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In this presentation titled "Prepare Yourself Against the Zombie Epidemic," Christophe Philemotte discusses the application of disease simulation in understanding the dynamics of outbreaks, particularly in reference to zombies. This talk, delivered at the Keep Ruby Weird 2015 event, highlights the importance of agent-based models in simulating disease propagation within populations.

**Key Points:**
- **Introduction and Context**: Philemotte introduces himself as a member of the Ruby Belgium Association and emphasizes the significance of events like Ruby Dev Room for sharing knowledge.
  
- **Disease Simulation**: He explains how he develops simulations for pharmaceutical companies to understand disease dynamics, referencing a case study of a rare disease that gained attention and escalated into a highly contagious situation, illustrating the potential for real-world outbreaks.

- **Zombie Epidemic Simulation**: Using a humorous yet engaging scenario, he proposes that coding can help prepare individuals for a fictional zombie crisis. 
  
- **Agent-Based Models**: Philemotte highlights the utility of agent-based models, which allow researchers to study individual interactions within a population and observe how diseases can spread under different conditions. It involves defining agents (representing humans), their environment, and the rules governing their interactions and evolution.

- **Simulation Framework**: He details how to outline the environment on a grid where agents (zombies and humans) interact, including behaviors like seeking shelter or fighting. The aging of agents impacts their capabilities, and the simulation evolves through time steps. 
  
- **State Transitions**: The presentation explains defining agent states like health status, with transitions leading to infection upon interaction. Calibration and validation of the simulation are critical to ensure accuracy against known outcomes.

- **Live Simulation Walkthrough**: The talk culminates in a live demonstration of the simulated zombie outbreak, showcasing how agent interactions influence infection rates. He concludes with insights on survival strategies and the educational value of such simulations in understanding epidemic dynamics.

**Conclusions**: Philemotte encourages viewers to explore building their own zombie simulators, highlighting the fun and educational aspects of model-based learning in epidemiology.

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