Mathematicians to solve six business problems in one week

Next week, more than 60 mathematicians will take on the challenge of answering questions posed by businesses: come up with a better radiation plan for cancer patients, draw optimal routes for high voltage cables, speed up MRI scans, create a more energy-efficient app, accurately predict the life expectancy of ball bearings, and improve weather forecasts. The mathematicians come from every university in the Netherlands, as well as a number of other countries.

“Mathematicians are employed in many companies and non-profit organisations, but for innovative solutions these organisations often need more specialised mathematical knowledge. For example, today’s problems often require smarter mathematical computation methods, because computers are beginning to reach the limits of their calculation capacity”, according to Dr. Tobias Muller of Utrecht University and chairman of the ‘European Study Group Mathematics with Industry’, which organised the event. The selected questions were submitted by the Netherlands Cancer Institute, the British Network Mapping Group, Philips Healthcare, Mobidot, SKF and the KNMI.

Pressure cooker

Mathematics and Industry is meant to be a ‘pressure cooker’; on Monday the companies will explain their problems, and from Tuesday to Thursday the teams will lock themselves in to work on the solution, which will be presented on Friday. The mathematicians include university professors and talented graduate students. The effectiveness of the concept has been proven time and time again; more than 105 editions have been organised since 1968, and they have been an annual event in the Netherlands since 1998.

Questions

The Netherlands Cancer Institute asked for the mathematicians to come up with a smart calculation method to quickly adjust the radiation dosage plan to suit changing anatomy. The Network Mapping Group wants a method that will allow them to calculate the optimal route for high voltage cables, taking all of the costs into consideration. Philips Healthcare needs to convert the signals produced by an MRI scanner extremely quickly in order to obtain a correct image. Mobidot wants to get the same amount of information about passenger transport from an app using less data. The mathematicians have been asked to design a test programme for SKF that more accurately predicts the life expectancy of their ball bearings. And finally, the KNMI wants to be able to link different dynamic atmospheric models as intelligently as possible in order to better forecast weather and climate conditions.

Mathematics and Industry is financed in part by STW, NWO and the Dutch Royal Mathematics Society.

More information

Monica van der Garde, press officer faculteit Bètawetenschappen, m.vandergarde@uu.nl, 06 -13 66 438.