas de 2.9 y 2.831, respectivamente, de un máximo total de 3, correspondiente a un valor máximo de 1 para cada base de datos.

Aunque los resultados muestran que el GA obtuvo un mejor desempeño que el NSGA-II, este último requirió una sexta parte del tiempo de ejecución empleado por el GA para encontrar la solución. El método genérico propuesto, basado en la codificación de hiperparámetros dentro de rangos predefinidos, permite clasificar eficientemente bases de datos médicas binarias —por ejemplo, neumonía o ausencia de neumonía— mediante una única arquitectura.


Palabras Claves:
Búsqueda automática de arquitecturas neuronales; CNN; computación evolutiva; hiperparámetros; metaheurísticas.


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Published

2026-08-02

How to Cite

Ávila García, M. S., Franco-Gaona, E., Cruz-Aceves, I., & Hernandez-Aguirre, A. (2026). Automatic design of convolutional neural network architectures using multi-objective metaheuristics for classification of medical databases. International Journal of Combinatorial Optimization Problems and Informatics, 17(4), 134–151. https://doi.org/10.61467/2007.1558.2026.v17i4.1213

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