2011-2012 research projects@hunter contributed by prof felisa vázquez-abad department of computer...

2011-2012 2011-2012 Research Research Projects@HunterProjects@Hunter

contributed byProf Felisa Vázquez-Abad

Department of Computer Science Hunter College

Felisa Vázquez-Abad

Our ResearchOur Research• Mathematical Models: understanding

relations and dynamics

• Computer Simulation: virtual reality and experimentation

• Optimization: decision making, management and “learning”

• Statistics: Analysis and computer learning


On Public Transport

•A system for “collective taxis”

•Is the public bike system suitable for Manhattan?

How many idle taxis?How long the wait?


Collective TaxisWork done for the Paris metropolitan area (show

results of Lioris, Cohen and la Fortellez).

Control algorithms: sensors, data analytics, optimization

Computer Simulations to assess impact: Idle times statistics, passenger delays, route

statistics Pricing methods

Environmental impact

Feasibility as alternative transportation system for five boroughs of NYC?


Five Boroughs of New York• Reduce trajectory length travelled per public transport vehicle

• Provide adequate service at reasonable prices, at low cost

• Environmental impact


Extension: Central/Mixed control modelCentral operation: read current traffic

conditions and schedule vehicles

Reservations: handheld devices for communication (optimal allocation)

Optimization: acceptance of clients and reservation rules based on threshold policies (sensitivity analysis)

Economic modeling: study pricing models with priorities, relationship between cost and thresholds

Intelligence: IT-driven self-awareness


The Public BikesThe Public BikesAre they suitable for Manhattan?


How it works•Short distance, shared bikes

•Membership for residents, or daily/weekly passes for tourists

•Any time, anywhere, for “free”

•Targets healthy population, movements within city centers

•Environmental impact, health impact, economic impact from shared resources


Improving Public BikesRouting and information. Software development

for information panels and to keep track of data: users patterns, financial info, bike’s data, etc.

Stations. Use optimization techniques to start with a simple plan with a view to grow: use current city developments.

Availability. Use simulations to assess flow patterns for users: centrifugal, centripetal or balanced demand. Develop learning algorithms.

Redistribution problem: Optimization algorithms for redistribution: intelligent incentives?

Vandalism. Use sensors to target individual bikes and control misuse. Learning algorithm to adapt.

Pricing. Use mathematical models to decide on a pricing system.


On Public Health

•Emergency Departments

•Understanding the impact of generic drugs

Emergency Departments

• Doctors/nurses allocated to areas (low and high acuity), patients are directed to areas by the triage nurses

• Overcrowded, long waiting causes patient deterioration

• Technical improvements, staff and space are expensive

• Fast Track: a low cost alternative


Triage

Trauma treatment

Discharge or

admitted to

another ward

Non-trauma

Trauma

LA

HA

p4

p2

p6

p1

p8

p3

p5

p7

Standard Emergency Department Standard Emergency Department ModelModel


Triage

Trauma treatment

Non-trauma

Trauma

LA

HA

FTp1

p2

p8

p5

p3

p9

p7

p10

p11

p4

p6

Discharge or

admitted to

another ward

Fast Track Emergency Department Fast Track Emergency Department ModelModel


Research Questions

Testing in real hospitals: expensive and may be misleading.

• Does the FT decrease patient waiting times?

• What is the impact on patient health?

• Are the costs of operation significantly different?

• Is it suitable to all hospitals?

• What are the critical conditions of arriving patients that favor the use of a FT?

• How should resources be diverted to FT? Active resource management (machine learning)

• How would it integrate with the new health care system in our country?


Generic DrugsGood or evil?


Reasonable, isn’t it?Brand names: pharmaceuticals charge high

cost for their product

Generics are manufactured using same active ingredients, considerably cheaper

“In the long run, you save money if you buy generics”




Development: extensive testing (dose, vehicle…)








Not tested, manufactured cheaply







Not tested, manufactured cheaply


Effectiveness, economic consequences, who pays?Felisa Vázquez-Abad

Scientific Approach

• Mathematical model for the financial process involving generics and brand names

• Scientific evidence of effectiveness

• Scientific evidence of real costs

• Statistical studies, interviews with medical professionals, real data

• Incorporate the role of insurance companies

• Incorporate the role of government and public health


Suburban MicrofarmsA Sustainable Operating System for Sustenance


The Problem

We had all the answers, but the questions have We had all the answers, but the questions have changedchanged

Food production technology, 20th Century

Oil: efficient energy production, speeds process, large scale

Mathematical models and profit-driven business

The IOSS and MacDonald 50% World population in cities

From > 45% to < 3% Americans in agriculture in 4 decades (5 million needed in 2020)

Serious health, financial and environmental problems


GINGERMicrofarm“El Chilhuacle” in the suburbs of

Melbourne, Australia

An initiative by Ari Fainchtein

Minimize use of non-renewable energy (harvesting energy)

Fertilizers and composting

Plot size and scalability (complexity)

Small farms (motivate young people)

Community resilience (from the soil to the table)

A New Transformational Science

“Because we have a Hammer, everything looks like a nail”

Computer Science, Mathematics, OptimizationComputer Science, Mathematics, Optimization

•Don’t go back to ancient farming

•Ginger: a model for an Operating System (open data source)

•New data structure and communication language

•Current world connected via computers

•Sensor technologies, internet: new models for supply chain

•Going beyond into transformational discipline (academic degrees)


Other Problems

• The Melbourne airport fleet: how many buses should they have?

• Why is the price of copper cyclic?

• Intelligent batteries for active energy management

Thank you!

• Multidisciplinary projects for joint collaboration

• CUNY ideally placed to get involved in community development

• Research at all levels: never too soon, never too late to be creative


2011-2012 research projects@hunter contributed by prof felisa vázquez-abad department of computer...

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