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Glite Dictionary
🔥 A heating device 🧠 An optimizer
annealer

annealer

9.9
A computer program or device that uses heating and cooling ideas to find good solutions to hard problems
  • noun
  • /əˈniːlər/
  • Specialized
translation icon : programa de recocido
  • The new annealer developed by D-Wave can handle larger datasets to improve accuracy in problem-solving.
  • quantum annealer
  • Wave annealer
  • D-Wave annealer

Examples

  • The annealer in HDP makes of the order of 10,000 moves per second on a RISC System/6000(R) Model 590 CPU server.

    Academic text (1996)

  • The D-Wave annealer uses simulated annealing to solve complex optimization problems more efficiently.

  • Scientists utilize the specialized annealer to find optimal solutions by gradually cooling the system.

Synonyms

optimizer
vsannealer
  • Specialized
1 4.9

A computer method that changes a model to get better results

is a specific method that searches probabilistically for approximate solutions
genetic algorithm
vsannealer
  • Specialized
1 6.8

A method that uses ideas from natural selection to find good solutions to hard problems

is a non-evolutionary, single-solution search process
evolver
vsannealer
  • Specialized
8.4

A computer program that repeats and changes solutions to find better answers

follows a different single-solution, non-evolutionary search approach
heuristic program
vsannealer
  • Specialized
8.4

A computer program that uses simple rules to find good solutions when checking every choice is impossible

uses a stochastic, single-solution search rather than simple rules

How Thorough

optimizer
  • Specialized
1 4.9
annealer
  • Specialized
9.9
relaxation
  • Specialized
1 9.9
heuristic
  • Specialized
3 8.0

Surface Forms

annealer singular
annealers plural

Morphology

annealer = anneal (semi-transparent) = anneal + er

Formally 'anneal' + '-er' is clear, but the computational sense relies on the metaphorical extension of simulated annealing rather than the physical heating process.

Etymology

Annealer comes from the same root anneal, the metalworking idea of heating and slow cooling to 'heal' and settle a material, and scientists borrowed that image for problem solving. So a computing annealer is a program or device that 'cools' choices step by step to find better or stronger solutions.