Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation simulation-based training: methods, drawbacks and a novel solution

Introduction: Patients under the error-prone and complication-burdened extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) are looked after by a highly trained, multidisciplinary team. Simulation-based training (SBT) affords ECMO centers the opportunity to equip practitioners with the technical dexterity required to manage emergencies. The aim of this article is to review ECMO SBT activities and technology followed by a novel solution to current challenges. ECMO simulation: The commonly-used simulation approach is easy-to-build as it requires a functioning ECMO machine and an altered circuit. Complications are simulated through manual circuit manipulations. However, scenario diversity is limited and often lacks physiological and/or mechanical authenticity. It is also expensive to continuously operate due to the consumption of highly specialized equipment. Technological aid: Commercial extensions can be added to enable remote control and to automate circuit manipulation, but do not improve on the realism or cost-effectiveness. A modular ECMO simulator: To address those drawbacks, we are developing a standalone modular ECMO simulator that employs affordable technology for high-fidelity simulation.Peer reviewe

Modeling the Internet of Things: a simulation perspective

This paper deals with the problem of properly simulating the Internet of Things (IoT). Simulating an IoT allows evaluating strategies that can be employed to deploy smart services over different kinds of territories. However, the heterogeneity of scenarios seriously complicates this task. This imposes the use of sophisticated modeling and simulation techniques. We discuss novel approaches for the provision of scalable simulation scenarios, that enable the real-time execution of massively populated IoT environments. Attention is given to novel hybrid and multi-level simulation techniques that, when combined with agent-based, adaptive Parallel and Distributed Simulation (PADS) approaches, can provide means to perform highly detailed simulations on demand. To support this claim, we detail a use case concerned with the simulation of vehicular transportation systems.Comment: Proceedings of the IEEE 2017 International Conference on High Performance Computing and Simulation (HPCS 2017

Enhancing Clinical Learning Through an Innovative Instructor Application for ECMO Patient Simulators

© 2018 The Authors. Reprinted by permission of SAGE PublicationsBackground. Simulation-based learning (SBL) employs the synergy between technology and people to immerse learners in highly-realistic situations in order to achieve quality clinical education. Due to the ever-increasing popularity of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) SBL, there is a pressing need for a proper technological infrastructure that enables high-fidelity simulation to better train ECMO specialists to deal with related emergencies. In this article, we tackle the control aspect of the infrastructure by presenting and evaluating an innovative cloud-based instructor, simulator controller, and simulation operations specialist application that enables real-time remote control of fullscale immersive ECMO simulation experiences for ECMO specialists as well as creating custom simulation scenarios for standardized training of individual healthcare professionals or clinical teams. Aim. This article evaluates the intuitiveness, responsiveness, and convenience of the ECMO instructor application as a viable ECMO simulator control interface. Method. A questionnaire-based usability study was conducted following institutional ethical approval. Nineteen ECMO practitioners were given a live demonstration of the instructor application in the context of an ECMO simulator demonstration during which they also had the opportunity to interact with it. Participants then filled in a questionnaire to evaluate the ECMO instructor application as per intuitiveness, responsiveness, and convenience. Results. The collected feedback data confirmed that the presented application has an intuitive, responsive, and convenient ECMO simulator control interface. Conclusion. The present study provided evidence signifying that the ECMO instructor application is a viable ECMO simulator control interface. Next steps will comprise a pilot study evaluating the educational efficacy of the instructor application in the clinical context with further technical enhancements as per participants’ feedback.Peer reviewedFinal Accepted Versio

Distributed Hybrid Simulation of the Internet of Things and Smart Territories

This paper deals with the use of hybrid simulation to build and compose heterogeneous simulation scenarios that can be proficiently exploited to model and represent the Internet of Things (IoT). Hybrid simulation is a methodology that combines multiple modalities of modeling/simulation. Complex scenarios are decomposed into simpler ones, each one being simulated through a specific simulation strategy. All these simulation building blocks are then synchronized and coordinated. This simulation methodology is an ideal one to represent IoT setups, which are usually very demanding, due to the heterogeneity of possible scenarios arising from the massive deployment of an enormous amount of sensors and devices. We present a use case concerned with the distributed simulation of smart territories, a novel view of decentralized geographical spaces that, thanks to the use of IoT, builds ICT services to manage resources in a way that is sustainable and not harmful to the environment. Three different simulation models are combined together, namely, an adaptive agent-based parallel and distributed simulator, an OMNeT++ based discrete event simulator and a script-language simulator based on MATLAB. Results from a performance analysis confirm the viability of using hybrid simulation to model complex IoT scenarios.Comment: arXiv admin note: substantial text overlap with arXiv:1605.0487

Energy efficiency and integration of urban electrical transport systems: EVS and metro-trains of two real European lines

Transport is a main source of pollutants in cities, where air quality is a major concern. New transport technologies, such as electric vehicles, and public transport modalities, such as urban railways, have arisen as solutions to this important problem. One of the main difficulties for the adoption of electric vehicles by consumers is the scarcity of a suitable charging infrastructure. The use of the railway power supplies to charge electric vehicle batteries could facilitate the deployment of charging infrastructure in cities. It would reduce the cost because of the use of an existing installation. Furthermore, electric vehicles can use braking energy from trains that was previously wasted in rheostats. This paper presents the results of a collaboration between research teams from University of Rome Sapienza and Comillas Pontifical University. In this work, two real European cases are studied: an Italian metro line and a Spanish metro line. The energy performance of these metro lines and their capacity to charge electric vehicles have been studied by means of detailed simulation tools. Their results have shown that the use of regenerated energy is 98% for short interval of trains in both cases. However, the use of regenerated energy decreases as the train intervals grow. In a daily operation, an important amount of regenerated energy is wasted in the Italian and Spanish case. Using this energy, a significant number of electric vehicles could be charged every day

Reliability analysis of distribution systems with photovoltaic generation using a power flow simulator and a parallel Monte Carlo approach

This paper presents a Monte Carlo approach for reliability assessment of distribution systems with distributed generation using parallel computing. The calculations are carried out with a royalty-free power flow simulator, OpenDSS (Open Distribution System Simulator). The procedure has been implemented in an environment in which OpenDSS is driven from MATLAB. The test system is an overhead distribution system represented by means of a three-phase model that includes protective devices. The paper details the implemented procedure, which can be applied to systems with or without distributed generation, includes an illustrative case study and summarizes the results derived from the analysis of the test system during one year. The goal is to evaluate the test system performance considering different scenarios with different level of system automation and reconfiguration, and assess the impact that distributed photovoltaic generation can have on that performance. Several reliability indices, including those related to the impact of distributed generation, are obtained for every scenario.Postprint (published version

Quadruplex digital flight control system assessment

Described are the development and validation of a double fail-operational digital flight control system architecture for critical pitch axis functions. Architectural tradeoffs are assessed, system simulator modifications are described, and demonstration testing results are critiqued. Assessment tools and their application are also illustrated. Ultimately, the vital role of system simulation, tailored to digital mechanization attributes, is shown to be essential to validating the airworthiness of full-time critical functions such as augmented fly-by-wire systems for relaxed static stability airplanes

Analysis of simulation environment

In this paper the requirements for an ALN simulation environment are analysed, as needed in the CATNETS Project. A number of grid and general purpose simulators are evaluated regarding the identified requirements for simulating economical resource allocation mechanisms in ALNs. Subsequently a suitable simulator is chosen for usage in the CATNETS project. --CATNETS simulator,requirements analysis,simulator selection