An Agent-based Software Engineering Resource
[DIST grant application]
Leon Sterling
Computer Science, University of Melbourne
Friday, 31st July 1998
0930 - 1100
SEECS library (directions from the front office)
University of Melbourne Computer Science Department
SEECS Building
221 Bouverie Street, Carlton.
Project Title:
Agent-based Software Engineering Resource (ASER), a National Project for
the Software Engineering Network.
Rationale:
Agent-based software engineering is a new paradigm for developing software
in the heterogeneous, open, distributed environment that is the global
network of computing. This style of software development is becoming
important for software engineering. Over fifty universities worldwide
have active research programmes, and over twenty companies are delivering
agent products mostly developed in the past two years. It is vital
that software companies in Australia are kept abreast of developments.
Location:
Melbourne is the centre for agent developments in Australia, having active
research groups at the University of Melbourne and RMIT, an active organisation,
the Australian Artificial Intelligence Institute, two startup companies,
Agentis and Agent-Oriented Software, and interested scientists at several
CSIRO divisions. The resource centre can provide a national link
between software companies in Australia and world developments.
Competing efforts:
-
The European Community has just announced AgentLink,
a new network of excellence supported by the EC to link agent companies
and researchers.
-
DARPA has announced a new research program in agents and is interested
in developing a network of agent development.
Milestones and Performance Indicators:
-
A Web-based resource of agent companies and agent resources will be set
up and promoted and will be similar to the European AgentLink process.
Part of the capability will be providing a mirror site for key agent publications,
such as the Agent NewsLetter which will be forwarded nationally.
The performance for this activity will also have two stages - an establishment
stage, and an end-of-year report including a review of the year's activities,
and a description of the growth of resources over the year. The report
will also decribe how agent-based software engineering activities should
continue.
-
There will be two workshops run. The first will be held in Melbourne
in August or September, 1998. The location for the second will be
discussed with the national group, and may be in Sydney or Adelaide, and
will be held in February, 1999. The workshops will be promoted nationally,
and are open to national companies interested in agents. Places in
the workshop will be subsidised for SEA participants. An evaluation
of the workshops will take place. The level of participation at the
workshops from industry and government will be one performance indicator.
Surveys will be taken of the attendees to understand what they learned
from the workshop, and follow-up will be undertaken to attempt to ascertain
take up of agent technology by industry.