Unsupervised machine learning of virus dispersion indoors

Abstract

This paper concerns analyses of virus droplet dynamics resulting from coughing events within a confined environment using, as an example, a typical cruiser's cabin. It is of paramount importance to be able to comprehend and predict droplet dispersion patterns within enclosed spaces under varying conditions. Numerical simulations are expensive and difficult to perform in real-time situations. Unsupervised machine learning methods are proposed to study droplet dispersion patterns. Data from multi-phase computational fluid dynamics simulations of coughing events at different flow rates are utilized with an unsupervised learning algorithm to identify prevailing trends based on the distance traveled by the droplets and their sizes. The algorithm determines optimal clustering by introducing novel metrics such as the Clustering Dominance Index and Uncertainty. Our analysis revealed the existence of three distinct stages for droplet dispersion during a coughing event, irrespective of the underlying flow rates. An initial stage where all droplets disperse homogeneously, an intermediate stage where larger droplets overtake the smaller ones, and a final stage where the smaller droplets overtake the larger ones. This is the first time computational fluid dynamics is coupled with unsupervised learning to study particles' dispersion and understand their dynamic behavior.