Research & Development

The Viriato Algorithm Platform serves as a communication system between Viriato and external algorithms, acquiring timetable and infrastructure data from Viriato, providing them to optimisation algorithms and allowing results of algorithms to be written back to Viriato. Using this platform, trains planned by external algorithms can be managed, validated and analysed with the full functionality of Viriato. The Viriato Algorithm Platform allows collaboration between infrastructure managers or train operators and algorithmic researchers via an easy-to-understand and use interface. The Algorithm Platform puts research productivity at the forefront and allows the actors in railway operations to involve multiple professional researchers in their projects to solve algorithmic questions.

“Microscopy on Demand” (MoD) refers to a conceptual software architecture that SMA has specified and developed over the last few years. This concept makes it possible to switch easily between the macroscopic and the microscopic (i.e. highly detailed) model at all stages of the planning process. The basic tasks of planning the offer, design, verification of the driveability (including running time, occupancy calculation and conflict detection) and analysis of an existing conceptual offer (i.e. stability, capacity utilisation, vehicle circulation, etc.) can now be carried out using MoD with the most appropriate tool. Through the use of external routing, running time and conflict detection services from third party tools, the benefits of both efficiency and accuracy in timetable planning can be achieved for the user within Viriato.