Simulated Annealing

• Note that we're just maintaining one state, and we're moving one discrete step.
• If you have a continuous space, and you can move varying distances, you can use simulated annealing.
• If the topology is rough but regular, this works.
• Real annealing is used to make swords. You heat it up, bang it while it's cooling, then heat it up again, but less.
• In simulated annealing, you alternate hill climbing, with big jumps, reducing the size of the jumps.
• Here you avoid local maxima, and find good but not optimal results.
• Imagine you were pluncked down somewhere in the Himalayas (or the Alps). This would get you to a mountain peak, but maybe not Everest.