Innovative Uses of Drones for Logistics in Healthcare and Production
Alice E. Smith, Auburn University, United States
The Case for “Cognitive Digital Twin”: How Cognitive Digital Twin, Cognitive Digital Thread and Cognitive Digital Swarm Can Solve Major Problems Facing the Design, Implementation, and Operation of Smarter Products, Processes, and Solutions
Ahmed El Adl, CogniTwins - LLC, United States
Lexicographic Multi-Objective Optimization Using Infinite, Finite and Infinitesimal Numbers
Lorenzo Fiaschi, University of Pisa, Italy
Innovative Uses of Drones for Logistics in Healthcare and Production
Alice E. Smith
Auburn University
United States
https://www.eng.auburn.edu/~aesmith/
![]()
Brief Bio
Alice E. Smith is the Joe W. Forehand/Accenture Distinguished Professor of the Industrial and Systems Engineering Department at Auburn University, where she served as Department Chair from 1999-2011. She also has a joint appointment with the Department of Computer Science and Software Engineering. Previously, she was on the faculty of the Department of Industrial Engineering at the University of Pittsburgh from 1991-99, which she joined after industrial experience with Southwestern Bell Corporation. Dr. Smith has degrees from Rice University, Saint Louis University, and Missouri University of Science and Technology.
Dr. Smith’s research focus is analysis, modeling, and optimization of complex systems with emphasis on computation inspired by natural systems. She holds one U.S. patent and several international patents and has authored more than 200 publications which have garnered over 17,000 citations and an H Index of 52 (Google Scholar). She is the editor of Women in Computational Intelligence: Key Advances and Perspectives on Emerging Topics and Women in Industrial and Systems Engineering: Key Advances and Perspectives on Emerging Topics. Several of her papers are among the most highly cited in their respective journals including the most cited paper of Reliability Engineering & System Safety and the 3rd most cited paper of IEEE Transactions on Reliability. She won the E. L. Grant Best Paper Awards in 1999 and in 2006, and the William A. J. Golomski Best Paper Award in 2002. Dr. Smith is the Editor in Chief of INFORMS Journal on Computing and an Area Editor of Computers & Operations Research.
For accomplishments in research, education, and service she was named the Joe W. Forehand/Accenture Distinguished Professor in 2015. Previously, she was the H. Allen and Martha Reed Professor. In 2017, she received the inaugural Auburn University 100 Women Strong Leadership in Diversity Faculty Award. Dr. Smith was awarded the Wellington Award in 2016, the IIE Albert G. Holzman Distinguished Educator Award in 2012, and the INFORMS WORMS Award for the Advancement of Women in OR/MS in 2009. Dr. Smith was named the Philpott- WestPoint Stevens Professor in 2001, received the Senior Research Award of the College of Engineering at Auburn University in 2001, and the University of Pittsburgh School of Engineering Board of Visitors Faculty Award for Research and Scholarly Activity in 1996.
Dr. Smith is a Life Fellow of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), a Fellow of the Institute for Operations Research and Management Science (INFORMS) and the Institute of Industrial and Systems Engineers (IISE), and a senior member of the Society of Women Engineers, a member of Tau Beta Pi, and a Registered Professional Engineer. She is a current IEEE Distinguished Lecturer and INFORMS Official Speaker. She has served as Chair of the Council of Industrial Engineering Academic Department Heads and as President of the INFORMS Association of Chairs of Operations Research Departments. She was a keynote speaker at the International INFORMS Conference (2019) and at the IEEE World Congress on Computational Intelligence (2018). She was named a 2020 Yellowhammer Women of Impact (20 women are honored each year in the State of Alabama https://alabamawomen.org/#2020) and was an INFORMS Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Ambassador in 2021.
Abstract
This seminar discusses novel approaches for employing drones to accomplish logistical tasks in diverse environments. Drones, working in tandem with traditional transportation vehicles and with humans, offer environmentally friendly and cost-effective alternatives for moving small items such as medicines, electronic devices, and assembly parts. This talk will cover several research projects which involve a combination of mathematical modeling, computational optimization, simulation in virtual environments, and actual physical experimentation and trials. While using drones has challenges in terms of human interaction and practicality of operating in certain environments, they are more pragmatic than might be expected for some situations. One focus is on rural last mile healthcare supplies delivery where drones resupply trucks with newly available orders and prescriptions. Another focus is on assembly facilities where drones bring needed parts to works at their stations on the line. This latter setting is indoors where GPS cannot be used for drone positioning and guidance so alternative methods must be employed.
The Case for “Cognitive Digital Twin”: How Cognitive Digital Twin, Cognitive Digital Thread and Cognitive Digital Swarm Can Solve Major Problems Facing the Design, Implementation, and Operation of Smarter Products, Processes, and Solutions
Ahmed El Adl
CogniTwins - LLC
United States
![]()
Brief Bio
Dr. El Adl is a global leader in digital technologies innovation, artificial intelligence, and intelligent systems. Over the last 20+ years, Dr. El Adl held different senior leadership positions with global software and top 5 global technology consulting companies in Germany and the USA. He built, grew, and led global teams that built new generations of intelligent technologies, industrial solutions, and smart machines for different industries.
Mr. El Adl has Ph.D. in Computer Science (Computer Vision & Robot navigation systems) from the Technical University of Budapest and Post Doc. in biologically inspired Robotics systems (University of Ulm, Germany).
In 2016 and in collaboration with MIT, he coined the concept of “Cognitive Digital Twin - CDT”, “Cognitive Digital Thread - CDH” and “Cognitive Digital Swarm - CDS” expanding the core concept of Digital Twin. Also, he published the first paper highlighting his vision, architecture, and key use cases.
Currently, he is advising different governmental organizations and companies in the US, Europe, and Middle East in leveraging AI and the concept of CDT in critical areas such as operational efficiency, critical supply chains optimization, intelligent services, and citizens wellbeing.
Dr. El Adl serves as the senior advisor to the CEO of Sand Technologies. Additionally, he is a board member and Chief Digital Twin Officer of multiple startups focusing on using AI/ML, IoT, and Cognitive Digital Twin to drive innovation in the areas of Healthcare, Drug & Diseases research, Energy, Electric Vehicle, Cognitive Cities, and Smart Manufacturing.
Abstract
The values of adopting the current architectural concepts and capabilities of the Digital Twin are becoming obvious to academics as well as business & technology leaders across different industries. However, the rate of implementation success is still low. We believe that this is due to the dominating misunderstanding around key concepts of Digital Twin and the prerequisites for a successful adoption. Most importantly, the current architectural principals don’t solve key problems such as Data contextualization, AI-powered comprehension, reliable predictions, collaboration between intelligent systems, as well as interoperability. Therefore, many implementations are failing to achieve the expected results.
In this talk, we’ll introduce the proposed three concepts: The Cognitive Digital Twin (CDT), Cognitive Digital Thread (CDH), and Cognitive Digital Swarm (CDS). We’ll build the case for moving from traditional Digital Twin architecture to a cognitive architecture that can comprehend, predict, simulate, recommend, and continuously learn. Also, we’ll discuss how the CDH would continuously provide the right data at the right time in the right context.
Finally, we’ll discuss how CDS would leverage the academically well know concept of “Swarm Intelligence” to achieve higher level of cognitive capabilities and effective collaboration between less-complex groups of CDTs. Additionally, to highlight the key architectural concepts and business values, we’ll present some business cases such as PLM, Supply Chain Optimization and Drug research.
Lexicographic Multi-Objective Optimization Using Infinite, Finite and Infinitesimal Numbers
Lorenzo Fiaschi
University of Pisa
Italy
![]()
Brief Bio
Dr. Lorenzo Fiaschi was born in Piombino, Italy, in 1995. He obtained his Bachelor's degree with honors
in Computer Engineering from the University of Pisa in 2017, followed by a Master's degree in
Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence, also with honors, from the University of Genoa in 2019.
In 2022, he successfully defended with honors his doctoral thesis,
earning a Ph.D. in Information Engineering from the University of Pisa.
Currently, Fiaschi serves as a post-doctoral researcher at the Department of Information Engineering, University of Pisa.
Among the recognitions he has garnered there is the prestigious "Springer Young Researcher Prize"
at the NUMTA'19 international conference. Additionally, he secured funding for organizing a workshop on
"Hardware Accelerators for Deep Neural Networks and Machine Learning".
Fiaschi's research interests encompass Numerical Computations with Infinite and Infinitesimal numbers,
Artificial and Evolutionary Intelligence, and Game Theory.
Fiaschi has co-authored more than 20 papers in international journals and conferences.
Abstract
In recent scientific publications, there has been a growing body of evidence showcasing the practical possibility of doing numerical computations involving infinite, finite, and infinitesimal numbers. These advancements owe much to the groundbreaking contributions of Professor Yaroslav D. Sergeyev and his Grossone Methodology.
During this presentation, we will delve into the latest findings in the realm of lexicographic multi-objective optimization. In particular, the focus will be on illustrating the advantages of exploiting infinite and infinitesimal numbers for dealing with hard priorities among the multiple objectives.
The results that will be presented have been possible mainly thanks to the collaboration with Yaroslav D. Sergeyev, Massimo Pappalardo, Kalyanmoy Deb and Lorenzo Fiaschi.