Title: Supporting situated computing with intelligent multi-agent systems

Authors: Joanna Kolodziej, Fatos Xhafa

Addresses: Department of Mathematics and Computer Science, University of Bielsko-Biala, ul. Willowa 2, 43-305 Bielsko-Biala, Poland. ' Department of Languages and Informatic Systems, Technical University of Catalonia, Campus Nord, Ed. Omega C/Jordi Girona 1-3, 08034 Barcelona, Spain

Abstract: Situated computing is a computational paradigm based on the ability of computing devices to detect, interpret and respond to the users| interactions in a local environment. It provides a mechanism to create a new type of application of the multi-agent system – situated multi-agent system (SMAS) – for modelling the local relationships between users and objects in the environment. In this paper, we present the general concept of the three-layered architecture model for SMAS and analyse the model components and the properties of situated agents. We focus on the agent-agent and agent-environment interaction mechanisms at global and regional levels in the application layer of the architectural model and make a synthesis and generalisation of the existed formal models of SMAS. The sample multi-layer MAS infrastructure tools supporting the situated agents and an example of practical approach of SMAS in a real-life scenario are surveyed in the end of the paper.

Keywords: multi-agent systems; situated MAS; situated computing; context awareness; dynamical systems; intelligent agents; agent-based systems; modelling; situated agents; agent-agent interaction; agent-environment interaction.

DOI: 10.1504/IJSSC.2011.039105

International Journal of Space-Based and Situated Computing, 2011 Vol.1 No.1, pp.30 - 42

Published online: 26 Mar 2015 *

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