EESB-FDO: enhancing the fitness-dependent optimizer through a modified boundary handling mechanism

The fitness-dependent optimizer (FDO) has recently gained attention as an effective metaheuristic for solving different optimization problems. However, it faces limitations in exploitation and convergence speed. To overcome these challenges, this study introduces two enhanced variants: enhancing exploitation through stochastic boundary for FDO (EESB-FDO) and enhancing exploitation through boundary carving for FDO (EEBC-FDO). In addition, the ELFS strategy is proposed to constrain Levy flight steps, ensuring more stable exploration. Experimental results show that these modifications significantly improve the performance of FDO compared to the original version. To evaluate the performance of the EESB-FDO and EEBC-FDO, three primary categories of benchmark test functions were utilized: classical, CEC 2019, and CEC 2022. The assessment was further supported by the application of statistical analysis methods to ensure a comprehensive and rigorous performance evaluation. The performance of the proposed EESB-FDO and EEBC-FDO algorithms was evaluated through comparative analysis with several existing FDO modifications, as well as with other well-established metaheuristic algorithms, including the Arithmetic Optimization Algorithm (AOA), the Learner Performance-Based Behavior Algorithm (LPB), the Whale Optimization Algorithm (WOA), and the Fox-inspired Optimization Algorithm (FOX). The statistical analysis indicated that both EESB-FDO and EEBC-FDO exhibit better performance compared to the aforementioned algorithms. Furthermore, a final evaluation involved applying EESB-FDO and EEBC-FDO to four real-world optimization problems: the gear train design problem, the three-bar truss problem, the pathological igg fraction in the nervous system, and the integrated cyber-physical attack on a manufacturing system. The results demonstrate that both proposed variants significantly outperform both the FDO and the modified fitness-dependent optimizer (MFDO) in solving these complex problems.