Web-based Simulation Research Articles

Web-based Simulations of Multi-agent Systems

This paper describes the architecture of AgentSimJs, a Javascript-based multi-agent simulator intended to execute and visualize simulations through a Web browser. It includes the needed capabilities to render a 3D scene with objects and agents. AgentSimJs has a modular architecture, the several different components provide a set of flexible primitives to program the agent behaviour. With AgentSimJs, a user can perform a fine tuning of all the aspects related to communication, motion, and group formation. Users can also define a custom network topology and communication model.

자석 및 자기장 주제에 대한 과학 학습용 웹기반 시뮬레이션의 현황 및 개선 방안

자석 및 자기장 주제에 대한 과학 학습용 웹기반 시뮬레이션의 현황 및 개선 방안

Pursuing Ideology with Statecraft

ABSTRACTUtilizing a web-based simulation Statecraft, we explore the relative influence of ideology (realism and idealism) on student behavior and learning. By placing students into ideologically cohesive groups, we are able to demonstrate the effect of their ideology on the goals they pursue and identify the constraints imposed on the system by the behavior of groups as well.

Design and Implementation of Information Management Tools for the EDISON Open Platform

We have developed an information management tool for the EDISON (EDucation-research Integration through Simulation On the Net) open platform. EDISON is, at present, a web-based simulation service for education and research in five computational areas, namely, nanophysics, fluid dynamics, chemistry, structural dynamics, and computer aided optimal design. The EDISON open platform consists of three tiers: EDISON application framework, EDISON middleware, and EDISON infra-resources. The platform provides web portals for education and research in areas such as computational fluid dynamics, computational chemistry, computational nanophysics, computational structural dynamics, and computer aided optimal design along with user service. The main purpose of this research is to test the behavior of the release version of the EDISON Open-Platform under normal operating conditions. This management tool has been implemented using the RESTful API designed in EDISON middleware. The intention is to check co-operation between the middleware and the infrastructure. Suggested tools include User management, Simulation and Job management, and Simulation software (i.e., solver) testing. Finally, it is considered meaningful to develop a management tool that is not supported in other web-based online simulation services.

급성 심장질환자 간호에 대한 웹기반 시뮬레이션과 고충실도 시뮬레이션 교육 효과

급성 심장질환자 간호에 대한 웹기반 시뮬레이션과 고충실도 시뮬레이션 교육 효과

웹 기반의 경영시뮬레이션 게임 개발 방법론

웹 기반의 경영시뮬레이션 게임 개발 방법론

Development and Evaluation of Web-based Computer Simulator for e-Learning of Computer Literacy

Development and Evaluation of Web-based Computer Simulator for e-Learning of Computer Literacy

It’s a Virtual Child!: Postgraduate students’ experiences in a developmental psychology class

The aim of this study was to explore postgraduate psychology students’ development, as facilitated by the use of an interactive web-based simulation programme, My Virtual Child©. A social constructivist developmental approach, with specific focus on cognitive development towards self-authorship, served as the overarching framework for the study. Participants included postgraduate students enrolled in a developmental psychology module. Multiple sources of data, such as reflective exercises, summative portfolio assignments and a focus group, were analysed using thematic analysis. Participants indicated that the My Virtual Child© programme provided them with an excellent opportunity for authentic, relevant and challenging learning experiences, whilst balancing theory and practice. Furthermore, it provided room for deliberate reflective activities, group interaction and the integration of a diversity of experiences. This programme therefore created a practical and pragmatic teaching environment for more engaging and theoretically rich learning, preparing students for self-authorship in a complex world.

Dynamical interactions between two uniformly magnetized spheres

Studies of the two-dimensional motion of a magnet sphere in the presence of a second, fixed sphere provide a convenient venue for exploring magnet–magnet interactions, inertia, friction, and rich nonlinear dynamical behavior. These studies exploit the equivalence of these magnetic interactions to the interactions between two equivalent point dipoles. We show that magnet–magnet friction plays a role when magnet spheres are in contact, table friction plays a role at large sphere separations, and eddy currents are always negligible. Web-based simulation and visualization software, called MagPhyx, is provided for education, exploration, and discovery.

Diagnosing Surgical Site Infection Using Wound Photography: A Scenario-Based Study

Postoperative surgical site infections (SSI) are common and costly. Most occur post discharge, and can result in potentially preventable readmission or unnecessary urgent evaluation. Mobile health approaches incorporating patient-generated wound photos are being implemented in an attempt to optimize triage and management. We assessed how adding wound photos to existing data sources modifies provider decision making. We used a web-based simulation survey using a convenience sample of providers with expertise in surgical infections. Participants viewed a range of scenarios, including surgical history, physical exam, and description of wound appearance. All participants reported SSI diagnosis, diagnostic confidence, and management recommendations (main outcomes) first without, and then with, accompanying wound photos. At each step, participants ranked the most important features contributing to their decision. Eighty-three participants completed a median of 5 scenarios (interquartile range 4 to 7). Most participants were physicians in academic surgical specialties (n= 70 [84%]). The addition of photos improved overall diagnostic accuracy from 67% to 76% (p < 0.001), and increased specificity from 77% to 92% (p < 0.001), but did not significantly increase sensitivity (55% to 65%; p= 0.16). Photos increased mean confidence in diagnosis from 5.9 of 10 to 7.4 of 10 (p < 0.001). Overtreatment recommendations decreased from 48% to 16% (p < 0.001), and undertreatment did not change (28% to 23%; p= 0.20) with the addition of photos. The addition of wound photos to existing data as available via chart review and telephone consultation with patients significantly improved diagnostic accuracy and confidence, and prevented proposed overtreatment in scenarios without SSI. Post-discharge mobile health technologies have the potential to facilitate patient-centered care, decrease costs, and improve clinical outcomes.

Interactive simulators for acoustic education

In the field of acoustic education, there are many complex theories and invisible phenomena. In the lecture of acoustics, the lecturer places much value on forming and expanding mathematical expressions, using textbooks and the blackboard. Students often have difficulty and want new teaching/learning methods and materials. New learning materials can help a student understand a phenomenon; for example, with a short movie describing an actual phenomenon or an environment of experiments using limited models. Now, the calculating power of computers, tablets and smartphones has enough to easily simulate acoustic phenomena. Here distributed web-based interactive simulators for acoustic education are presented.

The impact of web-based and face-to-face simulation on patient deterioration and patient safety: protocol for a multi-site multi-method design

BackgroundThere are international concerns in relation to the management of patient deterioration which has led to a body of evidence known as the ‘failure to rescue’ literature. Nursing staff are known to miss cues of deterioration and often fail to call for assistance. Medical Emergency Teams (Rapid Response Teams) do improve the management of acutely deteriorating patients, but first responders need the requisite skills to impact on patient safety.Methods/designIn this study we aim to address these issues in a mixed methods interventional trial with the objective of measuring and comparing the cost and clinical impact of face-to-face and web-based simulation programs on the management of patient deterioration and related patient outcomes. The education programs, known as ‘FIRST2ACT’, have been found to have an impact on education and will be tested in four hospitals in the State of Victoria, Australia. Nursing staff will be trained in primary (the first 8 min) responses to emergencies in two medical wards using a face-to-face approach and in two medical wards using a web-based version FIRST2ACTWeb. The impact of these interventions will be determined through quantitative and qualitative approaches, cost analyses and patient notes review (time series analyses) to measure quality of care and patient outcomes.DiscussionIn this 18 month study it is hypothesised that both simulation programs will improve the detection and management of deteriorating patients but that the web-based program will have lower total costs. The study will also add to our overall understanding of the utility of simulation approaches in the preparation of nurses working in hospital wards. (ACTRN12616000468426, retrospectively registered 8.4.2016).

A web-based modern ultrasound diagnostic scanner simulation (SimulUS) from high-school students for undergraduate medical e-learning education

Purpose: A unique interactive software has been developed to support E-teaching of students and teachers in medical studies. The functions and settings of a modern ultrasound imaging platform/console (B-/M-Mode, Colour-, Spectral-, Power-Doppler) are simulated to allow users to learn interactively the basic handling and main knobology of an imaging equipment as real as possible. Material and methods: The tool is designed as an HTML-based application to use it with common web-browsers being most flexible for its operation on different back-end devices used by students and account for their mobile learning behaviour. On the other hand this design chosen make it possible to access the tool as web-based (server-based) or standalone (downloadable from our lab's website) application. Only one external plugin is needed to run this web-based tool because it was originally layouted and developed with Visual Studio by high school students within a funded summer school program of 4 weeks (FFG Talente 2015, project # 851538). Results: Within this simulation the basic functions like selection of transducers, TGC, gain, focal setting, penetration depth etc. have been implemented to explain the essential settings that have to be changed/optimised during a real ultrasound examination. The changes can be seen interactively as live images within the displayed B-Mode image. Additionally the scanner simulates M-Mode as well as Spectral-, Colour- or Power-Doppler features (Fig. 1). Conclusion: This simulation seems to be an e-learning tool with effective application potential in our medical curriculum or for self-learning at home. It allows reducing temporal and equipment resources in hands-on sessions/skills-labs and fits the personal needs of students.

SU-G-BRC-10: Feasibility of a Web-Based Monte Carlo Simulation Tool for Dynamic Electron Arc Radiotherapy (DEAR)

Purpose: DEAR is a radiation therapy technique utilizing synchronized motion of gantry and couch during delivery to optimize dose distribution homogeneity and penumbra for treatment of superficial disease. Dose calculation for DEAR is not yet supported by commercial TPSs. The purpose of this study is to demonstrate the feasibility of using a web-based Monte Carlo (MC) simulation tool (VirtuaLinac) to calculate dose distributions for a DEAR delivery. Methods: MC simulations were run through VirtuaLinac, which is based on the GEANT4 platform. VirtuaLinac utilizes detailed linac head geometry and material models, validated phase space files, and a voxelized phantom. The input was expanded to include an XML file for simulation of varying mechanical axes as a function of MU. A DEAR XML plan was generated and used in the MC simulation and delivered on a TrueBeam in Developer Mode. Radiographic film wrapped on a cylindrical phantom (12.5 cm radius) measured dose at a depth of 1.5 cm and compared to the simulation results. Results: A DEAR plan was simulated using an energy of 6 MeV and a 3×10 cm2 cut-out in a 15×15 cm2 applicator for a delivery of a 90° arc. The resulting data were found to provide qualitative and quantitative evidence that the simulation platform could be used as the basis for DEAR dose calculations. The resulting unwrapped 2D dose distributions agreed well in the cross-plane direction along the arc, with field sizes of 18.4 and 18.2 cm and penumbrae of 1.9 and 2.0 cm for measurements and simulations, respectively. Conclusion: Preliminary feasibility of a DEAR delivery using a web-based MC simulation platform has been demonstrated. This tool will benefit treatment planning for DEAR as a benchmark for developing other model based algorithms, allowing efficient optimization of trajectories, and quality assurance of plans without the need for extensive measurements.

Evaluation of Business-Oriented Performance Metrics in eCommerce using Web-based Simulation

The Web 2.0 paradigm has radically changed the way businesses are run all around the world. Moreover, e-Commerce has overcome in daily shopping activities. For management teams, the assessment, evaluation, and forecasting of online incomes and other business-oriented performance measures have become 'a holy grail', the ultimate question imposing their current and future e-Commerce projects. Within the paper, we describe the development of a Web-based simulation model, suitable for their estimation, taking into account multiple operation profiles and scenarios. Specifically, we put focus on introducing specific classes of e-Customers, as well as the workload characterization of an arbitrary e-Commerce website. On the other hand, we employ and embed the principles of the system thinking approach and the system dynamics into the proposed solution. As a result, a complete simulation model has been developed, available online. The model, which includes numerous adjustable input variables, can be successfully utilized in making 'what-if'-like insights into a plethora of business-oriented performance metrics for an arbitrary e-Commerce website. This project is, also, a great example of the power delivered by InsightMaker, free-of-charge Web-based software, suitable for a collaborative online development of models following the systems thinking paradigm.

Assessing student usage, perception, and the utility of a Web-based simulation in a third-year medical school clerkship

Study objectiveThe goals of this study were to assess students' usage data of Web-based simulation (WBS), to determine if it can fill gaps in clinical experience-based medical education, and to determine students' perceived value of this kind of simulation during a clinical clerkship. DesignObservational/prospective cohort. SettingMedical school affiliated with a large academic hospital. SubjectsA total od 138 medical students. InterventionsWeb-based simulation. MeasurementsMedical students in an anesthesiology clerkship were assigned a WBS focusing on the clinical use of pulmonary artery catheters (PACs). Usage data, including day of week and time of day that the simulation was used and total usage time, were collected for 99 students. Eighty voluntary survey responses, which gauged student perception of the simulation and clinical exposure to PACs, were also collected. Main resultsSeventy-two percent of attempts were made during nonclinical hours of 5 pm to 7 am. Seventy-seven percent of students spent less than 30 minutes in total using the simulation. Students preferred the simulation (rated 4.1/5) over textbook (3.59) learning to a statistically significant degree (P < .001) and held favorable views toward the simulation. Sixty-seven percent of students had never encountered a patient with a PAC before performing the simulation, and 41% did not discuss this learning objective during their clerkship. Students' self-rated understanding of PACs significantly increased from a presimulation score of 1.8 of 5, to 2.56 (mean difference, 0.760; P < .001) after using the simulation. ConclusionsWBS in medical school clerkships is accepted by students and can fill gaps in clinical medical school education, without negatively affecting students' workloads or clerkship experiences.

Evaluation of Multi-Target Human Sperm Tracking Algorithms in Synthesized Dataset

Infertility is an important issue for many couples and male infertility is highly related to semen and spermatozoa which can be surveyed by means of semen/sperm analysis. Many fertility assessment laboratories are now equipped with automatic systems called Computer Aided Semen/Sperm Analysis (CASA) for doing this task. Evaluation of such systems is very important. In this research a web-based simulator is developed which facilitates evaluation of CASA systems. The developed software has many useful parameters such as blurring images or adding noise and it also gives full control of sperm counts and types. To illustrate performance of the developed simulator, many parameters such as spermatozoa population, standard deviation of Gaussian blur filter and noise intensity have been swept and the results of two well-known multi-target tracking systems (Linear Kalman Filter and Particle Filter) were compared and discussed.

Interactive learning: developing an eSimulation portal framework

AbstractThe emerging eLearning paradigm is becoming increasingly used in many academic disciplines. The concept acknowledges learning processes that no longer deploy only traditional teaching methods. It can be argued that today’s third level education students are part of a new virtual era where the blackboard has been replaced by the interactive whiteboard, so more interactive and virtually orientated teaching aids are required to assist in the transition from traditional learning to eLearning. The key objective of this paper is to propose a simulation-based learning framework that integrates web-based simulation and a web content management hierarchy model. Using the highly complex subject of supply chain management as a field of study, the newly developed eSimulation tool allows users to examine various management strategies in real-life scenarios, encourages group work and offers remote access capabilities for distance learning. Interactive learning is facilitated using a web-based portal, enabling instructors to demonstrate the complexity of decisions in multiple criteria environments and also demonstrate the impact of various strategies on performance to the users. eSimulation creates an animated experience and better understanding of the system dynamics of decision-making processes. The portal interface is friendly and, hence, has the potential to be applied in other subject areas.

Equations of the End: Teaching Mathematical Modeling Using the Zombie Apocalypse.

Mathematical models of infectious diseases are a valuable tool in understanding the mechanisms and patterns of disease transmission. It is, however, a difficult subject to teach, requiring both mathematical expertise and extensive subject-matter knowledge of a variety of disease systems. In this article, we explore several uses of zombie epidemics to make mathematical modeling and infectious disease epidemiology more accessible to public health professionals, students, and the general public. We further introduce a web-based simulation, White Zed (http://cartwrig.ht/apps/whitezed/), that can be deployed in classrooms to allow students to explore models before implementing them. In our experience, zombie epidemics are familiar, approachable, flexible, and an ideal way to introduce basic concepts of infectious disease epidemiology.

Effectiveness of a Web-Based Simulation in Improving Nurses' Workplace Practice With Deteriorating Ward Patients: A Pre- and Postintervention Study.

BackgroundNurses play an important role in detecting patients with clinical deterioration. However, the problem of nurses failing to trigger deteriorating ward patients still persists despite the implementation of a patient safety initiative, the Rapid Response System. A Web-based simulation was developed to enhance nurses’ role in recognizing and responding to deteriorating patients. While studies have evaluated the effectiveness of the Web-based simulation on nurses’ clinical performance in a simulated environment, no study has examined its impact on nurses’ actual practice in the clinical setting.ObjectiveThe objective of this study was to evaluate the impact of Web-based simulation on nurses' recognition of and response to deteriorating patients in clinical settings. The outcomes were measured across all levels of Kirkpatrick’s 4-level evaluation model with clinical outcome on triggering rates of deteriorating patients as the primary outcome measure.MethodsA before-and-after study was conducted on two general wards at an acute care tertiary hospital over a 14-month period. All nurses from the two study wards who undertook the Web-based simulation as part of their continuing nursing education were invited to complete questionnaires at various time points to measure their motivational reaction, knowledge, and perceived transfer of learning. Clinical records on cases triggered by ward nurses from the two study wards were evaluated for frequency and types of triggers over a period of 6 months pre- and 6 months postintervention.ResultsThe number of deteriorating patients triggered by ward nurses in a medical general ward increased significantly (P<.001) from pre- (84/937, 8.96%) to postintervention (91/624, 14.58%). The nurses reported positively on the transfer of learning (mean 3.89, SD 0.49) from the Web-based simulation to clinical practice. A significant increase (P<.001) on knowledge posttest score from pretest score was also reported. The nurses also perceived positively their motivation (mean 3.78, SD 0.56) to engage in the Web-based simulation.ConclusionsThis study provides evidence on the effectiveness of Web-based simulation in improving nursing practice when recognizing and responding to deteriorating patients. This educational tool could be implemented by nurse educators worldwide to address the educational needs of a large group of hospital nurses responsible for patients in clinical deterioration.