Miscellaneous

We identify new solutions to transportation problems, on the ground, in the air, or on the sea, transport of people or goods, whatever the mode. We focus on technical solutions, but also on their impact on the system as a whole. We are also interested in the interactions of the transportation systems with the land use, the economy, the environment, etc.

Intelligent digital twins for assessing and predicting bridge road traffic demands

Road bridges are a vital part of transportation networks, forming crucial links in natural bottleneck locations and enabling the continual flow of people and goods into, out of, and across cities. However, the analysis used for design and maintenance planning of this community-critical infrastructure is typically carried out using static models and assuming generalized traffic patterns. This analysis represents only peak loading scenarios and does not reflect the spatial and temporal variations in real-world traffic loads. The resulting uncertainty in load prediction can lead to in overengineering in bridge design as well as sub-optimal maintenance planning. Furthermore, as current analysis techniques model only maximal loads, they cannot be used to predict the maintenance condition of bridges due to fatigue from repeated loading and unloading of the bridge over time. This research aims to address these limitations by developing intelligent digital twins which can simulate the response of a bridge to realistic traffic loading scenarios. These digital twin models combine two primary elements: (i) a traffic simulation model which exploits detailed traffic count and weigh-in-motion data to generate time-dependent traffic loadings, and (ii) a detailed structural model which predicts the compliance and maintenance condition of a bridge for different maximal and cyclic loading patterns. The intelligent digital twin is intended to be generalizable to any bridge or network of bridges for which relevant data exists. This will enable these models to be used within an integrated approach to study infrastructure vulnerability and multi-hazard risk management.

Principal investigator

Tim Hillel

Project manager

Tim Hillel

Sponsor

School of Architecture, Civil and Environmental Engineering (ENAC), École polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne

Period

October 01, 2020-April 01, 2022

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OrgVisionPro: Automated organizational design and optimization

This project, joint with CLEAP S.A., is will develop advanced analytics algorithms to propose organization design (OD) scenarios based on the existing situation, constraints, and future needs of a business. These scenarios will support organizations in shaping their future by optimizing their structure and operating models.

Principal investigator

Michel Bierlaire

Project managers

Rico Krueger, Tim Hillel

Sponsor

Innosuisse (Swiss Innovation Agency)

Period

October 01, 2019-June 30, 2021

Collaborators

Melvin Wong, Nour Dougui

External collaboration

Laurent Jaquenoud

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Capacity building program in urban mobility and transportation

The purpose of this project is to develop graduate curriculum in urban mobility and transportation. The relevant courses of this curriculum will be available in MOOC format. This program is a collaborative project between Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) and Urban Transport Systems Laboratory (LUTS) and Transport and Mobility Laboratory (TRANSP-OR) at EPFL.

Principal investigator

Michel Bierlaire

Project managers

Yousef Maknoon, Riccardo Scarinci, Yuki Oyama

Sponsor

State Secretariat for Economic Affairs

Period

September 01, 2016-September 01, 2019

External collaboration

Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST)

External collaboration

LUTS

LaTeX description

Leveraging Public and Open Data for Transportation Mode detection

Modern smartphones are more than just calling devices. They harbor a wealth of information that provides the transportation field with a new potential. In this project, researchers will create a transportation mode detection model based on telecommunication data from smartphone users combined with public transport-related data sources. The researchers are provided with anonymized telecommunication traces. As those data remain scarce, additional data will be identified from external sources including network infrastructure, route maps, time schedules in static or real-time form, microcensus, weather, etc. A probabilistic model will be developed to infer the transportation modes from those various data sources. The project lasts one year, and will be carried out by the Transport and Mobility Laboratory, directed by Prof. Michel Bierlaire. It is sponsored by Swisscom.

Principal investigator

Michel Bierlaire

Project managers

Marija Nikolic, Riccardo Scarinci

Sponsor

Swisscom

Period

September 04, 2017-September 04, 2018

External collaboration

Swisscom

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SIEU : Urban Energy Information System

The role of local authorities in reaching climate and energy goals is important. Consolidated data about energy at the local scale is necessary in order to fully measure the effects of policies and to adapt action-plans. The goal of this project is to evaluate the feasibility of a single platform with all the relevant energy data for a local authority, in particular statistics about mobility.

Principal investigator

Michel Bierlaire

Project manager

Antonin Danalet

Sponsor

The Ark Energy

Period

September 01, 2011-June 30, 2012

Collaborator

Antonin Danalet

External collaboration

Centre de Recherches Energétiques et Municipales (CREM, Martigny, Switzerland)

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OPTIMA: Inferring transport mode preferences from attitudes

Swiss Post and PostBus have launched a research project to optimize mobility in cooperation with the Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne (EPFL), represented by EPFL Transportation Center, under Professor Michel Bierlaire. This will show the market potential for combined mobility. Among other things it will look at the factors that influence travellers in their choice of transport. At a later stage, target group-specific new transport offerings and services will be developed and tested, which will have a lasting influence on this choice. The three years research project is conducted by Professors Vincent Kaufmann (LASUR) and Michel Bierlaire (TRANSP-OR).

Principal investigator

Michel Bierlaire

Project manager

Anne Curchod

Sponsor

LaPoste

Period

February 01, 2009-June 30, 2012

Collaborators

Aurélie Glerum, Bilge Atasoy, Antonin Danalet

External collaboration

Vincent Kaufman (LASUR)

External collaboration

Prisca Faure (CEAT)

External collaboration

Martin Schuler (CEAT)

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Behavioural modelling of human experts for scene analysis

Modelling the global appraisal process of experts in the context of scene analysis.

Principal investigator

Michel Bierlaire

Project managers

Javier Cruz, Thomas Robin

Sponsor

Swiss National Science Foundation

Period

October 01, 2007-September 30, 2010

LaTeX description

SOPHOS: Simulation-based Optimization of the Performance in Hospital Operating suites

Design an optimization framework combining macroscopic and microscopic models, with applications in hospital management and urban road traffic.

Report(s):

Osorio, C., and Bierlaire, M. An analytic finite capacity queueing network model capturing blocking, congestion and spillbacks

Principal investigator

Michel Bierlaire

Project manager

Carolina Osorio Pizano

Sponsor

Swiss National Science Foundation

Period

December 01, 2007-November 30, 2009

LaTeX description

Invariant features in omnidirectional images

Design of algorithms to extract invariant features from images captured by omnidirectional cameras.

Report(s):

Cruz, J., Bogdanova, I., Paquier, B., Bierlaire, M., and Thiran, J. Scale Invariant Feature Transform on the Sphere: Theory and Applications

Principal investigator

Michel Bierlaire

Project manager

Javier Cruz

Sponsor

Transport and Mobility Laboratory, EPFL

Period

May 20, 2008-May 01, 2009

External collaboration

Iva Bogdanova (ESL, EPFL)

External collaboration

Benoît Paquier (LTS5, EPFL)

External collaboration

Jean-Philippe Thiran (LTS5, EPFL)

LaTeX description

Path to purchase

To understand consumer behavior in his or her path to purchase.

Principal investigator

Michel Bierlaire

Project manager

Kamran Houshang Pour

Sponsor

Nestlé

Period

July 01, 2006-June 30, 2008

Collaborators

Thomas Robin, Gianluca Antonini

External collaboration

Jean-Philippe Thiran, ITS, EPFL

LaTeX description

SOPHOS: Simulation-based Optimization of the Performance in Hospital Operating Suites

Design an optimization framework for the operation suites in hospitals, using simulation tools

Principal investigator

Michel Bierlaire

Project manager

Carolina Osorio Pizano

Sponsor

Swiss National Science Foundation

Period

December 01, 2005-November 30, 2007

External collaboration

HUG (Hôpital Universitaire Genève)

LaTeX description

Enseignement orienté projet assisté par ordinateur

Develop appropriate case studies for teaching optimization to mechanical engineers

Principal investigator

Michel Bierlaire

Project manager

Emma Frejinger

Sponsor

Fonds d'innovation de la formation de l'EPFL

Period

April 01, 2004-March 31, 2006

External collaboration

LENI, EPFL

LaTeX description

Behavioral model-based scene analysis

Development of disaggregate behavior model for scene analysis in the context of video surveillance

Principal investigator

Michel Bierlaire

Project manager

Michel Bierlaire

Sponsor

NCCR Interactive Multimodal Information Management

Period

July 01, 2002-June 30, 2005

Collaborator

Gianluca Antonini

External collaboration

Jean-Philippe Thiran, LTS, EPFL

LaTeX description

Doped derivative-free algorithms for medical image registration

Design of a new class of derivative-free algorithms exploiting some derivative information, customized for the image registration problem

Principal investigator

Michel Bierlaire

Project manager

Rodrigue Oeuvray

Sponsor

Swiss National Science Foundation

Period

April 01, 2002-March 31, 2005

External collaboration

Philippe Thévenaz, Biomedical Image Group, EPFL

External collaboration

Jean-Philippe Thiran, Signal Processing Laboratory, EPFL

LaTeX description

SIMBAD: Simulation-Based Automatic Detection

Develop a model-based detection system where the scene analysis is supported by a crowd simulator

Principal investigator

Michel Bierlaire

Project manager

Mats Weber

Sponsor

Commission pour la technologie et de l'innovation, Office Fédéral de la formation professionnelle et de la technologie.

Period

October 01, 2002-September 30, 2004

Collaborator

Gianluca Antonini

External collaboration

Mats Weber, ROSO, EPFL

External collaboration

Visiowavw S.A

External collaboration

Jean-Philippe Thiran, LTS, EPFL

LaTeX description

Modèles de prévision de ventes (Sales forecasting models)

Develop forecasting models for sales of various products, such as printers

Principal investigator

Michel Bierlaire

Project manager

Michel Bierlaire

Sponsor

infoSource S.A.

Period

April 01, 2004-May 31, 2004

External collaboration

Sébastien Naizot, ROSO, EPFL

LaTeX description

Simulation du bloc opératoire et de la salle de réveil (Simulation of the surgery block)

Design and implement a model to simulate the operations of the surgery block in the Geneva Hospital

Principal investigator

Michel Bierlaire

Project manager

Michel Bierlaire

Sponsor

Hôpitaux Universitaires de Genève

Period

April 01, 2002-March 31, 2004

External collaboration

Christophe Weibel, ROSO, EPFL

External collaboration

Dr. Garnerin, HUG

LaTeX description

TIMS: Tourism Instant Marketing and Shopping

Develop a simulation tool to assess dynamic pricing and yield management strategies in ski resorts

Principal investigator

Michel Bierlaire

Project manager

Michel Bierlaire

Sponsor

Commission pour la technologie et de l'innovation, Office Fédéral de la formation professionnelle et de la technologie.

Period

October 01, 2003-December 31, 2003

External collaboration

Sébastien Naizot, ROSO, EPFL

External collaboration

Groupe de compétence économie et tourisme, HEVs Sierre

LaTeX description

Algorithmes d'optimisation performants pour le recalage rigide d'images en radiochirurgie et en radiothérapie stéréotaxique fractionnée assistées par ordinateur

Development and adaptations of efficient optimisation algorithms dedicated to brain images registration

Principal investigator

Michel Bierlaire

Project manager

Michel Bierlaire

Sponsor

Fonds UNIL-EPFL

Period

March 01, 2001-March 31, 2002

Collaborator

Rodrigue Oeuvray

External collaboration

Dr. Pica, chef de clinique, Service de Radio-Oncologie, CHUV

LaTeX description