This thesis project investigates the state-of-the-art in traffic management "Green Light Optimal Speed Advisory (GLOSA)" for vehicles in a smart city. GLOSA utilizes infrastructure and vehicles communication through using current signal plan settings and updated vehicular information in order to influence the intersection approach speeds. The project involves traffic microscopic simulations for a mixed traffic environment of conventional and automated vehicles (AVs) both connected to the intersection control and guided by a speed advisory traffic management system. Among the project goals is to assess the effects on traffic performance when human drivers comply to the speed advice. The GLOSA management approach is accessed for its potential to improve traffic efficiency in a full market penetration of connected AVs with absolute compliance. The project also aims to determine the possible outcome resulting from enhancing the AVs capabilities such as implementing short time headways between vehicles in the future.  The best traffic performance results achieved by operating GLOSA goes for connected AVs with the lowest simulated time headway (0.3 sec). The waiting time reduction reaches 95% and trip delay lessens to 88 %.

Tillgänglighet är ett stort problem inom svensk sjukvård. Produktionsplanering skulle kunna bidra till att korta ned ledtider och på så sätt öka tillgängligheten, men det saknas kunskap om hur detta påverkar arbetsmiljön för personalen. Ett förbättringsarbete genomfördes på en psykiatrisk öppenvårdsmottagning med syfte att med hjälp av produktionsplanering korta ledtiden mellan två steg i den diagnostiska processen. Förändringen innebar att patienterna fick möjlighet att boka tid till nästa besök direkt i samband med det första besöket. Arbetet utgick från Nolans förbättringsmodell. En studie av förbättringsarbetet, med induktiv ansats, genomfördes med syftet att undersöka hur denna förändring påverkade arbetsmiljön. Intervjuer genomfördes med berörda medarbetare och analyserades med innehållsanalys. Förbättringsarbetet resulterade i att ledtiden mer än halverades, med befintliga resurser. Medarbetarnas delaktighet bedömdes ha haft betydelse för det lyckade resultatet. Studien visade att arbetsmiljön ej påverkades negativt, utan tvärtom att arbetstillfredsställelsen ökade. Viktiga förklaringar till detta var att medarbetarna upplevde det som tillfredsställande att kunna erbjuda patienterna en snar tid för nästa besök, att förändringen ledde till minskad administration och att medarbetarna fortfarande hade kontroll över sina tidböcker. Slutsatsen är att det är möjligt att öka produktionen med hjälp av produktionsplanering utan att det får negativa effekter för arbetsmiljön. / Accessibility is a major problem in Swedish healthcare. Production planning could help to shorten waiting times and improve accessibility, but there is insufficient knowledge of how this affects the working environment. An improvement project was initiated with the purpose to shorten the lead time between two steps in the diagnostic process at a psychiatric outpatient clinic, with the help of production planning. The change meant that patients were offered to book a time for the next visit during the first visit. A study of the project was initiated to investigate how the change affected the working environment. Interviews were conducted and analysed with content analysis. The improvement project led to lead times being more than halved. Employee participation was important for reaching this result. The study showed that the working environment was not adversely affected, on the contrary job satisfaction increased. Explanations for this was the satisfaction of being able to offer patients to book a new visit directly, less time spent on administrative tasks and staff retaining significant control over their schedule. The conclusion is that it is possible to increase production by means of production planning without this having negative effects on the working environment.

Les centres d’appels sont des éléments clés de presque n’importe quelle grande organisation. Le problème de gestion du travail a reçu beaucoup d’attention dans la littérature. Une formulation typique se base sur des mesures de performance sur un horizon infini, et le problème d’affectation d’agents est habituellement résolu en combinant des méthodes d’optimisation et de simulation. Dans cette thèse, nous considérons un problème d’affection d’agents pour des centres d’appels soumis a des contraintes en probabilité. Nous introduisons une formulation qui exige que les contraintes de qualité de service (QoS) soient satisfaites avec une forte probabilité, et définissons une approximation de ce problème par moyenne échantillonnale dans un cadre de compétences multiples. Nous établissons la convergence de la solution du problème approximatif vers celle du problème initial quand la taille de l’échantillon croit. Pour le cas particulier où tous les agents ont toutes les compétences (un seul groupe d’agents), nous concevons trois méthodes d’optimisation basées sur la simulation pour le problème de moyenne échantillonnale. Étant donné un niveau initial de personnel, nous augmentons le nombre d’agents pour les périodes où les contraintes sont violées, et nous diminuons le nombre d’agents pour les périodes telles que les contraintes soient toujours satisfaites après cette réduction. Des expériences numériques sont menées sur plusieurs modèles de centre d’appels à faible occupation, au cours desquelles les algorithmes donnent de bonnes solutions, i.e. la plupart des contraintes en probabilité sont satisfaites, et nous ne pouvons pas réduire le personnel dans une période donnée sont introduire de violation de contraintes. Un avantage de ces algorithmes, par rapport à d’autres méthodes, est la facilité d’implémentation. / Call centers are key components of almost any large organization. The problem of labor management has received a great deal of attention in the literature. A typical formulation of the staffing problem is in terms of infinite-horizon performance measures. The method of combining simulation and optimization is used to solve this staffing problem. In this thesis, we consider a problem of staffing call centers with respect to chance constraints. We introduce chance-constrained formulations of the scheduling problem which requires that the quality of service (QoS) constraints are met with high probability. We define a sample average approximation of this problem in a multiskill setting. We prove the convergence of the optimal solution of the sample-average problem to that of the original problem when the sample size increases. For the special case where we consider the staffing problem and all agents have all skills (a single group of agents), we design three simulation-based optimization methods for the sample problem. Given a starting solution, we increase the staffings in periods where the constraints are violated, and decrease the number of agents in several periods where decrease is acceptable, as much as possible, provided that the constraints are still satisfied. For the call center models in our numerical experiment, these algorithms give good solutions, i.e., most constraints are satisfied, and we cannot decrease any agent in any period to obtain better results. One advantage of these algorithms, compared with other methods, that they are very easy to implement.

Background. In South Africa violence related crimes are frequent, and interpersonal violence is one of the most common causes of injury and death. Violence can be related to social structures, poverty and income inequality. In South Africa 25% of the population live in extreme poverty, and 16% of households in Western Cape live in Informal dwellings. Drug and alcohol miss-use is a big problem. EMS personnel all over the world are exposed to violence. The last couple of years the rate of incidents of violence against the ambulances and EMS personnel in Western Cape and Cape Town has escalated, and a protocol to protect the personnel has been established. The protocol of Red Zones requires an armed escort for the ambulance and EMS personnel when working in certain areas. The red zones are often in low income areas, which makes United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal of Reduced inequality relevant. The Purpose of this study is to describe how red zones affect patient waiting times and mission times for the ambulance in the Western Cape province of South Africa. Method. Quantitative analysis of priority 1 assignments in one month periods in 2016, 2017 and 2018 to Hanover Park, a suburb of Cape Town. Hanover Park has been considered a red zone since September 2016. Result. Seven different time periods in the missions were analyzed, comparing the City of Cape Town and Hanover park in 2016, 2017 and 2018. Conclusion. The result shows an increase in waiting times for EMS in Hanover Park, even though the precise response time could not be described. Call times and mission times for the entire City of Cape Town seem to have increased, indicating a problem beyond the red zones, potentially affecting everyone in need of an ambulance in the city. Further studies are encouraged. / Bakgrund. I Sydafrika är våldsrelaterade brott vanligt förekommande, och interpersonellt våld är en av de vanligaste orsakerna till skada och död. Våldet kan relateras till sociala strukturer, fattigdom och inkomstskillnad. I Sydafrika lever 25% av befolkningen i extrem fattigdom och 16% av hushållen i Western Cape lever i informella bostäder. Missbruk av droger och alkohol är ett stort problem. Ambulanspersonal över hela världen utsätts för våld. De senaste åren har graden av våldshändelser mot ambulanser och dess personal i Western Cape och Kapstaden eskalerats och ett protokoll för att skydda personalen etablerats. Protokollet för Röda Zoner kräver en beväpnad eskort för ambulans och personal vid arbete i vissa områden. De röda zonerna är ofta i låginkomstområden, vilket gör FN: s hållbara utvecklingsmål för minskad ojämlikhet relevant. Syftet med denna studie är att beskriva hur röda zoner påverkar patienters väntetid och uppdragstider för ambulansen i Western Cape i Sydafrika. Metod. Kvantitativ analys av prio 1-uppdrag under en månadsperiod i 2016, 2017 och 2018 till Hanover Park, en förort till Kapstaden. Hanover Park har ansetts vara en röd zon sedan september 2016. Resultat. Sju olika tidsperioder i uppdragen analyserades, och jämfördes mellan hela Kapstaden och Hanover Park 2016, 2017 och 2018. Slutsats. Resultatet visar ökad väntetid för ambulansvård i Hanover Park, även om den exakta framkörningstiden inte kunde beskrivas. Uppdragstider för hela staden Cape Town verkar ha ökat, vilket indikerar ett problem bortom de röda zonerna, vilket potentiellt kan påverka alla som behöver en ambulans i staden. Ytterligare studier rekommenderas.

During the urbanization process, vehicles quantity increase with expansion in population. Under this situation, bus transportation system also suffers from bus delay. Bus delay could be caused by a series of factors, for instance, overload passengers, traffic jam, traffic accident and other unpredictable situations. Therefore, choosing crucial elements to efficiently evaluate bus delay is a complex problem in bus delay researches and operation management. The thesis propose an approach to evaluate and explain bus delay by two elements: traffic congestion and passengers’ waiting time. Those two elements would represent the action of external and internal factors on bus operation. This approach could be adaptive to explain the reasons for bus delays, thus to help the optimization of bus lines and give useful information for decision making of transportation company. To achieve the research aim, a GIS-T database was created by combining the GIS database and TIS database. Spatial data as well as attribute data are combined in the database to represent the crucial information for bus delay. Based on GIS-T the database, the impact of traffic congestion and passengers’ waiting time was calculated using the bus line simulation. By implementing the above steps, the main cause of bus delay was studied. A case study application of this method is narrated; focusing on optimize the bus system of Guiyang city, South China. Different methods are used to find out the problem of system and the reason for delay. Moreover, optimization suggestion is proposed according to result. Compared with other methods, the two-factor method has the advantage of locating the reason of delay for each station. The time performance is not superior to other methods. By comparing the situation of adjacent station, the proportion of traffic congestion and overload passenger in bus delay was determined. The two-factor method is applicable for other transit system in different cities which has similar structure as Guiyang. However, for cities with other structure, a feasibility should be made to select an appropriate model.

High performance grid computing is a key enabler of large scale collaborative computational science. With the promise of exascale computing, high performance grid systems are expected to incur electricity bills that grow super-linearly over time. In order to achieve cost effectiveness in these systems, it is essential for the scheduling algorithms to exploit electricity price variations, both in space and time, that are prevalent in the dynamic electricity price markets. Typically, a job submission in the batch queues used in these systems incurs a variable queue waiting time before the resources necessary for its execution become available. In variably-priced electricity markets, the electricity prices fluctuate over discrete intervals of time. Hence, the electricity prices incurred during a job execution will depend on the start and end time of the job. Our thesis consists of two parts. In the first part, we develop a method to predict the start and end time of a job at each system in the grid. In batch queue systems, similar jobs which arrive during similar system queue and processor states, experience similar queue waiting times. We have developed an adaptive algorithm for the prediction of queue waiting times on a parallel system based on spatial clustering of the history of job submissions at the system. We represent each job as a point in a feature space using the job characteristics, queue state and the state of the compute nodes at the time of job submission. For each incoming job, we use an adaptive distance function, which assigns a real valued distance to each history job submission based on its similarity to the incoming job. Using a spatial clustering algorithm and a simple empirical characterization of the system states, we identify an appropriate prediction model for the job from among standard deviation minimization method, ridge regression and k-weighted average. We have evaluated our adaptive prediction framework using historical production workload traces of many supercomputer systems with varying system and job characteristics, including two Top500 systems. Across workloads, our predictions result in up to 22% reduction in the average absolute error and up to 56% reduction in the percentage prediction errors over existing techniques. To predict the execution time of a job, we use a simple model based on the estimate of job runtime provided by the user at the time of job submission. In the second part of the thesis, we have developed a metascheduling algorithm that schedules jobs to the individual batch systems of a grid, to reduce both the electricity prices for the systems and response times for the users. We formulate the metascheduling problem as a Minimum Cost Maximum Flow problem and leverage execution period and electricity price predictions to accurately estimate the cost of job execution at a system. The network simplex algorithm is used to minimize the response time and electricity cost of job execution using an appropriate flow network. Using trace based simulation with real and synthetic workload traces, and real electricity price data sets, we demonstrate our approach on two currently operational grids, XSEDE and NorduGrid. Our experimental setup collectively constitute more than 433K processors spread across 58 compute systems in 17 geographically distributed locations. Experiments show that our approach simultaneously optimizes the total electricity cost and the average response time of the grid, without being unfair to users of the local batch systems. Considering that currently operational HPC systems budget millions of dollars for annual operational costs, our approach which can save $167K in annual electricity bills, compared to a baseline strategy, for one of the grids in our test suite with over 76000 cores, is very relevant for reducing grid operational costs in the coming years.

Les centres d’appels sont des éléments clés de presque n’importe quelle grande organisation. Le problème de gestion du travail a reçu beaucoup d’attention dans la littérature. Une formulation typique se base sur des mesures de performance sur un horizon infini, et le problème d’affectation d’agents est habituellement résolu en combinant des méthodes d’optimisation et de simulation. Dans cette thèse, nous considérons un problème d’affection d’agents pour des centres d’appels soumis a des contraintes en probabilité. Nous introduisons une formulation qui exige que les contraintes de qualité de service (QoS) soient satisfaites avec une forte probabilité, et définissons une approximation de ce problème par moyenne échantillonnale dans un cadre de compétences multiples. Nous établissons la convergence de la solution du problème approximatif vers celle du problème initial quand la taille de l’échantillon croit. Pour le cas particulier où tous les agents ont toutes les compétences (un seul groupe d’agents), nous concevons trois méthodes d’optimisation basées sur la simulation pour le problème de moyenne échantillonnale. Étant donné un niveau initial de personnel, nous augmentons le nombre d’agents pour les périodes où les contraintes sont violées, et nous diminuons le nombre d’agents pour les périodes telles que les contraintes soient toujours satisfaites après cette réduction. Des expériences numériques sont menées sur plusieurs modèles de centre d’appels à faible occupation, au cours desquelles les algorithmes donnent de bonnes solutions, i.e. la plupart des contraintes en probabilité sont satisfaites, et nous ne pouvons pas réduire le personnel dans une période donnée sont introduire de violation de contraintes. Un avantage de ces algorithmes, par rapport à d’autres méthodes, est la facilité d’implémentation. / Call centers are key components of almost any large organization. The problem of labor management has received a great deal of attention in the literature. A typical formulation of the staffing problem is in terms of infinite-horizon performance measures. The method of combining simulation and optimization is used to solve this staffing problem. In this thesis, we consider a problem of staffing call centers with respect to chance constraints. We introduce chance-constrained formulations of the scheduling problem which requires that the quality of service (QoS) constraints are met with high probability. We define a sample average approximation of this problem in a multiskill setting. We prove the convergence of the optimal solution of the sample-average problem to that of the original problem when the sample size increases. For the special case where we consider the staffing problem and all agents have all skills (a single group of agents), we design three simulation-based optimization methods for the sample problem. Given a starting solution, we increase the staffings in periods where the constraints are violated, and decrease the number of agents in several periods where decrease is acceptable, as much as possible, provided that the constraints are still satisfied. For the call center models in our numerical experiment, these algorithms give good solutions, i.e., most constraints are satisfied, and we cannot decrease any agent in any period to obtain better results. One advantage of these algorithms, compared with other methods, that they are very easy to implement.

Background: Eating disorders are serious conditions associated with an impaired health-related quality of life and increased healthcare utilization and costs. Despite the existence of evidence-based treatments, access to treatment is often delayed due to insufficient health care resources. Internet-based self-help interventions may have the potential to successfully bridge waiting time for face-to-face outpatient treatment and, thus, contribute to overcoming treatment gaps. However, little is known about the feasibility of implementing such interventions into routine healthcare. The aim of this study is to analyze the effects and feasibility of an Internet-based selfhelp intervention (everyBody Plus) specifically designed for patients with Bulimia Nervosa, Binge Eating Disorder and other specified feeding and eating disorders (OSFED) on a waiting list for outpatient face-to-face treatment. The aim of this paper is to describe the study protocol. Methods: A multi-country randomized controlled trial will be conducted in Germany and the UK. N=275 female patients awaiting outpatient treatment will be randomly allocated either to the guided online self-help intervention “everyBody Plus” or a waitlist control group condition without access to the intervention. everyBody Plus comprises eight weekly sessions that cover topics related to eating and exercise patterns, coping with negative emotions and stress as well as improving body image. Participants will receive weekly individualized feedback based on their self-monitoring and journal entries. Assessments will take place at baseline, post-intervention as well as at 6- and 12-months follow up. In addition, all participants will be asked to monitor core eating disorder symptoms weekly to provide data on the primary outcome. The primary outcome will be number of weeks after randomization until a patient achieves a clinically relevant improvement in core symptoms (BMI, binge eating, compensatory behaviors) for the first time. Secondary outcomes include frequency of core symptoms and eating disorder related attitudes and behaviors, as well as associated psychopathology. Additional secondary outcomes will be the participating therapists' confidence in treating eating disorders as well as perceived benefits of everyBody Plus for patients. Discussion: To the best of our knowledge, this is the first randomized controlled trial examining the effects of Internet-based self-help for outpatients with eating disorders awaiting face-to-face outpatient treatment. If proven to be effective and successfully implemented, Internet-based self-help programs might be used as a first step of treatment within a stepped-care approach, thus reducing burden and cost for both patients and health care providers.

El objetivo de cada ciudad, en lo referente a la movilidad y transporte, es lograr un SIT (Sistema Integrado de Transporte). Actualmente, la ciudad de Lima se encuentra en una etapa de desarrollo con el objetivo de integrar diferentes medios de transporte tales como líneas de metro, metropolitano y corredores. Sin embargo, estos aún no logran funcionar como un solo sistema, por el contrario, cada uno funciona de manera independiente ya sea en sus tarifas y medios de pago, infraestructura y localización de paraderos. Esta situación conlleva a que los usuarios del transporte público, que requieren realizar transbordos, creen sus propias interconexiones como alternativa de optimización del tiempo promedio de recorrido para suplir las necesidades que aún no puede satisfacer el actual SIT. De esta manera, muchas personas crean patrones de transbordo que ponen en riesgo su seguridad pero que mediante un rediseño de los paraderos con enfoque intercambiador pueden impulsar a que los transbordos se realicen de manera eficiente. En el presente trabajo se analizará la intersección de las Avenidas Brasil y Bolívar, ubicada en una zona comercial, mediante la simulación del modelo actual, calibrado y validado. Posteriormente, se propone una redistribución de espacios designados para paraderos y peatonales, además de una gestión de facilidades de intercambio, que reduzca el tiempo de realización de transbordos en un 15%. / The objective of every city, with respect to mobility and transport, is to achieve an Integrated Transport System. Nowadays, the city of Lima is in a stage of development with the objective of integrate different means of transport such as metro lines, bus-metro and fast lane buses. However, these means cannot work as an only whole system, on the contrary, each of them works in an independent way regarding to their payment rates, infrastructure and locations of bus stops. This situation motivates the users of public transport to create their own interconnections as an alternative to reduce the average time of travel to supply the needs that haven't been satisfied by the actual Integrated Transport System. In this way, many users create patterns of pedestrian transfer that risk their security. Nevertheless, through a redesign of the bus stops with an intermodal view the vehicle transfer process can be improved to be practiced in a more efficient way. This thesis will analyze the intersection of Brazil and Bolivar Avenues, located in a commercial area, by simulating the current model, being calibrated and validated. Subsequently, it proposes a redistribution of designated spaces for whereabouts and pedestrians, in addition to a management of exchange facilities, which reduces the time of pedestrian transfer by 15%. / Tesis

Under senare år har smartphones växt till att bli det mest populära sättet att besöka internet. I takt med detta har även väntande online blivit mer påverkat av externa faktorer kopplat till användarkontexten, exempelvis visuella och auditiva distraktioner. I studien utforskar vi nödvändiga designval vars syfte är att anpassa designen efter en allt mer varierande omgivning och påverkande distraktioner med avseende i en minskad upplevd väntetid för användaren. Vi utforskar och utvärderar olika sätt att designa med syftet att minska användarens upplevda väntetid och därmed bidra till en mer positiv helhetsupplevelse under smartphoneanvändandet. Studiens bidrag landar i tre designförslag till hur laddare kan designas för en bättre upplevd väntetid i en mobil användarkontext med externa distraktioner i åtanke. / The recent years have seen smartphone use grow to become the most popular way to access the web. With this, waiting online has also become increasingly affected by surrounding factors connected to context, for example through visual and auditory distractions. In the study, we explore necessary design-choices in order to adapt the design to the increasingly varied surroundings and distractions in a smartphone environment and to reduce the user(s) perceived waiting time. We explore and evaluate ways to design with the purpose to shorten the user(s) perceived waiting time and therefore lead to a more positive user experience during smartphone use. The study’s contribution results in three design suggestions for how loaders can be designed for a better perceived waiting time within a mobile user context with external distractions in mind. / <p>Tilldelad pris för bästa kandidatuppsats inom informatik vid Högskolan i Halmstad år 2020.</p>