Complex Systems Task Group Summaries (2009) / Chapter Skim
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Task Group Summary 7--How can we enhance robustness of engineered systems, and how can the methods of engineering analysis be extended to address issues of complexity and management in other fields?
Task Group Summary 7--How can we enhance robustness of engineered systems, and how can the methods of engineering analysis be extended to address issues of complexity and management in other fields?
Pages 59-64
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From page 59... ...
For instance, the design and operation of health care systems include both technological and human factors: how can information and incentives best be managed to enable affordable, quality healthcare, given the complex hierarchical domains involved, with levels ranging from clinical practices to the delivery of care and specific organizations? Another example is the management of the Internet, whose structure and interactions with different markets evolve constantly, requiring an understanding of both the network and the complex behaviors of their users.
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From page 60... ...
In the context of risk management, one can rely on classical statistics when that information exists and the system is stable enough; but these data are not always available or relevant to all challenges -- for instance in the design stage of new devices. Bayesian probabilities are useful to support risk management decisions, in all phases of a device life (design, testing, approval, operation, and retirement)
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From page 61... ...
:260-271. TASK GROUP MEMBERS • Fahmida Chowdhury, National Science Foundation • Jeffrey Cooper, SAIC • Tuan Duong, JPL/CIT • Theirry Emonet, Yale University • James Ferrell, Stanford University
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From page 62... ...
With this theme in mind, 11 scientists from different engineering and biological fields met at the 2008 National Academies Keck Futures Initiative Conference on Complex Systems to discuss their assigned question: How can we enhance robustness of engineered systems, and how can the methods of engineering analysis be extended to address issues of complexity and management in other fields? Robustness refers to the ability of a system to preserve itself in response to perturbations.
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From page 63... ...
An example would be the maintenance of the heat shield on United States space shuttles, which requires precise engineering as well as human and organizational factors. As we saw in 1993, human error and organizational problems at NASA led to the devastating Challenger explosion.
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From page 64... ...
The sleek and efficient body plan of the bottlenose dolphin has been exhaustively studied by submarine designers. Detailed study of the albatross wing aided aircraft manufacturers, and our newest super-computers attempt to incorporate our limited understanding of neural networks to increase processing speed.
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