Home

About

Team

Advanced Solutions for Planning and Scheduling

We provide state-of-the-art decision support solutions for offline (static optimization) and online (dynamic, real-time) planning and scheduling problems. Starting with a general solution framework, each solution is customized to accommodate the bespokeness of a particular problem.

Our solutions take into account

• Dynamics - model dynamics causes time lags between intervention and effects. In a decision/control context this results in feedback mechanisms that must be accounted for;
• Uncertainty - any source of uncertainty in models, observations and/or measurements will require extensive simulation to generate the statistical data for quantification of optimality, safety and risk (Monte-Carlo analysis) ;
• Multi-objectivity - stakeholders have various perspectives which, at best (e.g. when stakeholders collaborate), may be slightly variant with each other; at worst (e.g. when stakeholders compete), objectives are conflicting and the problem scope takes on a game setting;
• Deadlines - hard real-time solutions require that deadlines be met. For this reason Physical Time is a first-class concept in our models so that deadlines can be tested for possible violation; if so it is an indication that the model and/or computation scheme must be modified;
• Explainability - our simulation technology produces traceable time-tagged events, underpinning the causality structure that is essential to the explainability of our solutions.

• Modularization - approximate solutions result from breaking up an infeasible problem into a hierarchy of feasible sub-problems and connecting the sub-systems (i.e. modules) in a hierarchy of coordinated interaction that guarantees the required levels of optimality, safety and performance. Modularization also allows for a systematic capability building that gradually includes more detail and complexity;
• Robustness - a modularized component structure and gradual capability development process allows for a rigorous software testing policy resulting in a reliable product;
• Smooth development process - the same technolgy stack is used for rapid iterative prototyping, proof-of-concept (PoC) development and product commercialization. Thus, capitalizing on a continuity in acquiring knowledge, this allows for a smooth transition from the feasiblity (PoC) stage into the production stage.