Engineering Approaches for Programming Agent-Based IoT Objects Using the Resource Management Architecture

The Internet of Things (IoT) allows the sharing of information among devices in a network. Hardware evolutions have enabled the employment of cognitive agents on top of such devices, which could help to adopt pro-active and autonomous IoT systems. Agents are autonomous entities from Artificial Intelligence capable of sensing (perceiving) the environment where they are situated. Then, with these captured perceptions, they can reason and act pro-actively. However, some agent approaches are created for a specific domain or application when dealing with embedded systems and hardware interfacing. In addition, the agent architecture can compromise the system’s performance because of the number of perceptions that agents can access. This paper presents three engineering approaches for creating IoT Objects using Embedded Multi-agent systems (MAS)—as cognitive systems at the edge of an IoT network—connecting, acting, and sharing information with a re-engineered IoT architecture based on the Sensor as a Service model. These engineering approaches use Belief-Desire-Intention (BDI) agents and the JaCaMo framework. In addition, it is expected to diversify the designers’ choice in applying embedded MAS in IoT systems. We also present a case study to validate the whole re-engineered architecture and the approaches. Moreover, some performance tests and comparisons are also presented. The study case shows that each approach is more or less suitable depending on the domain tackled. The performance tests show that the re-engineered IoT architecture is scalable and that there are some trade-offs in adopting one or another approach. The contributions of this paper are an architecture for sharing resources in an IoT network, the use of embedded MAS on top IoT Objects, and three engineering approaches considering agent and artifacts dimensions.

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The INGENIAS Methodology and Tools

Agent-Oriented Methodologies ◽

10.4018/978-1-59140-581-8.ch009 ◽

2011 ◽

pp. 236-276 ◽

Cited By ~ 101

Author(s):

Juan Pavon ◽

Jorge J. Gomez-Sanz ◽

Rubén Fuentes

Keyword(s):

Code Generation ◽

Development Process ◽

Business Case ◽

Multi Agent Systems ◽

Agent Based ◽

Support Tools ◽

Business Case Study ◽

Multi Agent ◽

Automated Code Generation

INGENIAS provides a notation for modeling multi-agent systems (MAS) and a well-defined collection of activities to guide the development process of an MAS in the tasks of analysis, design, verification, and code generation, supported by an integrated set of tools—the INGENIAS Development Kit (IDK). These tools, as well as the INGENIAS notation, are based on five meta-models that define the different views and concepts from which a multi-agent system can be described. Using meta-models has the advantage of flexibility for evolving the methodology and adopting changes to the notation. In fact, one of the purposes in the conception of this methodology is to integrate progressive advances in agent technology, towards a standard for agent-based systems modeling that could facilitate the adoption of the agent approach by the software industry. The chapter presents a summary of the INGENIAS notation, development process, and support tools. The use of INGENIAS is demonstrated in an e-business case study. This case study includes concerns about the development process, modeling with agent concepts, and implementation with automated code generation facilities.

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Negotiation in Agent Based Manufacturing Scheduling Using Auction Models

Manufacturing Engineering and Materials Handling, Parts A and B ◽

10.1115/imece2005-80905 ◽

2005 ◽

Author(s):

Chun Wang ◽

Weiming Shen ◽

Hamada Ghenniwa

Keyword(s):

Theoretical Models ◽

Shop Floor ◽

Multi Agent Systems ◽

Solution Quality ◽

Manufacturing Scheduling ◽

Agent Based ◽

Auction Models ◽

Auction Mechanisms ◽

Multi Agent

This paper investigates issues in the application of auctions as negotiation mechanisms to agent based manufacturing scheduling. We model the negotiation environments that agents encounter as inter-enterprise environment and intra-enterprise environment. A formulation of intra-enterprise scheduling economy is presented. We proved that at price equilibrium, the solution computed by the agents in the economy is a Pareto optimal. AS our first attempt, we formally formulate automated auction configuration as an optimization problem. By solving the problem adaptive negotiation in multi-agent systems can be achieved. In addition to the theoretical models, we discussed various types of auction mechanisms and their applications to agent based manufacturing scheduling. Heuristics and procedures are proposed for solving the automated auction configuration problem. To validate the analysis and proposed approaches, as a case study, we apply the automated auction configuration heuristics and the procedure to an agent based shop floor scheduling environment. Experimental results show that the auction protocol selected by the proposed heuristics provides correct system functionalities. In addition, we compared the selected mechanism with other candidate mechanisms. We found that the selected one performs better in terms of reducing communication cost and improving solution quality.

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Engineering e-Collaboration Services with a Multi-Agent System Approach

International Journal of Systems and Service-Oriented Engineering ◽

10.4018/jssoe.2010092101 ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 1 (1) ◽

pp. 1-25 ◽

Cited By ~ 10

Author(s):

Dickson K.W. Chiu ◽

S.C. Cheung ◽

Ho-fung Leung ◽

Patrick C.K. Hung ◽

Eleanna Kafeza ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mobile Technologies ◽

Multi Agent Systems ◽

Intelligent Support ◽

Agent Based ◽

Bdi Agent ◽

Multi Agent ◽

Key Dimensions ◽

Mas Infrastructure ◽

Organization Boundaries

With recent advances in mobile technologies and e-commerce infrastructures, there have been increasing demands for the expansion of collaboration services within and across systems. In particular, human collaboration requirements should be considered together with those for systems and their components. Agent technologies have been deployed in order to model and implement e-commerce activities as multi-agent systems (MAS). Agents are able to provide assistance on behalf of their users or systems in collaboration services. As such, we advocate the engineering of e-collaboration support by means of MAS in the following three key dimensions: (i) across multiple platforms, (ii) across organization boundaries, and (iii) agent-based intelligent support. To archive this, we present a MAS infrastructure to facilitate systems and human collaboration (or e-collaboration) activities based on the belief-desire-intension (BDI) agent architecture, constraint technology, and contemporary Web Services. Further, the MAS infrastructure also provides users with different options of agent support on different platforms. Motivated by the requirements of mobile professional workforces in large enterprises, the authors present their development and adaptation methodology for e-collaboration services with a case study of constraint-based collaboration protocol from a three-tier implementation architecture aspect. They evaluate our approach from the perspective of three main stakeholders of e-collaboration, which include users, management, and systems developers.

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Engineering e-Collaboration Services with a Multi-Agent System Approach

Theoretical and Analytical Service-Focused Systems Design and Development ◽

10.4018/978-1-4666-1767-4.ch001 ◽

2012 ◽

pp. 1-23

Author(s):

Dickson K.W. ◽

S.C. Cheung ◽

Ho-fung Leung ◽

Patrick Hung ◽

Eleanna Kafeza ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mobile Technologies ◽

Multi Agent Systems ◽

Intelligent Support ◽

Agent Based ◽

Bdi Agent ◽

Multi Agent ◽

Key Dimensions ◽

Mas Infrastructure ◽

Organization Boundaries

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Efficient Performative Actions for E-Commerce Agents

Applied Computer Systems ◽

10.2478/acss-2020-0003 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 25 (1) ◽

pp. 19-32

Author(s):

Awais Qasim ◽

Hafiz Muhammad Basharat Ameen ◽

Zeeshan Aziz ◽

Adnan Khalid

Keyword(s):

Primary Objective ◽

Semantic Interpretation ◽

Multi Agent Systems ◽

Specific Domain ◽

Agent Systems ◽

Agent Platforms ◽

Multi Agent ◽

Time Required ◽

Network Overhead

AbstractThe foundational features of multi-agent systems are communication and interaction with other agents. To achieve these features, agents have to transfer messages in the predefined format and semantics. The communication among these agents takes place with the help of ACL (Agent Communication Language). ACL is a predefined language for communication among agents that has been standardised by the FIPA (Foundation for Intelligent Physical Agent). FIPA-ACL defines different performatives for communication among the agents. These performatives are generic, and it becomes computationally expensive to use them for a specific domain like e-commerce. These performatives do not define the exact meaning of communication for any specific domain like e-commerce. In the present research, we introduced new performatives specifically for e-commerce domain. Our designed performatives are based on FIPA-ACL so that they can still support communication within diverse agent platforms. The proposed performatives are helpful in modelling e-commerce negotiation protocol applications using the paradigm of multi-agent systems for efficient communication. For exact semantic interpretation of the proposed performatives, we also performed formal modelling of these performatives using BNF. The primary objective of our research was to provide the negotiation facility to agents, working in an e-commerce domain, in a succinct way to reduce the number of negotiation messages, time consumption and network overhead on the platform. We used an e-commerce based bidding case study among agents to demonstrate the efficiency of our approach. The results showed that there was a lot of reduction in total time required for the bidding process.

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A Programming Approach to Collective Autonomy

Journal of Sensor and Actuator Networks ◽

10.3390/jsan10020027 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 10 (2) ◽

pp. 27

Author(s):

Roberto Casadei ◽

Gianluca Aguzzi ◽

Mirko Viroli

Keyword(s):

Autonomous Vehicles ◽

Autonomic Computing ◽

Autonomous Agents ◽

Programming Approach ◽

Multi Agent Systems ◽

Agent Systems ◽

Multi Agent ◽

Simulated Case ◽

Complex Settings

Research and technology developments on autonomous agents and autonomic computing promote a vision of artificial systems that are able to resiliently manage themselves and autonomously deal with issues at runtime in dynamic environments. Indeed, autonomy can be leveraged to unburden humans from mundane tasks (cf. driving and autonomous vehicles), from the risk of operating in unknown or perilous environments (cf. rescue scenarios), or to support timely decision-making in complex settings (cf. data-centre operations). Beyond the results that individual autonomous agents can carry out, a further opportunity lies in the collaboration of multiple agents or robots. Emerging macro-paradigms provide an approach to programming whole collectives towards global goals. Aggregate computing is one such paradigm, formally grounded in a calculus of computational fields enabling functional composition of collective behaviours that could be proved, under certain technical conditions, to be self-stabilising. In this work, we address the concept of collective autonomy, i.e., the form of autonomy that applies at the level of a group of individuals. As a contribution, we define an agent control architecture for aggregate multi-agent systems, discuss how the aggregate computing framework relates to both individual and collective autonomy, and show how it can be used to program collective autonomous behaviour. We exemplify the concepts through a simulated case study, and outline a research roadmap towards reliable aggregate autonomy.

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Exploring management strategies for community-based forests using multi-agent systems: A case study in Palawan, Philippines

Journal of Environmental Management ◽

10.1016/j.jenvman.2009.06.016 ◽

2009 ◽

Vol 90 (11) ◽

pp. 3607-3615 ◽

Cited By ~ 13

Author(s):

Paolo C. Campo ◽

Guillermo A. Mendoza ◽

Philippe Guizol ◽

Teodoro R. Villanueva ◽

François Bousquet

Keyword(s):

Management Strategies ◽

Multi Agent Systems ◽

Community Based ◽

Agent Systems ◽

Multi Agent

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An agent-based supplier selection framework

Strategic Outsourcing An International Journal ◽

10.1108/so-01-2015-0003 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 8 (2/3) ◽

pp. 180-205 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

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.

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A Case Study in Hybrid Multi-threading and Hierarchical Reinforcement Learning Approach for Cooperative Multi-agent Systems

2015 Fourteenth Mexican International Conference on Artificial Intelligence (MICAI) ◽

10.1109/micai.2015.20 ◽

2015 ◽

Author(s):

Hiram Ponce ◽

Ricardo Padilla ◽

Alan Davalos ◽

Alvaro Herrasti ◽

Cynthia Pichardo ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Reinforcement Learning ◽

Learning Approach ◽

Multi Agent Systems ◽

Agent Systems ◽

Hierarchical Reinforcement Learning ◽

Multi Agent

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Use of the Multi-Agent Paradigm in Sustainable Tourism

Czech Journal of Tourism ◽

10.1515/cjot-2018-0001 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 7 (1) ◽

pp. 5-24 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

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.

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