Microsimulation

Microsimulation is the use of computerized analytical tools to perform analysis of activities such as highway traffic flowing through an intersection, financial transactions, or pathogens spreading disease through a population on the granularity level of individuals.

[2] Microsimulation, with its emphasis on stochastic or rule-based structures, should not be confused with the similar complementary technique of multi-agent simulation, which focuses more on the behaviour of individuals.

A set of rules (transition probabilities) are then applied to these units leading to simulated changes in state and behaviour.

EUROMOD is a static microsimulation model for 27 European Union states, while SOUTHMOD adopts the same framework for several countries in the Global South.

Microsimulation has its greatest strength in modelling congested road networks due to its ability to simulate queueing conditions.

Microsimulation models will continue to provide results at high degrees of saturation, up to the point of absolute gridlock.

[6] Microsimulation also reflects even relatively small changes in the physical environment such as the narrowing of lanes or the relocation of junction stop lines.

In recent years, microsimulation modelling has gained attention in its ability to visually represent predicted traffic behaviour through 3D animation, enabling laypeople such as politicians and the general public to fully appreciate the impacts of a proposed scheme.

Further advances are being made in this area with the merging of microsimulation model data with cinematic quality 3D animation and with virtual reality by such companies as FORUM8 in Japan.

Several examples of microsimulation models in health sciences have been brought together in the U.S. National Cancer Institute's CISNET program (http://cisnet.cancer.gov/).