Multi-agent collaborative design system model based on the internet and experiments

Collaborative systems are distributed multiple-user systems that are both concurrent and synchronized. An interesting research challenge is to develop a collaborative modeling system that offers all facilities of advanced modeling systems to its users, while at the same time providing them with the necessary coordination mechanisms that guarantee an effective collaboration. To achieve this, a web-based collaborative feature modeling system, webSPIFF, has been developed. It has a client-server architecture, with an advanced feature modeling system as a basis for the server, providing feature validation, multiple views and sophisticated visualization facilities. A good distribution of the functionality between the server and the clients has resulted in a well-balanced system. On the one hand, the server offers all the functionality of the original feature modeling system. On the other hand, all desirable interactive modeling functionality is offered by the clients, ranging from display of sophisticated feature model images to interactive model specification facilities. The architecture of webSPIFF, the distribution of model data, the functionality of the server and the clients, and the communication mechanisms are described. It is shown that a good compromise between interactivity and network load has been achieved, and that indeed advanced modeling with a collaborative system is feasible.

The MAS (Multi-Agent System) theory is already widely applied to the mechanical machining, especially the study on the robot. This paper puts forward a multi-Agent alliance control model that is made up of the series robot Agent, the parallel moving platform Agent and the polishing tool system Agent and so on by the MAS theory. Through the introduction of point-curve constraint, the dynamics of the constraint multi-rigid body equation for the polishing system is established in order to accurately program the moving track of the robots. Meanwhile, the control parameters during the polishing can be optimized. The satisfied polishing effect on the curved surfaces can be obtained and the demand of the polishing can be achieved by the MAS.

The paper proposes a new approach as an alternative to full automation of processes that meets current economic trends — collaborative multi-agent systems. In this concept, people and robots are considered as agents in a single sensory-information field, who perform tasks to achieve the goals of the collaborative multi-agent system. The urgency of collaborative multi-agent systems results from the fact that the industrial use of fully automated multi-component systems is limited by the financial and infrastructural unavailability of various industries to switch to completely unmanned technologies. The proposed approach combines the latest, but remaining quite recouped, technological advances along with highly skilled human labor. The use of collaborative multi-agent systems will be economically justified in the manufacture of products in small batches, in the conditions of rapid change of product lines, as well as the presence of staff shortages. The article shows that such an approach can significantly reduce automation costs, while ensuring that the specified production indicators are met. This approach allows taking a fresh look at a human, considering him and a robot as equal partners within a collaborative system. The basic concepts and distinctive characteristics of collaborative multi-agent systems are formulated and presented in the work, justifications for their use are given. Creating a new class of collaborative multi-agent systems requires solving a number of problems associated with the interaction of man and robot. The article considers issues related to the work of a person within a collaborative system, with a rational separation of human functions and an automated production system, in accordance with the necessary level of collaboration. The inclusion of a person with his psychoemotional and physical characteristics as an equivalent agent of a multi-agent system causes difficulties in formalizing collaborative multi-agent systems associated with the need to take these features into account and create a sensory-information system. The inclusion of a person with his psychoemotional and physical characteristics as an equivalent agent of a multi-agent system causes difficulties in formalizing collaborative multi-agent systems associated with the need to take these features into account and create a sensory-information system. The paper discusses ways to formalize a collaborative multi-agent system and management approaches.

Multi-agent models have been used to simulate complex systems in many domains. In some models, the agents move in a physical/grid space and are constrained by their locations on the spatial space, e.g. Sugarscape. In others, the agents interact in a social multi-dimensional space and are bound to their knowledge and social positions, e.g. Construct. However, many real world problems require a mixed model containing both spatial and social features. This paper introduces such a multi agent system, Construct-Spatial, which simulates agent communication and movement simultaneously. It is an extended version of Construct, which is a multi-agent social model, and its extension is based on a multi-agent grid model, Sugarscape. To understand the impact of this integration of the two spaces, we run virtual experiments and compare the output from the combined space to those from each of the two spaces. The initial analysis reveals that the integration facilitates unbalanced knowledge distribution across the agents compared to the grid-only model and limits agent network connections compared to the social network model without spatial constraints. After the comparisons, we setup what-if scenarios where we varied the type of the threats faced by network and observe their emergent behaviors. From the what-if analyses, we locate the best destabilization scenario and find the propagation of the effects from the spatial space to the social network space. We believe that this model can be a conceptual model for assessing the efficiency and the robustness of team deployments, network node distributions, sensor distributions, etc.

As a result of analysis of the technical difficulties of cold roll-forming and the requirements of a collaborative design system for cold roll-forming, the physical four-tier structure of the cold roll-forming system is proposed. And then the architecture of a multi-agent based collaborative design system is introduced, with defining all the agents of the architecture in detail. Agents communicate with each other using XML technology. Based on it, a prototype system using JavaEE environment is developed. Customers and designers can access the system by internet, customers input product parameters, designers design the roll, and simulation program simulate the design parameters to decide whether the parameters is reasonable and send feedback message to designers. All data are stored in database to carry out data mining and to provide intelligent support. A case study is given at the end of this paper to validate the course of using this multi-agent system

In this paper, we present a multi-agent information system model that can deal with complex multi-activity information-driven tasks. After defining a single information agent architecture in an abstract way, we describe the multi-agent model (called the parallel model), as well as a simple collaboration protocol for the multiple activity information agents. Experimental results are presented with the multi-agent system that demonstrate that a significantly larger number of relevant documents can be retrieved through collaboration than what is possible with decoupled agents. Hence, such multi-agent parallel models appear to hold considerable promise in providing the user with high quality information services in a variety of business and scientific information-driven tasks.

Presents a multi‐agent system (MAS) for collaborative design in the construction sector. The system is intended to form a basis for integrating the often distributed cross‐functional activities that characterise collaborative design in construction. The MAS supports interaction and negotiation between the different agents that represent various participants that are usually engaged in a typical collaborative project design. The system is composed of different agents that provide services within the MAS environment. While some of the support services are provided by the agent platform, task agents that represent various functional disciplines undertake the real design activities. Describes details of the MAS, which simulates and demonstrates peer‐to‐peer interaction, communication and negotiation between the design agents in a collaborative design space. Also highlights important issues in MAS development and makes recommendations on how to improve collaborative design in construction using the MAS paradigm.

In this paper, we present a collaborative multi-agent based system for data mining. We have used two data mining model functions, clustering of variables in order to build homogeneous groups of attributes, association rules inside each of these groups and a multi-agent approach to integrate the both data mining techniques. For the association rules extraction, we use both apriori algorithm and genetic algorithm.

Product development capability is more and more important for an enterprise in a knowledge-based economic era. In the philosophy of concurrent engineering, product development should be carried out in a concurrent way. Computer support is necessary for Concurrent Product Development (CPD). As an excellent tool to meet complex needs, CSCW has been used in CPD. But nearly all CSCW systems that have been developed so far concentrate on a more or less narrow sub-field of cooperative work. Thus, the need of integrated CSCW applications are apparent. The agent is a suitable programming paradigm that can be used to meet the complex needs. In this paper, a P-PROCE (Process, Product, Resource, Organization, Control & Evaluation) model is introduced for CPD firstly. By categorizing the agents of the multi-agent system (MAS) into different types of agent according to P-PROCE model and offering a structure of MAS, the CPD is mapped to MAS. The cooperation among agents is very important for MAS. In the paper, a two-layer cooperation structure of MAS is proposed. In the macro layer, agent based workflow control the CPD process and in the micro layer the entity agents interact with each other directly to fulfill the task. The key issues of these two cooperation layers are discussed in the paper. Component based structure of agent and an implemented case are also provided in the paper.

During requirement specification process of software development activities, many existing systems or business process requirements have been captured using natural language or specialized tools such as UML. However, the capturing of informal requirements into formalized properties has not been taken into attention by software developers due to time and budget constraints. It is critical for the informally captured requirements to be formally specified in order to perform system verification. Formal verification checks whether a system model meets the formal specifications while validation checks whether the developed system fulfills its intended purpose. Therefore, in this paper, we present our studies of formal verification of multi agent system using model checking approach. We have utilized model checking tool in order to execute the formal verification procedures based on a particular basic theory to verify certain kind of properties of requirement specifications. We show an example of how model checking tool could support the verification of Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) multi agent online application system and conclude that the propose model checking approach will benefit multi agent system.

The paper presents the application of the multilayered multi agent situated system (MMASS) model to localization problems. In the context of multi agent system based modelling and distributed problem solving, the MMASS model allows explicit representation of the environment structure where agents are situated, and provides spatial dependant agent behavior and interaction mechanisms. These aspects are of particular relevance in problems like localization, in which the representation of spatial features is unavoidable. In particular, examples of localization problems that are considered in the paper are: shopping center localization in extra-urban areas, guide placement in museums, and sign and poster positioning in cities. Moreover, the paper briefly presents the software system that has been developed for the three-dimensional (3D) simulation of virtual worlds inhabited by virtual agents. This tool has been exploited for 3D representation of the presented MMASS-based models of localization problems.

BackgroundFleagrass, Adenosma buchneroides, is an aromatic perennial herb that occupies an important position in the life of the Akha people. They regard it as a tribal symbol and a gift of love. Fleagrass also has many medicinal uses, and there is considerable potential for its development as an insect repellent. Traditionally, Akha people plant it in swidden fields, but there are few swidden fields in China now. Therefore, the first question this study aims to answer is as follows: how is fleagrass planted and utilized now? At present, fleagrass is only reported to be used by Akha people in Mengla. We also try to understand the following questions: Is fleagrass used in nearby area? If so, how is fleagrass used in nearby area? Furthermore, why is fleagrass used in that way?MethodsFrom August 2016 to July 2018, field surveys were conducted six times. The ethnobotanical and ethnopharmacological uses of A. buchneroides in 13 Akha villages were investigated by means of semi-structured interviews. We assessed the responses of a total of 64 interviewees (32 men and 32 women; mean age, 58.6) from the Xishuangbanna Dai Autonomous Prefecture, southwest China, and from Phongsaly Province, Laos. To explain the bases for the ethnobotanical uses of fleagrass, we used Google Scholar, Web of Science, and China National Knowledge Infrastructure to review the bioactivities of the chemical constituents of A. buchneroides.ResultsWith the vanishing of swidden agriculture and the development of modern products, fleagrass cultivation is disappearing in China. However, most Akha people in Xishuangbanna still remember and yearn for its traditional uses, and Akha people in a nearby area (northern Laos) continue to plant and utilize it. We documented ten uses of A. buchneroides within five discrete categories. The whole plant of fleagrass has a distinct strong aroma, of which Akha villagers are particularly fond. Akha villagers mostly use this aromatic property as a decoration, perfume, and insect repellent. A. buchneroides is also used as a condiment and for medicinal and ritual purposes, including its use as a cure for insect bites, headaches, influenza, and diarrhoea, and as a part of pray ritual for a bumper harvest. From our literature review, we identified many major chemical compounds contained in the essential oil of A. buchneroides, including thymol, carvacrol, 3-carene, and p-cymene, which have insecticidal or insect-repellent, antimicrobial, and anti-inflammatory properties.ConclusionFleagrass is an aromatic plant that is widely used by Aka people. Its chemical composition also has a variety of biological activities. With the vanishing of swidden agriculture and the development of modern products, fleagrass utilization in China is disappearing and its cultural importance is reduced. However, its economic and medicinal value is assignable.

For a class of second order linear dynamic multiagent systems with leader and bounded input disturbance, a multi-agent system model is established by graph theory and matrix theory knowledge. A second-order sliding mode control algorithm based on finite state structure is applied to mult-iagent system. Under the condition that the first derivative of sliding mode is unknown, the control output is generated by switching between multiple state machines according to the measured value of sliding mode, so that the sliding mode and its first derivative converge to zero in a finite time, and to achieve the goal that the multi-agent system can be consistent for a limited period of time. The algorithm weakens the chattering problem in the traditional sliding mode control, and improves the accuracy and robustness of the control system. The effectiveness of the algorithm is proved by simulation experiments.

Collaborative multi-agent robotic systems where agents coordinate by modifying a shared environment often result in undesired dynamical couplings that complicate the analysis and experiments when solving a specific problem or task. Simultaneously, biologically-inspired robotics rely on simplifying agents and increasing their number to obtain more efficient solutions to such problems, drawing similarities with natural processes. In this work we focus on the problem of a biologically-inspired multi-agent system solving collaborative foraging. We show how mean field techniques can be used to re-formulate such a stochastic multi-agent problem into a deterministic autonomous system. This de-couples agent dynamics, enabling the computation of limit behaviours and the analysis of optimality guarantees. Furthermore, we analyse how having finite number of agents affects the performance when compared to the mean field limit and we discuss the implications of such limit approximations in this multi-agent system, which have impact on more general collaborative stochastic problems.

Motivated learning agent model for distributed collaborative systems