Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for determining causal models for controlling environments. One of the methods includes repeatedly selecting, by a control system for the environment, control settings for the environment based on internal parameters of the control system, wherein: at least some of the control settings for the environment are selected based on a causal model, and the internal parameters include a first set of internal parameters that define a number of previously received performance metric values that are used to generate the causal model for a particular controllable element; obtaining, for each selected control setting, a performance metric value; determining that generating the causal model for the particular controllable element would result in higher system performance; and adjusting, based on the determining, the first set of internal parameters.

Abstract: Systems and methods for organizing and controlling the display of content, then measuring the effectiveness of that content in modifying behavior, within a particular temporal and special dimension, so as to minimize or eliminate confounding effects.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for determining causal models for controlling environments. One of the methods includes identifying a procedural instance; determining a temporal extent for the procedural instance based on temporal extent parameters for the one or more entities in the procedural instance; selecting control settings for the procedural instance; monitoring environment responses to the control settings that are received for the one or more entities; determining which of the environment responses to attribute to the procedural instance in a causal model; and adjusting, based at least in part on the environment responses that are attributed to the procedural instance, the temporal extent parameters for the one or more entities.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for determining causal models for controlling environments. One of the methods includes repeatedly selecting control settings for the environment based on (i) a causal model that identifies causal relationships between possible settings for controllable elements in the environment and environment responses that reflect a performance of the control system in controlling the environment and (ii) current values of a set of internal parameters; and during the repeatedly selecting: monitoring environment responses to the selected control settings; determining, based on the environment responses, an indication that one or more properties of the environment have changed; and in response, modifying the current values of one or more of the internal parameters.

Abstract: Systems and methods for organizing and controlling the display of content, then measuring the effectiveness of that content in modifying behavior, within a particular temporal and spatial dimension, so as to minimize or eliminate confounding effects.

Abstract: At least some aspects of the present disclosure feature systems and methods for delivering content to a mobile device. In one embodiment, the system receives location information of the mobile device and determines a response duration. The system selects a content piece to deliver to the mobile device based on information regarding content comparisons or experimental units.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for determining causal models for controlling environments. One of the methods includes identifying a procedural instance; determining a temporal extent for the procedural instance based on temporal extent parameters for the one or more entities in the procedural instance; selecting control settings for the procedural instance; monitoring environment responses to the control settings that are received for the one or more entities; determining which of the environment responses to attribute to the procedural instance in a causal model; and adjusting, based at least in part on the environment responses that are attributed to the procedural instance, the temporal extent parameters for the one or more entities.

Abstract: Systems and methods for organizing and controlling the display of content, then measuring the effectiveness of that content in modifying behavior, within a particular temporal and spatial dimension, so as to minimize or eliminate confounding effects.

Abstract: Systems and methods for organizing and controlling the display of content, then measuring the effectiveness of that content in modifying behavior, within a particular temporal and special dimension, so as to minimize or eliminate confounding effects.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for determining causal models for controlling environments.

Abstract: Systems and methods for organizing and controlling the display of content, then measuring the effectiveness of that content in modifying behavior, within a particular temporal and special dimension, so as to minimize or eliminate confounding effects.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for determining causal models for controlling environments.

Abstract: Systems and methods for organizing and controlling the display of content, then measuring the effectiveness of that content in modifying behavior, within a particular temporal and special dimension, so as to minimize or eliminate confounding effects.

Abstract: A method is provided that comprises determining a first time period during which a first product is available in an inventory at a point of purchase according to a model that uses (a) sales data, (b) inventory data, or (c) both sales data and inventory data. The inventory data comprises data from an inventory management system, sampled during the first time period, as an input. The method further comprises determining a second time period during which the first product is unavailable in the inventory according to the model and comparing a first time period sales data to a second time period sales data to determine a product unavailability effect. The method also comprises using the product unavailability effect to change an assortment at the point of purchase.

Abstract: Systems and methods for organizing and controlling the display of content, then measuring the effectiveness of that content in modifying behavior, within a particular temporal and special dimension, so as to minimize or eliminate confounding effects.

Abstract: At least some aspects of the present disclosure feature systems and methods for delivering content to a mobile device. In one embodiment, the system receives location information of the mobile device and determines a response duration. The system selects a content piece to deliver to the mobile device based on information regarding content comparisons or experimental units.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for selecting settings for a treatment of a patient. In one aspect, the method comprises repeatedly performing the following: i) selecting a configuration of input settings for providing a treatment to a patient based on a causal model that measures current causal relationships between input settings and effects of treatments on the patient; ii) receiving a measure of an effect of the treatment on the patient; and iii) adjusting, based on the measure of the effect of the treatment on the patient, the causal model.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for determining causal models for controlling environments.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for designing a clinical trial. In one aspect, the method comprises repeatedly performing the following: i) selecting, from a population of patients, patients for being treated with the treatment using a configuration of input settings, wherein the configuration is selected based on a causal model that measures current causal relationships between input settings and a measure of success of the clinical trial; ii) determining the measure of success of the clinical trial for which patients were selected using the certain configuration of input settings; and iii) adjusting, based on the measure of success of the clinical trial, the causal model.

Abstract: A method of optimizing a plurality of control signals used in operating a vehicle is described. The operation has a plurality of associated measurable parameters. The method includes: for each control signal, selecting a plurality of potential optimum values from a predetermined set; operating the vehicle in at least a first sequence of operation iterations, where for each pair of sequential first and second operation iterations in the first sequence of operation iterations, the potential optimum value of one control signal in the first operation iteration is replaced in the second operation iteration with a next potential optimum value of the control signal, while the potential optimum values of the remaining control signals are maintained; for each operation iteration, measuring each parameter in the plurality of measurable parameters; and generating confidence intervals for the control signals to determine causal relationships between the control signals and the measurable parameters.