Multi-Agent Systems and Complex Networks: Review and Applications in Systems Engineering

Systems engineering is an ubiquitous discipline of Engineering overlapping industrial, chemical, mechanical, manufacturing, control, software, electrical, and civil engineering. It provides tools for dealing with the complexity and dynamics related to the optimisation of physical, natural, and virtual systems management. This paper presents a review of how multi-agent systems and complex networks theory are brought together to address systems engineering and management problems. The review also encompasses current and future research directions both for theoretical fundamentals and applications in the industry. This is made by considering trends such as mesoscale, multiscale, and multilayer networks along with the state-of-art analysis on network dynamics and intelligent networks. Critical and smart infrastructure, manufacturing processes, and supply chain networks are instances of research topics for which this literature review is highly relevant

Towards robustness and self-organization of ESB-based solutions using service life-cycle management

Enterprise Service Bus (ESB) is a middleware infra-structure that provides a way to integrate loosely-coupled heterogeneous software applications based on the Service Oriented Architecture principles. The life-cycle management of services in such highly changing environments is a critical issue for the component’s reuse, maintenance and operation. This work introduces a service life-cycle management module that extends the traditional functionalities with advanced monitoring and data analytics to contribute for the robustness and self-organization of networks of clusters based on ESB platforms. The realization of this module was embedded in the JBoss ESB, considering a sniffer mechanism to collect relevant details of the service messages crossing the bus. A Liferay portal was created to display information related to the services’ health.Um Barramento de Serviços (BS) é um middleware que oferece uma infraestrutura que permite a integração de aplicações heterogéneas, com base nos princípios das Arquiteturas Orientadas aos Serviços. A gestão do ciclo de vida dos serviços em tais ambientes altamente dinâmicos é um problema crítico com impacto na operação e manutenção do sistema, bem como na capacidade de reutilização de componentes. Este trabalho apresenta um módulo de gestão do ciclo de vida de serviços, que acrescenta às funcionalidades tradicionais a monitorização avançada e a análise de dados, no sentido de contribuir para a robustez e auto-organização de redes de agregados computacionais baseados em plataformas BS. O módulo foi integrado no JBoss ESB e utilizou-se um sniffer para recolher os detalhes das mensagens que se encontram a ser trocadas no barramento. Foi criado um portal Liferay para apresentar a informação relativa à saúde dos serviços.This work was supported by the European Union FP7 Programme under the ARUM project No. 31405

Ontologies in Digital Twins: A Systematic Literature Review

Digital Twins (DT) facilitate monitoring and reasoning processes in cyber–physical systems. They have progressively gained popularity over the past years because of intense research activity and industrial advancements. Cognitive Twins is a novel concept, recently coined to refer to the involvement of Semantic Web technology in DTs. Recent studies address the relevance of ontologies and knowledge graphs in the context of DTs, in terms of knowledge representation, interoperability and automatic reasoning. However, there is no comprehensive analysis of how semantic technologies, and specifically ontologies, are utilized within DTs. This Systematic Literature Review (SLR) is based on the analysis of 82 research articles, that either propose or benefit from ontologies with respect to DT. The paper uses different analysis perspectives, including a structural analysis based on a reference DT architecture, and an application-specific analysis to specifically address the different domains, such as Manufacturing and Infrastructure. The review also identifies open issues and possible research directions on the usage of ontologies and knowledge graphs in DTs

A holonic multi-agent methodology to design sustainable intelligent manufacturing control systems

[EN] The urgent need for sustainable development is imposing radical changes in the way manufacturing systems are designed and implemented. The overall sustainability in industrial activities of manufacturing companies must be achieved at the same time that they face unprecedented levels of global competition. Therefore, there is a well-known need for tools and methods that can support the design and implementation of these systems in an effective way. This paper proposes an engineering method that helps researchers to design sustainable intelligent manufacturing systems. The approach is focused on the identification of the manufacturing components and the design and integration of sustainability-oriented mechanisms in the system specification, providing specific development guidelines and tools with built-in support for sustainable features. Besides, a set of case studies is presented in order to assess the proposed method.This research was supported by research projects TIN2015-65515-C4-1-R and TIN2016-80856-R from the Spanish government. The authors would like to acknowledge T. Bonte for her contribution to the NetLogo simulator of the AIP PRIMECA cell.Giret Boggino, AS.; Trentesaux, D.; Salido Gregorio, MÁ.; Garcia, E.; Adam, E. (2017). A holonic multi-agent methodology to design sustainable intelligent manufacturing control systems. Journal of Cleaner Production. 167(1):1370-1386. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2017.03.079S13701386167

Integración de sistemas multi-agente en plataformas embebidas heterogéneas con recursos limitados para tareas de localización y coordinación en detección y evasión de colisiones en robótica móvil

[EN] In recent years, within the field of mobile robotics, distributed architectures are becoming the fundamental pillar on which to develop modular, scalable and reusable algorithms that offer flexible solutions that can be applied easily and quickly to any platform with minimal changes in the software. Thus avoiding to reinvent the wheel facing the same problem again and again with each different type of robot on which it wants to work. Within this type of architecture, the multi-agent systems have the ability to orient their programming to modular behaviors and offer a well defined communication management. The ability for a group of robots to communicate with each other with some ease, gives new information to the agents that the sensoring hardware may sometimes not be able to detect, and that can be used to propose new or complementary solutions to the already defined within the area. This is exactly the reason and the challenge faced by this work, applied to mobile robots with limited resources. The first contribution of this thesis lies in the development of a control middleware which allows the use of two important distributed frameworks: JADE oriented multi-agent software development and ROS oriented distributed robotic software. The middleware was integrated into the set of robots available for testing and it was used as the basis of the architecture of most simulated and practical experiments that are presented. Once the established and detailed the hardware and software used, the new algorithms developed for local and global localization of mobile robots with limited resources, based on filters of sensory fusion and geometric correspondences are established. In addition, the benefits are evaluated using the principles of control and sampling based on events and taking as a starting point the cascade algorithms based on time. Based on these localization algorithms, navigation and coordination methodologies are described for groups of cooperative robots, where the communications between agents are the basis of success and where satisfactory results are observed both individually by robot and globally on the set Of robots. When working on a scenario shared by various mobile robots navigating, one of the most critical issues is to get the robots do not collide with each other. For this reason, another of the most important contributions of this work has been the development of an algorithm of detection and avoidance of collisions based on the consensus and agreement between robots through the point-to-point communications between them. For cases when a robot collided with just another robot, and for cases where multiple collisions occurred at the same time. Finally, the conclusions and the possible lines of work on which to continue researching and developing from the results obtained in this thesis are presented.[ES] En los últimos años, dentro del campo de la robótica móvil, las arquitecturas distribuidas se están convirtiendo en el pilar fundamental sobre el cual desarrollar algoritmos modulares, escalables y reaprovechables que ofrezcan soluciones flexibles aplicables fácil y rápidamente a cualquier plataforma con unos cambios mínimos en el software, evitando de este modo reinventar la rueda enfrentándose al mismo problema una y otra vez con cada tipo distinto de robot sobre el que se desea trabajar. Dentro de este tipo de arquitectura los sistemas multi-agente permiten orientar su programación hacia comportamientos modulares y ofrecen una gestión de comunicaciones bien definida. La habilidad de que un grupo de robots pueda comunicarse entre sí con cierta facilidad, otorga información nueva a los agentes que el hardware de sensorización puede en ocasiones no ser capaz de detectar, y que puede ser utilizada para proponer nuevas soluciones alternativas o complementarias a las ya definidas dentro del área. Este es exactamente el motivo y el reto al que se enfrenta este trabajo, aplicado a robots móviles de recursos limitados. La primera aportación de esta tesis radica en el desarrollo de un middleware de control el cual permite el uso de dos importantes frameworks distribuidos: JADE orientado al desarrollo software multi-agente y ROS orientado a software robótico distribuido. El middleware se integró en el conjunto de robots disponibles para pruebas y se utiliza como base de la arquitectura de la mayoría de experimentos simulados y prácticos que se presentan. Establecido y detallado el hardware y el software a utilizar, se establecen los nuevos algoritmos desarrollados para la localización local y global de robots móviles de recursos limitados, basados en filtros de fusión sensorial y en correspondencias geométricas. Además se evalúan las prestaciones utilizando los principios de control y muestreo basados en eventos y tomando como punto de partida los algoritmos en cascada basados en el tiempo. Partiendo de dichos algoritmos de localización, se describen metodologías de navegación y coordinación de grupos de robots cooperativos, donde las comunicaciones entre agentes son la base del éxito y donde se observan resultados satisfactorios tanto a nivel individual por robot, como a nivel global sobre el conjunto de robots. Cuando se trabaja sobre un escenario compartido por diversos robots móviles navegando, una de las problemáticas más críticas es conseguir que los robots no choquen entre ellos. Por este motivo, otra de las aportaciones más importantes de este trabajo ha sido el desarrollo de un algoritmo de detección y evasión de colisiones basado también en el consenso y el acuerdo entre robots a través de las comunicaciones punto a punto entre ellos, el cual se ha definido tanto para situaciones donde un robot colisionaba sólo con otro robot, como para casos en los que ocurrían múltiples colisiones al mismo tiempo. Finalmente se exponen las conclusiones y las posibles líneas de trabajo sobre las que seguir investigando y desarrollando a partir de los resultados obtenidos en la presente tesis.[CAT] En els últims anys, dins del camp de la robòtica mòbil, les arquitectures distribuïdes s'estan convertint en el pilar fonamental sobre el qual desenvolupar algorismes modulars, escalables i reaprovechables que oferisquen solucions flexibles aplicables fàcil i ràpidament a qualsevol plataforma amb uns canvis mínims en el programari, evitant d'aquesta manera reinventar la roda enfrontant-se al mateix problema una vegada i una altra amb cada tipus diferent de robot sobre el qual es desitja treballar. Dins d'aquest tipus d'arquitectura els sistemes multi-agent permeten orientar la seua programació cap a comportaments modulars i ofereixen una gestió de comunicacions ben definida. L'habilitat de que un grup de robots puga comunicar-se entre si amb certa facilitat, atorga informació nova als agents que el hardware de sensorització pot en ocasions no ser capaç de detectar, i que pot ser utilitzada per a proposar noves solucions alternatives o complementàries a les ja definides dins de l'àrea. Aquest és exactament el motiu i el repte al que s'enfronta aquest treball, aplicat a robots mòbils de recursos limitats. La primera aportació d'aquesta tesi radica en el desenvolupament d'un middleware de control el qual permet l'ús de dos importants frameworks distribuïts: JADE orientat al desenvolupament de la programació multi-agent i ROS orientat a la programació robòtica distribuïda. El middleware es va integrar en el conjunt de robots disponibles per a proves i s'utilitza com a base de l'arquitectura de la majoria d'experiments simulats i pràctics que es presenten. Establit i detallat el hardware i el software a utilitzar, s'estableixen els nous algorismes desenvolupats per a la localització local i global de robots mòbils de recursos limitats, basats en filtres de fusió sensorial i en correspondències geomètriques. A més s'avaluen les prestacions utilitzant els principis de control i mostreig basats en esdeveniments i prenent com a punt de partida els algorismes en cascada basats en el temps. Partint d'aquests algorismes de localització, es descriuen metodologies de navegació i coordinació de grups de robots cooperatius, on les comunicacions entre agents són la base de l'èxit i on s'observen resultats satisfactoris tant a nivell individual per robot, com a nivell global sobre el conjunt de robots. A més, quan es treballa sobre un escenari compartit per diversos robots mòbils navegant, una de les problemàtiques més crítiques és aconseguir que els robots no xoquen entre ells. Per aquest motiu, una altra de les aportacions més importants d'aquest treball ha sigut el desenvolupament d'un algorisme de detecció i evasió de col·lisions basat també en el consens i l'acord entre robots a través de les comunicacions punt a punt entre ells, el qual s'ha definit tant per a situacions on un robot col·lisionava només amb un altre robot, com per a casos en els quals ocorrien múltiples col·lisions al mateix temps. Finalment s'exposen les conclusions i les possibles línies de treball sobre les quals seguir investigant i desenvolupant a partir dels resultats obtinguts en la present tesi.Soriano Vigueras, Á. (2017). Integración de sistemas multi-agente en plataformas embebidas heterogéneas con recursos limitados para tareas de localización y coordinación en detección y evasión de colisiones en robótica móvil [Tesis doctoral]. Universitat Politècnica de València. https://doi.org/10.4995/Thesis/10251/86174TESI

CAMP-BDI: an approach for multiagent systems robustness through capability-aware agents maintaining plans

Rational agent behaviour is frequently achieved through the use of plans, particularly within the widely used BDI (Belief-Desire-Intention) model for intelligent agents. As a consequence, preventing or handling failure of planned activity is a vital component in building robust multiagent systems; this is especially true in realistic environments, where unpredictable exogenous change during plan execution may threaten intended activities. Although reactive approaches can be employed to respond to activity failure through replanning or plan-repair, failure may have debilitative effects that act to stymie recovery and, potentially, hinder subsequent activity. A further factor is that BDI agents typically employ deterministic world and plan models, as probabilistic planning methods are typical intractable in realistically complex environments. However, deterministic operator preconditions may fail to represent world states which increase the risk of activity failure. The primary contribution of this thesis is the algorithmic design of the CAMP-BDI (Capability Aware, Maintaining Plans) approach; a modification of the BDI reasoning cycle which provides agents with beliefs and introspective reasoning to anticipate increased risk of failure and pro-actively modify intended plans in response. We define a capability meta-knowledge model, providing information to identify and address threats to activity success using precondition modelling and quantitative quality estimation. This also facilitates semantic-independent communication of capability information for general advertisement and of dependency information - we define use of the latter, within a structured messaging approach, to extend local agent algorithms towards decentralized, distributed robustness. Finally, we define a policy based approach for dynamic modification of maintenance behaviour, allowing response to observations made during runtime and with potential to improve re-usability of agents in alternate environments. An implementation of CAMP-BDI is compared against an equivalent reactive system through experimentation in multiple perturbation configurations, using a logistics domain. Our empirical evaluation indicates CAMP-BDI has significant benefit if activity failure carries a strong risk of debilitative consequence