A solution to the stagnation of multi-verse optimization: An efficient method for breast cancer pathologic images segmentation

The multi-verse optimizer (MVO) algorithm has been applied to image segmentation, feature selection, engineering problems, and many other fields. MVO, like other metaheuristic algorithms, still has shortcomings, such as poor convergence speed and quickly falling into local optimum. To address these concerns, this paper proposes CBQMVO, extending the original MVO algorithm with three strategies: covariance matrix adaptation strategy (CMAES), biogeography-based learning strategy (BLS), quasi-reflected and quasi-opposition strategy (QROS). CMAES can make the algorithm approach quickly the current local optimal solution and accelerate the convergence. BLS can enrich the population’s diversity to discourage prematurely and assist the algorithm in jumping out of the local optimum. QROS can increase the probability of search particles falling near the optimal solution. A set of experiments were conducted to evaluate the performance of the CBQMVO. First, the original algorithm comparison experiment on IEEE CEC2014 includes strategy comparison, dimension comparison, exploration/exploitation balance, and population diversity experiments. Then, the advanced algorithm comparison experiment was carried out on IEEE CEC 2014. Furthermore, the champion algorithm comparison experiment was conducted on IEEE CEC2017 and IEEE CEC2020. A series of comparative experimental data demonstrate that CBQMVO has high performance, especially on some unimodal and complex competition functions. In addition, this paper also applied CBQMVO to implement Renyi’s entropy multilevel threshold image segmentation based on the non-local mean 2D histogram (RMIS-2D) on breast cancer pathologic images. Compared with other metaheuristic algorithms and Kapur’s entropy image segmentation, the proposed scheme in this paper has a better segmentation effect.