Tutorials -- ICMAS '95

First International Conference on Multiagent Systems - ICMAS '95

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Agent Theories, Architectures, and Languages

(Intelligent Agents)

The concept of an agent is now important in both Artificial Intelligence (AI) and mainstream computer science. In this tutorial, we introduce the key issues associated with the design and construction of intelligent agents.

This tutorial addresses one of the fastest growing topics within the fields of computer science, artificial intelligence and multi-agent systems: the design and implementation of intelligent agents. Thus, the tutorial will combine material from the traditional multi-agent systems field with fields which are just starting to use the concept of agents (e.g., inter- face agents, information agents, believable agents). The tutorial will also serve as an important form of synthesis - showing the links and inter dependencies between three of the most important aspects of multi-agent systems research.

We divide these issues into three areas. Agent theory is concerned with the question of what an agent is, and the use of mathematical formalisms for representing and reasoning about the properties of agents. Agent architectures can be thought of as software engineering models of agents; researchers in this area are primarily concerned with the problem of designing software or hardware systems that will satisfy the properties specified by the agent theorists. Finally, agent languages are software systems for programming and experimenting with agents; these languages may embody principles proposed by theorists. We provide an overview of each of these areas, focusing particularly on the links between them.

Business Process (Re-)Engineering: Methodologies and Multi-Agent Technologies

(Business Process Re-Engineering & Coordination Support)

This tutorial provides a thorough treatment of Business Process Reengineering (BPR) and the collaborative computing technology that can be used to support it, from the perspective of multiagents systems research and technologies. We define BPR quite broadly to include the entire process management life cycle (from process definition to simulation to enactment to metrics to refinement to reuse and redesign). Topics to be covered include:

• what BPR is
• why it is important
• what BPR methodologies work well
• what process management technology is and how it can be used to support BPR
• weaknesses of current process management technology from the perspective of BPR (e.g. lack of organizational models, semi-structured processes, rationale capture, integration between different classes of process management tools, process re-use & re-design support and run-time exception handling)
• current research directions for addressing these gaps (e.g. work on rationale capture, process retrieval and exception handling technology).

Multi-Agent Systems Tools and Research Methods

(MAS Tools & Techniques)

This tutorial will cover the variety of tools and research methods available for building and experimenting with practical and experimental multiagent systems, for both academic research and for real-world applications. Languages, frameworks, platforms, technologies and tools such as KQML, Agent-0, NET-GBB, Telescript, Articulator, VDT, SPARKLE, KOD, EZ-SIM, ACTION, etc. will be covered.

Theoretical Foundations for Multiagent Systems

(Formal Methods in MAS)

This tutorial provides an introduction to the theoretical foundations underlying common technical approaches to the design of multiagent systems (MASs). The tutorial consists of three parts, each devoted to an important multiagent paradigm.

Search Foundations (Yokoo)

Game-Theoretic Models of Interaction (Zlotkin)

Computational Markets (Wellman)

Introduction to Multi-Agent Systems

This tutorial will be a one-day long, 7-hour introductory Multi-Agent Systems tutorial, in modules. These modules will cover, at an introductory level, motivations and applications for multi-agent systems, basic multi-agent systems problems such as task allocation, coordination, interaction, agent and process models, disparity resolution, implementation approaches, and engineering methodologies. Most of the fundamental MAS technologies and models will be surveyed (e.g., distributed search/CDPS, negotiation, multiagent/distributed planning, coordination, reasoning about other agents, and so on). Each module will consist of a presentation of about 30-45 minutes by people well-known and experienced in each area. The point of this introductory tutorial is to get people unfamiliar with the range and depth of MAS topics up to speed on the basic issues and background.

TUTORIALS CHAIR:

Voice: 213.740.4046
Fax: 213.740.9732

Internet: gasser@usc.edu

Tutorials will be held on June 11, 1995.

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