multiagent systems
a practical approach to
MAS construction in Java
(using Boris)
Simon Lynch [email protected]
software architecture
synchronisation
Language
Engine
Pragmatic
Integration
Speech
Recognition
Working
Kn Base
synchronisation
Speech
Synthesis
Language
Generation
LTM
Kn Base
Dialog
Manager
Expert
System
Wigit
Input
GUI
Models
Visualiser
•distributed
•mixed language
•concurrent
Boris agents – why?
MultiAgent Systems...
• advanced s/w architectures
dynamic, distributed
decentralised control
social, goal-based
• mobility, platform independence
• design-time autonomy
• reuse
Boris agents – what?
• independent software(?) entities
– send & receive messages
like objects but...
– distributed
– autonomous at design & execution
– have their own process thread
– tighter encapsulation & interfaces
– task oriented
Boris agents – types?
various types...
• web based, brokered
• small & mobile
• larger scale / intelligent
...etc...
Boris agents - how?
in Java with Boris
(because you can also use C#, Lisp...)
analogy...
• agents & GUI components
• GUI events & message events
Boris example
Panel p = new Panel();
Button b = new Button( text );
b.addActionListener( new ActionListener()
{ public void actionPerformed( ActionEvent event )
{ ...code body...
}
});
p.add( b );
Portal p = new Portal( portal-name );
Agent a = new Agent( agent-name );
a.addMessageListener(new MessageListener()
{ public void messageReceived(String from, String to, String msg, MsgId id)
{ ...code body...
}
});
p.addAgent( a );
Sending messages
Portal p = new Portal( portal-name );
Agent sue = new Agent( "sue" );
sue.addMessageListener(new MessageListener()
{ public void messageReceived(String from, String to, String msg, MsgId id)
{ ...code body...
}
});
p.addAgent( sue );
Agent sam = new Agent( "sam" );
p.addAgent( sam );
...
sam.sendMessage( "sue", "hello sue" );
...
Virtual Networks
normally, agents are distributed across
• multiple VMs
• multi-language VMs
• multiple machines
Boris uses network concept based on...
• Portals
• Routers
agents, portals, routers & VMs
agent
agent
agent
agent
agent
MAS design...
a collection of
communicating
agents
agents, portals & routers
agent
agent
portal
agent
agent
agent
portal
agent
router
portal
agent
shared VM
• agents communicate via portals
• portals communicate via router(s)
agents, portals & routers
agent
agent
portal
agent
agent
agent
portal
agent
router
portal
agent
shared VM
• agents who share a portal communicate directly
• routers not necessary for single-portal MASs
agents, portals & routers
agent
agent
portal
agent
agent
agent
portal
agent
router
portal
agent
shared VM
• cross-portal communication requires a router even if
portals share a VM
connecting portals to routers
portal methods
• void connectToGrid(
• void connectToGrid(
• void connectToGrid(
• void connectToGrid(
InetAddress host, int portNo )
int portNo )
InetAddress host )
)
NB:
• connection in separate thread
• may take few seconds over internet
using the console
loading agents
import boris.kernel.*;
.....
public class MyClass
{ public MyClass( Portal portal, String cmdLine )
{
//--- set up agent ---final Agent agent = new Agent( name );
portal.addAgent( agent );
.....
}
.....
}
tracking activity