A novel variable-rate Vector quantizer (VQ) design algorithm, which is a hy
brid approach combining a genetic algorithm with the entropy-constrained VQ
(ECVQ) algorithm is presented. The proposed technique outperforms the ECVQ
algorithm in the sense that it reaches a nearby global optimum rather than
a local one. Simulation results show that, when applied to image coding, t
he technique achieves higher peak SNR (PSNR) and image quality than techniq
ues using the ECVQ algorithm, (C) 1999 Society of Photo-Optical Instrumenta
tion Engineers. [S0091-3286(99)01402-6].