Multi-agent systems to enable Industry 4.0

2020 ◽  
Vol 68 (6) ◽  
pp. 445-458
Author(s):  
Birgit Vogel-Heuser ◽  
Matthias Seitz ◽  
Luis Alberto Cruz Salazar ◽  
Felix Gehlhoff ◽  
Alaettin Dogan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Value Creation ◽  
Industry 4.0 ◽  
Clear Understanding ◽  
Multi Agent Systems ◽  
Discussion Paper ◽  
Agent Based ◽  
Self Organized ◽  
Message Structure ◽  
Multi Agent ◽  
And Control

AbstractThe discussion paper “I4.0 language: vocabulary, message structure and semantic interaction protocols of the I4.0 language”, published by the working group “Semantics and Interaction of Industry 4.0 Components” of the GMA, also known as UAG of the AG 1 of the platform Industry 4.0 (I4.0), presented a concept for the language between I4.0 components. The main conclusion is: The increasing networking and cooperation of components enable new forms of organization and control. A clear understanding of machine interactions paves self-organized and self-optimized value creation in I4.0. Agent-based systems are an option for the realization of such I4.0 architectures. Due to their features, software agents are particularly well suited for representing I4.0 components and enabling I4.0 interactions. Agents are not only able to understand the necessary machine languages, but also the essential mechanisms for self-organization and self-optimization in value creation. The paper focuses on I4.0 scenarios described by the Platform I4.0 that describes challenges for the industry towards its digital future and demonstrates how emerging challenges in the area of I4.0 can be met with the help of agent-based systems.

scholarly journals Self-organized division of cognitive labor

PLoS ONE ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (7) ◽  
pp. e0254532
Author(s):  
Edgar Andrade-Lotero ◽  
Robert L. Goldstone
Keyword(s):  
Computational Model ◽  
Division Of Labor ◽  
Group Dynamics ◽  
Clear Understanding ◽  
Multi Agent Systems ◽  
Cognitive Mechanisms ◽  
Self Organized ◽  
Potential Applications ◽  
Multi Agent ◽  
Person Game

Often members of a group benefit from dividing the group’s task into separate components, where each member specializes their role so as to accomplish only one of the components. While this division of labor phenomenon has been observed with respect to both manual and cognitive labor, there is no clear understanding of the cognitive mechanisms allowing for its emergence, especially when there are multiple divisions possible and communication is limited. Indeed, maximization of expected utility often does not differentiate between alternative ways in which individuals could divide labor. We developed an iterative two-person game in which there are multiple ways of dividing labor, but in which it is not possible to explicitly negotiate a division. We implemented the game both as a human experimental task and as a computational model. Our results show that the majority of human dyads can finish the game with an efficient division of labor. Moreover, we fitted our computational model to the behavioral data, which allowed us to explain how the perceived similarity between a player’s actions and the task’s focal points guided the players’ choices from one round to the other, thus bridging the group dynamics and its underlying cognitive process. Potential applications of this model outside cognitive science include the improvement of cooperation in human groups, multi-agent systems, as well as human-robot collaboration.

Dynamic Generation and Control of Optimally Persistent Formation for Multi-agent Systems

2014 ◽  
Vol 39 (9) ◽  
pp. 1431-1438 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiao-Yuan LUO ◽  
Shi-Kai SHAO ◽  
Xin-Ping GUAN ◽  
Yuan-Jie ZHAO
Keyword(s):  
Multi Agent Systems ◽  
Agent Systems ◽  
Multi Agent ◽  
Dynamic Generation ◽  
And Control

scholarly journals Drone Swarms as Networked Control Systems by Integration of Networking and Computing

Sensors ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (8) ◽  
pp. 2642
Author(s):  
Godwin Asaamoning ◽  
Paulo Mendes ◽  
Denis Rosário ◽  
Eduardo Cerqueira
Keyword(s):  
Control Systems ◽  
Networked Control Systems ◽  
Cooperative Behavior ◽  
Networked Control ◽  
Multi Agent Systems ◽  
Wireless Communication Network ◽  
Self Organized ◽  
Design Choice ◽  
Multi Agent ◽  
Computational Systems

The study of multi-agent systems such as drone swarms has been intensified due to their cooperative behavior. Nonetheless, automating the control of a swarm is challenging as each drone operates under fluctuating wireless, networking and environment constraints. To tackle these challenges, we consider drone swarms as Networked Control Systems (NCS), where the control of the overall system is done enclosed within a wireless communication network. This is based on a tight interconnection between the networking and computational systems, aiming to efficiently support the basic control functionality, namely data collection and exchanging, decision-making, and the distribution of actuation commands. Based on a literature analysis, we do not find revision papers about design of drone swarms as NCS. In this review, we introduce an overview of how to develop self-organized drone swarms as NCS via the integration of a networking system and a computational system. In this sense, we describe the properties of the proposed components of a drone swarm as an NCS in terms of networking and computational systems. We also analyze their integration to increase the performance of a drone swarm. Finally, we identify a potential design choice, and a set of open research challenges for the integration of network and computing in a drone swarm as an NCS.

scholarly journals Self-Organized Crowd Dynamics: Research on Earthquake Emergency Response Patterns of Drill-Trained Individuals Based on GIS and Multi-Agent Systems Methodology

Sensors ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (4) ◽  
pp. 1353
Author(s):  
Hai Sun ◽  
Lanling Hu ◽  
Wenchi Shou ◽  
Jun Wang
Keyword(s):  
Quantitative Relation ◽  
Response Patterns ◽  
Multi Agent Systems ◽  
Systems Methodology ◽  
Cellular Automata Model ◽  
Self Organized ◽  
Multi Agent ◽  
Exit Choice ◽  
Evacuation Plan ◽  
Exit Options

Predicting evacuation patterns is useful in emergency management situations such as an earthquake. To find out how pre-trained individuals interact with one another to achieve their own goal to reach the exit as fast as possible firstly, we investigated urban people’s evacuation behavior under earthquake disaster coditions, established crowd response rules in emergencies, and described the drill strategy and exit familiarity quantitatively through a cellular automata model. By setting different exit familiarity ratios, simulation experiments under different strategies were conducted to predict people’s reactions before an emergency. The corresponding simulation results indicated that the evacuees’ training level could affect a multi-exit zone’s evacuation pattern and clearance time. Their exit choice preferences may disrupt the exit options’ balance, leading to congestion in some of the exits. Secondly, due to people’s rejection of long distances, congestion, and unfamiliar exits, some people would hesitant about the evacuation direction during the evacuation process. This hesitation would also significantly reduce the overall evacuation efficiency. Finally, taking a community in Zhuhai City, China, as an example, put forward the best urban evacuation drill strategy. The quantitative relation between exit familiar level and evacuation efficiency was obtained. The final results showed that the optimized evacuation plan could improve evacuation’s overall efficiency through the self-organization effect. These studies may have some impact on predicting crowd behavior during evacuation and designing the evacuation plan.

scholarly journals Determining asymptotically large population sizes in insect swarms

2014 ◽  
Vol 11 (99) ◽  
pp. 20140710 ◽  
Author(s):  
James G. Puckett ◽  
Nicholas T. Ouellette
Keyword(s):  
Group Dynamics ◽  
Large Population ◽  
Environmental Cues ◽  
Multi Agent Systems ◽  
Strong Constraint ◽  
Agent Systems ◽  
Self Organized ◽  
Large Numbers ◽  
Population Sizes ◽  
Multi Agent

Social animals commonly form aggregates that exhibit emergent collective behaviour, with group dynamics that are distinct from the behaviour of individuals. Simple models can qualitatively reproduce such behaviour, but only with large numbers of individuals. But how rapidly do the collective properties of animal aggregations in nature emerge with group size? Here, we study swarms of Chironomus riparius midges and measure how their statistical properties change as a function of the number of participating individuals. Once the swarms contain order 10 individuals, we find that all statistics saturate and the swarms enter an asymptotic regime. The influence of environmental cues on the swarm morphology decays on a similar scale. Our results provide a strong constraint on how rapidly swarm models must produce collective states. But our findings support the feasibility of using swarms as a design template for multi-agent systems, because self-organized states are possible even with few agents.

An agent-based supplier selection framework

2015 ◽  
Vol 8 (2/3) ◽  
pp. 180-205 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alireza Jahani ◽  
Masrah Azrifah Azmi Murad ◽  
Md. Nasir bin Sulaiman ◽  
Mohd. Hasan Selamat
Keyword(s):  
Supply Chain ◽  
Supplier Selection ◽  
Information Overload ◽  
Case Based Reasoning ◽  
Multi Agent Systems ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Agent Based ◽  
Common Framework ◽  
Multi Agent ◽  
Case Based

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to propose an approach that integrates three complementary perspectives, multi-agent systems, fuzzy logic and case-based reasoning. Unsatisfied customers, information overload and high uncertainty are the main challenges that are faced by today’s supply chains. In addition, a few existing agent-based approaches are tied to real-world supply chain functions like supplier selection. These approaches are static and do not adequately take the qualitative and quantitative factors into consideration. Therefore, an agent-based framework is needed to address these issues. Design/methodology/approach – The proposed approach integrates three complementary perspectives, multi-agent systems, fuzzy logic and case-based reasoning, as a common framework. These perspectives were rarely used together as a common framework in previous studies. Furthermore, an exploratory case study in an office furniture company is undertaken to illustrate the value of the framework. Findings – The proposed agent-based framework evaluates supply offers based on customers’ preferences, recommends alternative products in the case of stock-out and provides a collaborative environment among agents who represent different supply chain entities. The proposed fuzzy case-based reasoning (F-CBR) approach reduces the information overload by organizing them into the relevant cases that causes less overall search between cases. In addition, its fuzzy aspect addresses the high uncertainty of supply chains, especially when there are different customers’ orders with different preferences. Research limitations/implications – The present study does not include the functions of inventory management and negotiation between agents. Furthermore, only the case description and case retrieval phases of the case-based reasoning approach are investigated, and the remaining phases like case retaining, case reusing and case revising are not included in the scope of this paper. Originality/value – This framework balances the interests of different supply chain structural elements where each of them is represented by a specific agent for better collaboration, decision-making and problem-solving in a multi-agent environment. In addition, the supplier selection and order gathering mechanisms are developed based on customers’ orders.

Benchmarking and Robust Multi-Agent-Based Production Planning and Control

2003 ◽  
Vol 36 (3) ◽  
pp. 249-254
Author(s):  
Daniel Frey ◽  
Jens Nimis ◽  
Heinz Wörn ◽  
Peter Lockemann
Keyword(s):  
Production Planning ◽  
Production Planning And Control ◽  
Agent Based ◽  
Planning And Control ◽  
Multi Agent ◽  
And Control

scholarly journals Use of the Multi-Agent Paradigm in Sustainable Tourism

2018 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 5-24 ◽  
Author(s):  
Martina Husáková
Keyword(s):  
Complex Systems ◽  
Sustainable Tourism ◽  
Multi Agent Systems ◽  
Economic Prosperity ◽  
Cultural Economic ◽  
Bottom Up ◽  
Agent Based ◽  
Agent Systems ◽  
Multi Agent ◽  
In Silico Models

Abstract Complex systems are characterised by a huge amount of components, which are highly linked with each other. Tourism is one of the examples of complex systems collecting various activities leading to the enrichment of travellers in the view of receiving new experiences and increasing economic prosperity of specific destinations. The complex systems can be investigated with various bottom-up and top-down approaches. The multi-agent-based modelling is the bottom-up approach that is focused on the representation of individual entities for the exploration of possible interactions among them and their effects on surrounding environments. These systems are able to integrate knowledge of socio-cultural, economic, physical, biological or environmental systems for in-silico models development, which can be used for experimentation with a system. The main aim of the presented text is to introduce links between tourism, complexity and to advocate usefulness of the multi-agent-based systems for the exploration of tourism and its sustainability. The evaluation of suitability of the multi-agent systems in tourism is based on the investigation of fundamental characteristics of these two systems and on the review of specific applications of the multi-agent systems in sustainable tourism.

scholarly journals AGENT-BASED CROWD SIMULATION CONSIDERING EMOTION CONTAGION FOR EMERGENCY EVACUATION PROBLEM

2015 ◽  
Vol XL-1-W5 ◽  
pp. 193-196 ◽  
Author(s):  
H. Faroqi ◽  
M.-S. Mesgari
Keyword(s):  
Emergency Situation ◽  
Emergency Evacuation ◽  
Multi Agent Systems ◽  
Agent Based ◽  
Emergency Evacuations ◽  
R Language ◽  
Simulated Model ◽  
Agent Simulation ◽  
Adults And Children ◽  
Multi Agent

During emergencies, emotions greatly affect human behaviour. For more realistic multi-agent systems in simulations of emergency evacuations, it is important to incorporate emotions and their effects on the agents. In few words, emotional contagion is a process in which a person or group influences the emotions or behavior of another person or group through the conscious or unconscious induction of emotion states and behavioral attitudes. In this study, we simulate an emergency situation in an open square area with three exits considering Adults and Children agents with different behavior. Also, Security agents are considered in order to guide Adults and Children for finding the exits and be calm. Six levels of emotion levels are considered for each agent in different scenarios and situations. The agent-based simulated model initialize with the random scattering of agent populations and then when an alarm occurs, each agent react to the situation based on its and neighbors current circumstances. The main goal of each agent is firstly to find the exit, and then help other agents to find their ways. Numbers of exited agents along with their emotion levels and damaged agents are compared in different scenarios with different initialization in order to evaluate the achieved results of the simulated model. NetLogo 5.2 is used as the multi-agent simulation framework with R language as the developing language.

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