Potential applications of simulation modelling techniques in healthcare: lessons learned from aerospace and military

The Aerospace and Military areas are to do with complex missions and situations. Modelling and Simulation (M&S) has been applied in many areas of defence ranging from space sciences, satellite engineering to multi-warfare (air warfare, undersea warfare), air & missile defence, acquisition, tactical military trainings & exercises, national security analysis and strategic decision making & planning, etc. The application of simulation modelling techniques in healthcare would improve the provision of healthcare services; however, their application has been much relatively feeble in the healthcare sector as compared to the defence sector. This paper presents results from a systematic literature survey on applications of modelling simulation techniques in the Aerospace & Military. The knowledge gained or lessons learned from the survey were finally used to analyze the potential applications of the simulation modelling techniques to the healthcare sector. Results show that in the defence sector, Distributed Simulation has now become a widely adopted technique. However, System Dynamics (SD) and Discrete Event Simulation (DSE) have also gained relative attention. From this survey it becomes clear that various simulation modelling techniques are useful for specific purposes and have potential applications in the healthcare sector

Architecture for Mobile Heterogeneous Multi Domain Networks

Multi domain networks can be used in several scenarios including military, enterprize networks, emergency networks and many other cases. In such networks, each domain might be under its own administration. Therefore, the cooperation among domains is conditioned by individual domain policies regarding sharing information, such as network topology, connectivity, mobility, security, various service availability and so on. We propose a new architecture for Heterogeneous Multi Domain (HMD) networks, in which one the operations are subject to specific domain policies. We propose a hierarchical architecture, with an infrastructure of gateways at highest-control level that enables policy based interconnection, mobility and other services among domains. Gateways are responsible for translation among different communication protocols, including routing, signalling, and security. Besides the architecture, we discuss in more details the mobility and adaptive capacity of services in HMD. We discuss the HMD scalability and other advantages compared to existing architectural and mobility solutions. Furthermore, we analyze the dynamic availability at the control level of the hierarchy

Smart Simulation for Decision Support at Headquarters

While serious games are being widely adopted by NATO and partner nations, their use is currently limited to training and operations planning. In this paper, we explore new methods that use simulations for decision support during the execution of military operations. During this phase, the commander makes decisions based on knowledge of the situation and the primary objectives. We propose here to take a simulation containing smart and autonomous units, and use it to create new kinds of decision support tools capable of improving situation awareness, and consequently the quality of decisions. The breakthrough behind this initiative is the realization that we can provide HQ decision makers with access to a version of the information that smart simulated units use to make decisions. To ensure the approach was sound we first studied decision-making processes, and analyzed how situation awareness improves decision making. After analysis of the decision-making processes at various headquarters, and the types of decision criteria employed, we are able to produce innovative information, computed by the simulation, and fed by the command and control system. We then propose a prerequisite architecture, and describe the first results of our proof of concept work based on the SWORD (Simulation Wargaming for Operational Research and Doctrine) simulation. Based on the current situation (intelligence, operational state, logistics, etc.) and the current maneuver (current task), examples of what we are now capable of are as follows:  provide an immediate local force ratio map, produce a capacities map (detection, combat), compute contextual fire or logistic support time required, automatically generate lines of battle such as the Forward Line of Own Troops (FLOT), Limit Of Advance (LOA), Line of Contact (LC), Forward Edge of Battle Area (FEBA), or propose an effect based maneuver map in order to understand the current effect of the forces on the ground. We then propose a prerequisite architecture for use as a decision-support system at HQ, and describe the next smart layers that we believe should be developed for optimal results

Improvement of Work Process Performance with Task Assignments and Mental Workload Balancing

The outcome of a work process depends heavily on which tasks assigned to which employees. However, sometimes-optimized assignments based on employees’ qualifications may result in an uneven and ineffective workload distribution among them. Likewise, an even workload distribution without considering the employee\u27s qualifications may cause unproductive employee-task matching that results in low performance of employees. This trade-off is even more noticeable for work processes during critical time junctions, such as in military command centers and emergency rooms that require being fast and effective without making errors. This study proposes that optimizing task-employee assignments according to their capabilities while also keeping them under a workload threshold, results in better performance for work processes, especially during critical time junctions. The goal is to select the employee-task assignments in order to minimize the average duration of a work process while keeping the employees under a workload threshold to prevent errors caused by overload. Due to uncertainties inherent in the problem related with the inter-arrival time of work orders, task durations and employees\u27 instantaneous workload, a utilized simulation-optimization approach solves this problem. More specifically, a discrete event human performance simulation model evaluates the objective function of the problem coupled with a genetic algorithm based meta-heuristic optimization approach to search the solution space. This approach proved to be useful in determining the right task-agent assignments by taking into consideration the employees\u27 qualifications and mental workload in order to minimize the average duration of a work process. Use of a sample work process shows the effectiveness of the developed simulation-optimization approach. Numerical tests indicate that the proposed approach finds better solutions than common practices and other simulation-optimization methods. Accordingly, by using this method, organizations can increase performance, manage excess-level workloads, and generate higher satisfactory environments for employees, without modifying the structure of the process itself

Simulation of aircraft maintenance improvement using RFID systems

International audienceThe paper describes the maintenance process applied to an aircraft part along periodic maintenance operations and/or failure repairs. This paper deals with the assessment of RFID (Radio Frequency IDentification) technology contribution to the follow-up of aircraft parts. The construction of a simulation model and validation of the study are based on both experts' knowledge and data on flight and maintenance operations. Each stage of the maintenance process is modelled in terms of time (average times and boundaries) and the transition probability between stages. The impact of RFID technologies in the overall maintenance process is assessed. The main use of the analysis is the evaluation of different maintenance strategies and a first quantification of the impacts related to introducing RFID in maintenance processes. It should be helpful to support the decisions on RFID integration. The model could be used to design a decision support tool for maintenance designers and managers