Towards an Integral Approach of Organizations in Multi-Agent Systems

2009 ◽  
pp. 51-75 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jacques Ferber ◽  
Tiberiu Stratulat ◽  
John Tranier
Keyword(s):  
Integral Approach ◽  
Multi Agent Systems ◽  
Analysis And Design ◽  
Agent Systems ◽  
Conceptual Definition ◽  
Multi Agent ◽  
Definition Of ◽  
Four Quadrant ◽  
Collective Dimension ◽  
Agent Group

In this chapter, we stress the importance of thinking a MAS in all its aspects (agents, environment, interactions, organizations, and institutions), using a more integral vision. We show that a genuine organizational approach has to take into account both the environment and the institutional part of MAS societies. Then, we propose the MASQ (Multi-Agent System based on Quadrants) meta-model, which constitutes an abstraction of the various aspects of an OCMAS (Organization Centered Multi-Agent Systems), extending AGR (Agent/Group/Role). MASQ is based on a four-quadrant framework, where the analysis and design of a system is performed along two axes: an interior/exterior dimension and an individual/collective dimension. We give a conceptual definition of this approach and we will show that it is possible to apply it to practical models.

scholarly journals ORGANISATIONAL RULES AS AN ABSTRACTION FOR THE ANALYSIS AND DESIGN OF MULTI-AGENT SYSTEMS

2001 ◽  
Vol 11 (03) ◽  
pp. 303-328 ◽  
Author(s):  
FRANCO ZAMBONELLI ◽  
NICHOLAS R. JENNINGS ◽  
MICHAEL WOOLDRIDGE
Keyword(s):  
Role Models ◽  
Organisational Structure ◽  
Multi Agent Systems ◽  
Analysis And Design ◽  
Agent Systems ◽  
Full Picture ◽  
Multi Agent ◽  
Organisational Structures ◽  
Definition Of ◽  
Complete Specification

Multi-agent systems can very naturally be viewed as computational organisations. For this reason, we believe organisational abstractions offer a promising set of metaphors and models that can be exploited in the analysis and design of such systems. To this end, the concept of role models is increasingly being used to specify and design multi-agent systems. However, this is not the full picture. In this paper we introduce three additional organisational concepts — organisational rules, organisational structures, and organisational patterns — and discuss why we believe they are necessary for the complete specification of computational organisations. In particular, we focus on the concept of organisational rules and introduce a formalism, based on temporal logic, to specify them. This formalism is then used to drive the definition of the organisational structure and the identification of the organisational patterns. Finally, the paper sketches some guidelines for a methodology for agent-oriented systems based on our expanded set of organisational abstractions.

Containment analysis and design for general linear multi-agent systems with time-varying delays

2016 ◽  
Vol 173 ◽  
pp. 2062-2068 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiwang Dong ◽  
Liang Han ◽  
Qingdong Li ◽  
Jian Chen ◽  
Zhang Ren
Keyword(s):  
General Linear ◽  
Time Varying ◽  
Multi Agent Systems ◽  
Analysis And Design ◽  
Agent Systems ◽  
Multi Agent

Bayesian Agencies in Control

2011 ◽  
pp. 168-181
Author(s):  
Anet Potgieter ◽  
Judith Bishop
Keyword(s):  
Bayesian Networks ◽  
Autonomous Agents ◽  
Probabilistic Reasoning ◽  
Multi Agent Systems ◽  
Agent Architectures ◽  
Analysis And Design ◽  
Agent Systems ◽  
Interaction Protocols ◽  
Multi Agent ◽  
The Individual

Most agent architectures implement autonomous agents that use extensive interaction protocols and social laws to control interactions in order to ensure that the correct behaviors result during run-time. These agents, organized into multi-agent systems in which all agents adhere to predefined interaction protocols, are well suited to the analysis, design and implementation of complex systems in environments where it is possible to predict interactions during the analysis and design phases. In these multi-agent systems, intelligence resides in individual autonomous agents, rather than in the collective behavior of the individual agents. These agents are commonly referred to as “next-generation” or intelligent components, which are difficult to implement using current component-based architectures. In most distributed environments, such as the Internet, it is not possible to predict interactions during analysis and design. For a complex system to be able to adapt in such an uncertain and non-deterministic environment, we propose the use of agencies, consisting of simple agents, which use probabilistic reasoning to adapt to their environment. Our agents collectively implement distributed Bayesian networks, used by the agencies to control behaviors in response to environmental states. Each agency is responsible for one or more behaviors, and the agencies are structured into heterarchies according to the topology of the underlying Bayesian networks. We refer to our agents and agencies as “Bayesian agents” and “Bayesian agencies.”

Multi-Agent Systems as Computational Organizations

2011 ◽  
pp. 1658-1683
Author(s):  
Franco Zambonelli ◽  
Nicholas R. Jennings ◽  
Michael Wooldridge
Keyword(s):  
Software Engineering ◽  
Software Development ◽  
Systems Development ◽  
Multi Agent Systems ◽  
Design Development ◽  
Analysis And Design ◽  
Agent Systems ◽  
Multi Agent ◽  
Traditional Approaches ◽  
System Paradigm

The multi-agent system paradigm introduces a number of new design/development issues when compared with more traditional approaches to software development and calls for the adoption of new software engineering abstractions. To this end, in this chapter, we elaborate on the potential of analyzing and architecting complex multi-agent systems in terms of computational organizations. Specifically, we identify the appropriate organizational abstractions that are central to the analysis and design of such systems, discuss their role and importance, and show how such abstractions are exploited in the context of the Gaia methodology for multi-agent systems development.

Hierarchical Design Method for Multi-Agent Systems

2015 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 105-134
Author(s):  
Bouneb Messaouda ◽  
Saïdouni Djamel Eddine
Keyword(s):  
Design Methodology ◽  
Design Method ◽  
Transition System ◽  
Hierarchical Design ◽  
Multi Agent Systems ◽  
Agent Systems ◽  
Multi Agent ◽  
Labeled Transition System ◽  
System Assessment ◽  
Definition Of

This paper proposes a new hierarchical design method for the specification and the verification of multi agent systems (MAS). For this purpose, the authors propose the model of Refinable Recursive Petri Nets (RRPN) under a maximality semantics. In this model, a notion of undefined transitions is considered. The underlying semantics model is the Abstract Maximality-based Labeled Transition System (AMLTS). Hence, the model supports a definition of a hierarchical design methodology. The example of goods transportation is used for illustrating the approach. For the system assessment, the properties are expressed in CTL logic and verified using the verification environment FOCOVE (Formal Concurrency Verification Environment).

Caste-Centric Development of Agent-Oriented Information Systems

2007 ◽  
pp. 692-707 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. Shan ◽  
R. Shen ◽  
J. Wang
Keyword(s):  
Information Systems ◽  
Formal Specification ◽  
Process Model ◽  
Formal Specifications ◽  
Multi Agent Systems ◽  
Collaborative Development ◽  
Analysis And Design ◽  
Agent Systems ◽  
Multi Agent ◽  
Formal Specification Language

Based on the meta-model of information systems presented in Zhu (2006), this chapter presents a caste-centric agent-oriented methodology for evolutionary and collaborative development of information systems. It consists of a process model called growth model, and a set of agent-oriented languages and software tools that support various development activities in the process. At the requirements analysis phase, a modelling language and environment called CAMLE supports the analysis and design of information systems. The semi-formal models in CAMLE can be automatically transformed into formal specifications in SLABS, which is a formal specification language designed for formal engineering of multi-agent systems. At implementation, agent-oriented information systems are implemented directly in an agent-oriented programming language called SLABSp. The features of agent-oriented information systems in general and our methodology in particular are illustrated by an example throughout the chapter.

scholarly journals Self-organization in multi-agent systems

2005 ◽  
Vol 20 (2) ◽  
pp. 165-189 ◽  
Author(s):  
GIOVANNA DI MARZO SERUGENDO ◽  
MARIE-PIERRE GLEIZES ◽  
ANTHONY KARAGEORGOS
Keyword(s):  
Case Studies ◽  
Evaluation Criteria ◽  
Self Organization ◽  
Multi Agent Systems ◽  
Joint Work ◽  
Reference Case ◽  
Agent Systems ◽  
Common Definition ◽  
Multi Agent ◽  
Definition Of

This paper is the synthesis of joint work realised in a technical forum group within the AgentLink III NoE framework, which elaborated on issues concerning self-organization and emergence in multi-agent systems (MAS). The work concluded on a common definition of the concepts of self-organization and emergence in MAS and the associated properties and characteristics. Also it developed towards an approach for selecting self-organization mechanisms using a number of selected reference case studies and a set of evaluation criteria.

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