Agents for Distributed Multimedia Information Management

This paper discusses the role of agents in a distributed multimedia information system (DMIS) engineered according to the principles of open hypermedia. It is based on the new generation of Microcosm, an open hypermedia system developed by the Multimedia Research Group at the University of Southampton. Microcosm provides a framework for supporting the three major roles of agents within open information systems: resource discovery, information integrity and navigation assistance. We present Microcosm and its agents, and discuss our current research in applying agent technology in this framework

Information technology and the topologies of transmission : a research area for historical simulation

This paper surveys possibilities for applying the methods of agent-based simulation to the study of historical transitions in communication technology

An improved multi-agent simulation methodology for modelling and evaluating wireless communication systems resource allocation algorithms

Multi-Agent Systems (MAS) constitute a well known approach in modelling dynamical real world systems. Recently, this technology has been applied to Wireless Communication Systems (WCS), where efficient resource allocation is a primary goal, for modelling the physical entities involved, like Base Stations (BS), service providers and network operators. This paper presents a novel approach in applying MAS methodology to WCS resource allocation by modelling more abstract entities involved in WCS operation, and especially the concurrent network procedures (services). Due to the concurrent nature of a WCS, MAS technology presents a suitable modelling solution. Services such as new call admission, handoff, user movement and call termination are independent to one another and may occur at the same time for many different users in the network. Thus, the required network procedures for supporting the above services act autonomously, interact with the network environment (gather information such as interference conditions), take decisions (e.g. call establishment), etc, and can be modelled as agents. Based on this novel simulation approach, the agent cooperation in terms of negotiation and agreement becomes a critical issue. To this end, two negotiation strategies are presented and evaluated in this research effort and among them the distributed negotiation and communication scheme between network agents is presented to be highly efficient in terms of network performance. The multi-agent concept adapted to the concurrent nature of large scale WCS is, also, discussed in this paper

Applying agent technology to facilitate knowledge sharing among bioinformatics communities of practice

Agent technology is a software programs or tool that could be developed and used to facilitate and support the community of practice (CoP) especially the bioinformatics communities who are involved in managing bioinformatics activities such as collective and organized, and shared knowledge in term of best practice and lesson learnt in order to perform their worked for better solutions and competativeness. This paper describes on the theoretical concept and approach of agent technology framework that could be developed in implementing bioinfomatics knowledge management system (BKMS) in order to facilitate knowledge sharing among bioinformatics communities as well as to demonstrates it into the system wise; on how the agent technology could be utilized in the BKMS as a system model for serving the communities that is developed by using groupware such as Lotus Notes software. The achievement in conducting this framework of the BKMS is an added value for the any organization that need to implement the BKMS as a system, which could be helped the CoPs to work together in achieving their aims and mission statements. The emphasis also will be given to the BKMS activities that may concern for agent technology to help the CoPs especially in working collaboratively including critical success factor (CSF) in order to ensure that BKMS initiatives would be delivered competitive advantage for the CoP as well as thier organization

Estimating State-allocable Production Technologies When there are two States of Nature and State Allocations of Inputs are Unobserved.

Chambers and Quiggin (2000) have used state-contingent production theory to establish important results concerning economic behaviour in the presence of uncertainty, including problems of consumer choice, the theory of the firm, and principal-agent relationships. Empirical application of the state contingent approach has proved difficult, not least because most of the data needed for applying standard econometric methods are lost in unrealized states of the world. O’Donnell and Griffiths (2006) show how a restrictive type of state-contingent technology can be estimated in a finite mixtures framework. This paper shows how Bayesian methodology can be used to estimate more flexible types of state-contingent technologies.

Applying the MVC design pattern to multi-agent systems

As agent technology becomes more wide-spread, the need for agent-based analysis and design methods and tools will keep growing. An agent, which is an autonomous entity that acts on behalf of the user, has different properties than objects. For example, objects are passive entities that react to external stimuli, but do not exhibit goal directed behavior. On the other hand, agents are active entities that may learn about their environment and react to changes. Because of such crucial differences between objects and agents, object-oriented analysis and design methods cannot accommodate the requirements of engineering agent-based systems. Agents, however, can learn a few things from object-oriented analysis and design. In this paper, we present the Agent Views approach for applying the Model View Controller (MVC) design pattern in designing agent-based systems. This approach will help software developers use a familiar design pattern to determine the types of agents needed to build successful agent-based systems

Multi-agent system for selecting images based on the gender and age

This paper presents a multi-agent system that is able to search people on a database of images recognizing patterns of facial features on each person, based on the main features of the face (eyes, nose and mouth). Using that multi-agent architecture, the system can do the work faster applying Fisherfaces algorithm for the face recognition and classification. This technology can be used for several purposes like specific ads in each user group to suit better their interests or search for the age and gender of people that usually go to different places like malls or shops