On cooperation in multi-agent systems

2000

Abstract Continuing the series of workshops begun in 1996 (Luck, 1997; Doran et al., 1997; d'Inverno et al., 1997; Fisher et al., 1997) and held in each of the two years since (Luck et al., 1998; Aylett et al., 1998; Binmore et al., 1998; Decker et al., 1999; Beer et al., 1999), the 1999 workshop of the UK Special Interest Group on Multi-Agent Systems (UKMAS'99) took place in Bristol in December.

1992

Artificial Intelligence, 1997

Knowledge Engineering Review, 2000

The theory, principles and practice of multi-agent systems is typically characterised as a computational and engineering discipline, since it is through the medium of computational systems that arti®cial agent systems are most commonly expressed. However, most de®nitions of agency draw directly on non-computational disciplines for inspiration. During the 1999 UK workshop on multiagent systems, UKMAS'99, we invited four speakers to address the conceptualisation of multiagent systems from their perspective as non-computer scientists. This paper presents their arguments and summarises some of the key points of discussion during the panel.

2012

The present paper discusses the basic concepts and the underlying principles of Multi-Agent Systems (MAS) along with an interdisciplinary exploitation of these principles. It has been found that they have been utilized for lots of research and studies on various systems spanning across diverse engineering and scientific realms showing the need of development of a proper generalized framework. Such framework has been developed for the Multi-Agent Systems and it has been generalized keeping in mind the diverse areas where they find application. All the related aspects have been categorized and a general definition has been given where ever possible.

Trends in Cognitive Sciences, 1997

Research i n m ultiagent systems (MAS), or Distributed AI, dates back to late 70's. Initial work in the area focused on distributed interpretation of sensor data, organizational structuring, and generic negotiation protocols. But several recent developments have helped reshape the focus of the eld. Like the rest of AI, the eld has matured from being largely exploratory in nature to focusing on formal theories of negotiation, distributed reasoning, multiagent learning, and communication languages. The eld is also maturing to the point o f d e v eloping its rst few elded applications. The recent widespread interest in the internet, the world-wide-web, and intelligent a g e n t applications have further fueled the need for techniques and mechanisms by which agents representing users can e ectively interact with other agents in open, dynamic environments. The development of several new international workshops and conferences have helped focus research in the area. The eld is poised at a critical juncture with stimulating problems and challenges promising some very exciting developments in the next few years.

University of Sfax LARIS Laboratory, 1999

This paper is two fold. First, it provides a formal denition of the cooperation in multi-agent systems, it extracts necessary tools in order to put it into practice and it identi es properties enabling the control of the collective activity. Second, it formally captures the notion of cooperative agent, its properties and resources allowing it to accomplish tasks and to achieve goals.

The 1998 Workshop of the UK Special Interest Group on Multi-Agent Systems was held in Manchester in December, chaired and organised by Michael Fisher of Manchester Metropolitan University, continuing the series of focussed and constructive meetings in this field.