Multiagent systems and complex systems simulation: Why and how?
Pierre Marcenac
University of La Reunion, France
Friday, 24th April 1998
1130 - 1230
Room 10.9.33
RMIT City campus
Swanston Street, Melbourne.
Abstract:
Agents and multiagent systems are becoming an important area of research
and development in Artificial Intelligence today. Agents are typically
knowledge representation entities characterised by independence and autonomy.
When aggregated in systems (called multiagent systems), they provide a
powerful computational tool, for which dynamic aspects are based on interactions
with others, rather than centralised control. Agents are particularly
adapted to complex systems modelling, in which environments are unpredictable
and simulation required. The essential contribution of the agent
paradigm in this context is indisputably the concept of emergence.
After reviewing some related definitions of the agent, the seminar will
discuss the benefits of the agent paradigm in such a context, through emergence.
An example of an application developed in our team will be used to illustrate
it. Even if the example has been applied in the volcano eruption
prediction area, it could easily be translated in different areas.
Biosketch:
Dr. Pierre Marcenac is an Associate Professor at IREMIA, University of
La Reunion, France. He completed a PhD in Intelligent Tutoring Systems
at the University of Nice-Sophia Antipolis (France) in 1990. His
research interests include knowledge representation and multiagent systems.