**4. Applications of ACO**

An increasing number of complex combinatorial optimization problems, such as quadratic assignment, fold protein folding, and vehicle routing, have been successfully solved with the aid of ACO algorithms in the past. Dynamic problems with real-world variables, stochastic problems, multiple targets, and parallel implementations have all been addressed by derived methods in various settings. It has also been employed to search for near-optimal solutions to the traveling salesman's problem. It is advantageous to use the ant colony algorithm when the graph changes dynamically because it can be performed continuously and adapt to real-time changes instead of simulated annealing and genetic algorithm techniques. This is relevant in network routing and urban transportation systems, among other areas.

Using ant colony optimization techniques, for example, it has been possible to find nearly optimal solutions to the traveling salesman problem. The Ant system, the world's first ACO algorithm, was created to solve the traveling salesman problem, which entails finding out which route is the most efficient between a set of locations. Essentially, the method is built around ants, who each embark on one of the numerous roundtrips while also visiting the various towns and cities. The ant decides how to travel from one city to another based on a set of guidelines that are followed at each stage [15]:


In terms of applications, one of the hottest topics right now is the use of ACO to solve dynamic, stochastic, multi-objective, uninterrupted, and mixed-variable optimization problems and the development of parallel implementations that can make use of the latest similar technology.

ACO can be used to identify the best solution to various optimization challenges. Here are a few examples:


*Introductory Chapter: Ant Colony Optimization DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.103801*


The application of ACO in different industries is growing very fast. In the near future, many newly developed ACP-based applications will be used in industries to improve the operational process.
