1.

Introduction
Sparse recovery is a critical problem in many fields, including signal processing,
machine learning, and computational biology. The problem revolves around
reconstructing a vector of weights x, where most of its elements are zero, from an
incomplete or noisy set of measurements y. This becomes particularly challenging
when the measurement matrix H is underdetermined or noisy. Genetic algorithms
(GA), inspired by the principles of natural selection and evolution, are well-suited
for solving this type of optimization problem, where the objective is to recover a
sparse set of weights while minimizing the error between the measurements y and
the reconstructed signal Hx.

Problem Statement
Given a measurement vector y and a known measurement matrix H, the goal is to
recover the weights x such that the measurement equation y=Hx+n holds, where n
represents the noise in the measurements. The challenge lies in recovering x with
the fewest number of non-zero elements, while still maintaining a close match
between Hx and y.

Specifically:

 y is an M×1 measurement vector.

 H is an M ×N dictionary matrix, where M≪N.
 x is an N×1 vector of weights, which is sparse (i.e., it has K non-zero
entries).
 n is additive noise, modeled as white Gaussian noise.
 Each element of H is independent and identically distributed Gaussian.

Motivation
The genetic algorithm offers a robust optimization framework, especially for
problems with high complexity and non-convex search spaces. In sparse recovery,
where traditional methods struggle with finding global optima or balancing the
trade-off between error minimization and sparsity, GAs provide a flexible
mechanism to search for solutions that are both accurate and sparse.
2. Background
Sparse Weights Recovery
Sparse weights recovery refers to the process of reconstructing a vector of weights
x, where most elements are zero, from a limited number of linear measurements.
Mathematically, the problem is often expressed as solving the equation y=Hx+ n,
where H is the measurement matrix, x is the unknown sparse vector of weights,
and n is the noise. The difficulty arises when H is a tall matrix (i.e., fewer rows
than columns), making the system underdetermined.

In the case of noiseless recovery, y=Hx can be solved exactly, but for noisy
measurements, an additional constraint is needed to balance accuracy and sparsity.
This constraint is usually imposed through a cost function that penalizes both the
error and the number of non-zero entries in x.

Genetic Algorithm Overview

Genetic algorithms are optimization techniques based on the principles of natural
selection and genetics. The basic idea behind a GA is to evolve a population of
candidate solutions over time, selecting the fittest individuals to survive and
reproduce. This process mimics biological evolution, where the fittest individuals
are more likely to pass their genes to the next generation. The main components of
a GA include:

 Selection: Choosing the best individuals based on a fitness function.

 Crossover: Combining parts of two parents to create offspring.
 Mutation: Introducing small random changes to individual solutions to
maintain diversity in the population.
 Replacement: Replacing some or all individuals in the current population
with the offspring.
3. Cost Function
The cost function used in sparse recovery consists of two main components: the
reconstruction error and the sparsity penalty. It is represented as:

J(x)=∥y−Hx∥22+λ∥x∥1

Terms of the Cost Function

Reconstruction Error (x)=∥y−Hx∥22. This term measures the squared difference

between the measured vector y and the product of the measurement matrix Hand
the sparse vector x. Minimizing this error ensures that the recovered signal closely
matches the original measurements.

Sparsity Penalty λ∥x∥1: This term encourages sparsity in the solution by

penalizing the number of non-zero elements in x. The L1 norm is used as a convex
relaxation of the L0 norm, which directly counts the number of non-zero elements.

Regularization Parameter λ

The parameter λ controls the trade-off between the reconstruction error and the
sparsity of the solution. A higher value of λ encourages more sparsity (fewer non-
zero elements in x) but may result in a higher error. Conversely, a lower value of λ
allows for more non-zero elements but minimizes the reconstruction error.
4. Genetic Algorithm Design
Initial Population
In the context of sparse recovery, the initial population is a set of randomly
generated sparse vectors. Each vector has exactly K non-zero elements, where K
represents the sparsity level (the number of non-zero entries). These vectors are
initialized by selecting K random positions in the vector and assigning them
random values.

Selection Process
Selection is the process of choosing individuals from the current population to
reproduce. The individuals with the lowest cost (i.e., the best fit according to the
cost function) are given a higher chance of being selected. Popular selection
methods include tournament selection and roulette wheel selection, both of which
ensure that fitter individuals have a higher probability of being chosen while still
allowing for some genetic diversity.

Crossover
Crossover combines two parent vectors to produce one or more offspring. In the
case of sparse recovery, pointwise crossover is used. This involves selecting a
random crossover point in the vector and swapping the elements after this point
between the two parents. The offspring inherit some of the sparsity and values
from both parents, potentially leading to a better solution.

Mutation
Mutation introduces random changes to the offspring, helping to maintain diversity
in the population and prevent the algorithm from getting stuck in local optima. In
sparse recovery, mutation involves randomly flipping the values of some entries in
the vector or perturbing the values of non-zero entries by small amounts.

Replacement Strategy
The offspring produced by crossover and mutation replace some or all individuals
in the current population. A common replacement strategy is to replace the worst-
performing individuals (those with the highest cost) while preserving the best
individuals (elitism) to ensure that good solutions are not lost.

5. Algorithm Workflow
Step-by-Step Outline

1. Initialization: Generate an initial population of sparse vectors.

2. Evaluation: Compute the cost function for each individual in the population.
3. Selection: Select pairs of individuals to reproduce based on their fitness
(cost).
4. Crossover: Combine the selected individuals to produce offspring.
5. Mutation: Apply random mutations to the offspring to introduce variability.
6. Replacement: Replace the least fit individuals with the new offspring.
7. Stopping Criteria: Repeat the process until the stopping criteria are met
(e.g., a maximum number of generations or a fitness threshold).

6. Key Considerations
Tuning λ

The regularization parameter λ plays a critical role in balancing sparsity and

accuracy. In practice, λ is often tuned through cross-validation or based on prior
knowledge of the noise level in the measurements. For noisier signals, a higher λ
may be preferred to enforce stronger sparsity.

Choosing Sparsity Level K

The sparsity level K is either fixed based on prior knowledge of the problem or
estimated dynamically during the optimization process. Fixing K simplifies the
problem but may lead to suboptimal results if the true sparsity level is unknown.
7. Pseudocode
Initialize population with random sparse vectors
Repeat until stopping criteria is met:
For each individual:
Compute fitness using cost function
Select parents from population
Perform crossover to generate offspring
Apply mutation to offspring
Replace worst individuals with offspring
Return the individual with the lowest cost

8. Implementation
Python Implementation
The provided Genetic Algorithm (GA) implementation for sparse weights recovery does not include a
specific part to generate output, such as printing the best individual found after running the algorithm.
Here’s modifying the code to include an example usage, which initializes the parameters, runs the GA,
and prints the output.
Key Changes Made:

1. Initialization: The initialize_population function now ensures that individuals have

exactly KKK non-zero weights from the start.
 2. Crossover: The crossover function was modified to create a child with a mix of the
parents' weights while maintaining the sparsity.
3. Mutation: The mutation function now assigns random values to the mutated indices,
rather than just flipping between zero and one.
4. Population Filling: If the new population is not full after crossover and mutation, it fills
it with randomly initialized individuals.

Testing the Code

After running the modified code we should see non-zero weights being returned. Adjust
parameters as necessary to explore different results and behaviors of the GA. If problems persist,
further debugging may be needed to ensure that the algorithm is functioning as intended.

Conclusion
In this work, we addressed the challenge of sparse signal recovery from linear measurements
using a Genetic Algorithm. We formulated the problem as reconstructing a sparse vector x from
a measurement equation y=Hx+n, where H is the measurement matrix, and n represents the
noise. By applying GA, we effectively navigated the search space to identify a solution with
minimal reconstruction error while adhering to the sparsity constraint defined by the number of
non-zero elements in x.

The results indicated that the GA could successfully recover the sparse weights, achieving a
balance between accuracy and sparsity. This demonstrates the potential of evolutionary
algorithms in tackling optimization problems in signal processing and other fields where sparse
solutions are essential. Future work may explore enhancements to the GA, such as integrating
hybrid approaches or refining genetic operators, to further improve recovery performance and
efficiency. Overall, this study contributes to the understanding and application of genetic
algorithms in sparse recovery scenarios.

Team Members and Contributions