Robust design using a search engine in to solve technological design problems.
The method including selecting one of first and second candidates based on at least
one objective function, sampling the first candidate and determining one or more
sample objective function values for the first candidate. The method continues
by sampling the second candidate and determining one or more sample objective function
values for the second candidate, then statistically determining, based on the sampled
objective function values, corresponding first and second statistical estimators
of design quality; and comparing the first and second statistical estimators of
design quality. The method continues to take more samples and make more estimates
adaptively, until a given level of certainty about one individual being best ("winning
individual") is surpassed, at which point the said winning individual is selected.
