Multidisciplinary design optimization

The advancement of multidisciplinary design optimization (MDO) in aerospace industry and academics, is discussed. Tel Aviv University extended the topological design method for optimal actuator placement to reduce acoustical noise of vibrating surfaces. SGI and Ford are also collaborating on concurrent high-performance computing for rapid visualization of design alternatives. Meanwhile, the University at Buffalo, extended provable convergence conditions for in-discipline decentralized MDO problems to large nonlinear constrained problems. Purdue is also extending the scope of MDO to 'systems of systems' that require understanding the interfaces between diverse knowledge domains such that effective algorithms can be developed for transportation systems.