As explained by Mladen:
Of adaptive lookback
The Adaptive Lookback (period finder) is truly a market-driven indicator used to determine the variable lookback period for many different indicators, instead of a traditional, fixed figure.
It is based on the frequency of market swings - the time between swing highs or swing lows. A swing high is defined as two consecutive higher highs followed by two consecutive lower highs; a swing low is defined by two consecutive lower lows followed by two consecutive higher lows. As swing points typically accompany reversals, they occur more frequently in choppier and volatile markets than in trends.
Adaptive lookback period is determined as :
- Determine the initial number of swing points (swingCountparameter) to use in the calculation.
- Count the number of price bars it takes for the n swing points to form.
- Divide step 2 by step 1 and round the result.
Interpretation
This makes the variable lookback period grow in calm or trending markets, and shorten in range-bound and volatile markets. For a trend-following system you would like the opposite to prevent being whipsawed, therefore this indicator and it's usage as a period modifier is more suitable for short-term traders and counter-trend systems (so, in all systems where maximal speed of reaction and signaling is required).
Experiment with applying the adaptive lookback period to different indicators and you'll see how more responsive they become in volatile markets. Some of the experiments are going to be posted on this thread with immediate comparison to "non-adaptive" counterparts
Attached on this post
alb - swing points -> the basic indicator (simply showing swing points). You will notice that it draws the "peak" with 2 bars displacement. That is done in order to avoid any any kind of repainting (no lag is added to swing points finding thought)
alb - periods -> the "next step" : periods already calculated
alb - RSI -> RSI made adaptive with a help of alb period finder
