Designing Agent Systems
Marcin Paprzycki,
Computer Science Department, Oklahoma State University –
Abstract:
For many years a message is being perpetuated that software agent technologies will become the next revolution in computer science. This change is to occur not only in the ways we construct software [2] but it is also to have a much broader impact on the field of human-computer interaction [1,3]. Unfortunately, as it is easy to see, the revolution that is prophesized since 1994 by the agent-believers does not materialize (regardless of the rapidly increasing number of conferences, workshops, special sessions, publications, etc). It is not the case that when we turn the computer on in the morning, we contact “our agent” to receive a personalized newscast, our day-plan and, on the basis of that plan as well as the weather forecast and knowledge of our dressing-preferences, an advice what to wear (agent ideal servant). Similarly, when creating software for an e-shop we do not utilize pre-existing agent-modules (e.g. advertising agents, inventory managers etc.). To the contrary, it is rather difficult to point to a successful large-scale implementation of an agent system.
The aim of the presentation will be three-fold. First, a general introduction to software agents will be presented followed by the discussion of major points raised “for” and “against” software agent systems (including highly critical analysis presented in [4]). Second, it will be shown, that it should be actually possible to develop large scale agent systems as state-of-the-art agent platforms like JADE scale up to more than a thousand agents and a few hundred thousand messages. Finally, a positive research program will be stated and illustrated using negotiating agents with dynamically loadable “reasoning” modules.
References
[1] J. Hendler, Is There an Intelligent Agent in Your Future?, Nature, 11 March, 1999, http://www.nature.com/nature/webmatters/agents/agents.html
[2] N. R. Jennings, An agent-based approach for building complex software systems,” Communications of the ACM, 44 (4), 2001, 35-41
[3] P. Maes. “Agents that Reduce Work and Information Overload.” Communications of the ACM, 37(7), 1994, 31-40
[4] H. Nwana, D. Ndumu, A perspective on software agents research, The Knowledge Engineering Review, 14 (2), 1999, 1-18
Date: 2005-Feb-21 Time: 13:30:00 Room: 905 (Auditório Omega)
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Upcoming Events
INESC Brussels HUB Winter Meeting 2023

This edition of the HUB Winter Meeting will be co-organised with Science Business and will take place on the 30 and 31 January, in Lisbon, at Instituto Superior Técnico, Department of Computer Science and Engineering.
Please see below a summary of the agenda, this will be updated on the INESC Brussels HUB website regularly (confirmed speakers and other relevant info). Places for onsite participation are limited so registration is mandatory. Online participants will be sent a ZOOM link for each specific session on the 27th January.
INESC Brussels HUB website: https://hub.inesc.pt/
Monday, 30 January
a) Digital Europe Programme & Chips Act: state of play and possibilities for INESC.
9h to 10h30 GMT
(Exclusive for INESC researchers and administrators).
b) Science Business: how can INESC tap into Science Business network, activities and communications tools.
(Exclusive for INESC researchers and administrators).
c) Networking Lunch (for all onsite participants).
d) Roundtable: From rhetoric to reality – Embedding international strategy in the DNA of research organisations.
(Closed-door, roundtable workshop, Chatham House rules, open to INESC researchers and administrators, external participants by invitation only).
e) Networking Dinner
(By invitation only – INESC researchers participating onsite in the event are elegible to join).
Tuesday, 31 January
f) Workshop: How they did it? Strategic positioning for structural success in Horizon Europe: a discussion of best practices.
(Exclusive for INESC researchers, administrators and international invited speakers).
g) The public consultation on European R&I Programmes: Towards FP10.
(Closed-door, roundtable workshop, Chatham House rules, open to INESC researchers and administrators, external participants by invitation only).
h) Networking Lunch (for all onsite participants).
i) Management Committee meeting (Directors and POB members)
The HUB Winter Meeting aims at bringing together researchers and administrators from the 5 INESC institutes, affiliated higher education institutions in Portugal and abroad, with key European and global players, to:
– Discuss key research and innovation issues at EU level.
– Inform institutional policy and strategy.
– Exchange best-practices about R&I management, career development and policy positioning.
– Promote, discuss and deliver vision, visibility, networking and impactful communication.
– Create, identify and deepen partnerships and collaboration opportunities for collaborative R&I.