Crowd Sourcing Rules in Agile Software Engineering to Improve Efficiency Using Ontological Framework

Business Rule Management System provides the necessary seeds for the planning, implementing, verifying and validating the Agile Requirements. The BRMS model needs to be modified in a way that organizational growth runs parallel with the intrinsic expansion in the number of User Requirements in Agile Development. This growth in Requirements or Rules in Agile Software Development is an obvious overhead that needs to be managed properly considering its sprint nature. A Semantic approach is followed by design and maintenance of an Ontology called RAgile. The ontology is developed in ‘Protégé 5 having inherent capability of Ontology Merging in case of disparate Rule files. User requirements that are drawn into the Rules or Policies depend upon the features users expect of the Agile System

A Task-based Support Architecture for Developing Point-of-care Clinical Decision Support Systems for the Emergency Department

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to create a task-based support architecture for developing clinical decision support systems (CDSSs) that assist physicians in making decisions at the point-of-care in the emergency department (ED). The backbone of the proposed architecture was established by a task-based emergency workflow model for a patient-physician encounter. Methods: The architecture was designed according to an agent-oriented paradigm. Specifically, we used the O-MaSE (Organization-based Multi-agent System Engineering) method that allows for iterative translation of functional requirements into architectural components (e.g., agents). The agent-oriented paradigm was extended with ontology-driven design to implement ontological models representing knowledge required by specific agents to operate. Results: The task-based architecture allows for the creation of a CDSS that is aligned with the task-based emergency workflow model. It facilitates decoupling of executable components (agents) from embedded domain knowledge (ontological models), thus supporting their interoperability, sharing, and reuse. The generic architecture was implemented as a pilot system, MET3-AE – a CDSS to help with the management of pediatric asthma exacerbation in the ED. The system was evaluated in a hospital ED. Conclusions: The architecture allows for the creation of a CDSS that integrates support for all tasks from the task-based emergency workflow model, and interacts with hospital information systems. Proposed architecture also allows for reusing and sharing system components and knowledge across disease-specific CDSSs

Méthodes orientées agent et multi-agent

http://www.emse.fr/~picard/publications/bernon09industrie.pdfNational audienceLes systèmes multi-agents (SMA) ont montré leur pertinence pour la conception d'applications distribuées (logiquement ou physiquement), complexes et robustes. Le concept d'agent est aujourd'hui plus qu'une technologie efficace, il représente un nouveau paradigme pour le développement de logiciels dans lesquels l'agent est un logiciel autonome qui a un objectif, évolue dans un environnement et interagit avec d'autres agents au moyen de langages et de protocoles (voir le chapitre 1 " Introduction aux systèmes multi-agents "). Souvent, l'agent est considéré comme un objet " intelligent " ou comme un niveau d'abstraction au-dessus des objets et des composants (voir le chapitre 5 " Composants logiciels et systèmes multi-agents "). Les méthodes de développement orientées objet - au vu des différences entre les objets et les agents - ne sont pas directement applicables au développement de SMA. Il est alors devenu nécessaire d'étendre ou de développer de nouveaux modèles, de nouvelles méthodologies et de nouveaux outils adaptés au concept d'agent

Framework para escalonamento distribuído de processos utilizando sistema multiagentes em sistemas de produção

Dissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Centro Tecnológico, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciência da Computação, Florianópolis, 2009O estudo de técnicas de escalonamento de processos remete à criação dos primeiros sistemas operacionais (SO), com os algoritmos escalonadores de processos com e sem preempção. Porém a utilização de escalonadores de processo atinge outras áreas além dos SO, afeta todos os problemas onde há um conjunto de tarefas a serem executadas e um conjunto de unidades executantes. O tempo de execução final das tarefas é diretamente afetado pela seqüência de execução adotada, como é o caso dos sistemas de produção, que necessitam de informação em tempo real, para a execução de tarefas ou para o diagnóstico de problemas, com o objetivo da rápida tomada de decisão. Desse modo é necessário precisão e agilidade no processamento, nas mudanças de prioridades, e principalmente, eficiência no gerenciamento da informação. Este trabalho propõe um framework para escalonamento distribuído de processos, utilizando a teoria de agentes e a técnica heurística de busca, Algoritmos Genéticos (AG). Na modelagem do framework e aplicação foi utilizado a metodologia MaSE (Multi-agent System Engineering), que especifica etapas para análise e projeto de sistemas multiagentes. O desenvolvimento do framework e aplicação foi integrado à plataforma JADE (Java Agent Development Framework), utilizando as ontologias desenvolvidas no editor Protégé. A fim de validar o framework, desenvolveu-se um estudo de caso utilizando o framework HIPS (Hybrid Intelligent Process Scheduler) e os resultados e limitações obtidos com esse estudo de caso, comparados a outro escalonamento de processos.The study of techniques for processes schedulers is linked to the creation of the first operational systems (OS), with the process schedulers algorithms with and without preemption. However, the use of processes schedulers reaches other areas besides OS. It affects all the problems where there is a set of tasks to be executed and a set of executing units. The tasks final execution time is directly affected by the execution sequence that is adopted, as in the case of production systems, which need information in real time, for the execution of tasks or for the diagnosis of problems aiming fast decision making. Thus, precision and agility in processing, in changing priorities and mainly, efficiency in managing the information are needed. This work proposes a framework for processes distributed scheduler, using the agents theory and the Genetic Algorithms (GA) heuristic search technique. In the framework modeling and application the MaSE (Multi-agent System Engineering) was used, which specifies stages for analyses and project of multi agents systems. The framework development and application were integrated to a JADE (Java Agent Development Framework), using the ontology developed in the Protégé editor. For the framework validation, the study of a case was developed using the HIPS (Hybrid Intelligent Process Scheduler) framework and the results and limitations obtained in this study were compared to another process scheduler

Método para la evaluación del desempeño de la integración de agentes inteligentes and WSN a través de métricas

Resumen: En esta tesis de maestría se propone un método que permite, a través de la ejecución de un proceso organizado y detallado, realizar el seguimiento y la evaluación del desempeño a través de métricas de una Red de Sensores Inalámbricos o WSN (por su acrónimo en inglés Wireless Sensor Networks) dotada con agentes inteligentes de software y en general de cualquier WSN. Para realizar la selección de las métricas, se sugiere un listado de posibles criterios que podrían ser utilizados, los cuales se han categorizado desde 4 enfoques: energético, prioridad de los mensajes, adaptabilidad de la red y finalmente el número de nodos y de agentes requeridos. El método propuesto en esta tesis de maestría fue validado a través de casos de estudio con dispositivos reales y permite también desplegar estratégicamente una WSN a partir de la identificación de sus principales características. Mediante los diferentes casos de estudio se pudo concluir que cuando se requiere hacer frente a diferentes retos que se presentan en un montaje real, bajo condiciones muchas veces impredecibles, para las cuales la red no fue diseñada, el uso de técnicas de inteligencia artificial, específicamente de agentes inteligentes de software, es una solución promisoria, la cual hace posible mejorar el desempeño de una WSN a través de la modelación de agentes de software que se ajusten a las limitaciones de recursos de éstas sin perder su capacidad de deliberar. De lo contrario, el uso de agentes de software se hace innecesarioAbstract: The aim of this Computer Science master’s thesis is to propose a detailed and organized method that allows performing metric-based tracking and performance evaluation of WSN (Wireless Sensor Networks) in general and also when they are equipped with intelligent agents. In order to make the selection of the metrics a list of possible criteria that should be used is proposed by the method taken into consideration four viewpoints: energy consumption, message priority, network adaptability, and finally, the number of nodes and agents required. The method proposed was validated through several case studies with real devices and also strategically allows deploying a WSN using the identification and characterization of its main features. Based on different case studies it can be concluded that when it is required to deal with different challenges presented in a real network, involving unpredictable conditions for which the network wasn ́t designed, the use of artificial intelligence techniques and in particular intelligent software agents is a promising solution. Such a solution makes it possible to improve the performance of a WSN through the modeling of software agents that fit the WSN’s physical resource constraints without losing their ability to deliberate. Otherwise, the use of software agents becomes unnecessaryMaestrí

A model-driven approach for organizations in multiagent systems

This thesis introduces a new model-driven approach to agent-oriented software engineering in which agent organizations not only play a crucial role, but are also represented in every abstraction level. In our methodology, multiagent systems are modeled at a platform-independent level and transformed into a platform-specific level preserving the organizational structures. The approach has been refined through several years and has been used in two European Union projects.In dieser Arbeit wird ein neuer Modell-basierter Ansatz für die Agentenorientierte Softwaretechnik vorgestellt, bei dem Agenten-Organisationen nicht nur eine entscheidende Rolle spielen, sondern auch auf allen Abstraktionsebenen vertreten sind. In der dargestellten Methodik werden Multiagenten-Systeme auf einer Plattform-unabhängigen Ebene modelliert und dann in ein Plattform-spezifisches Modell umgewandelt, wobei die Organisationsstrukturen erhalten bleiben. Der Ansatz wurde über einige Jahre kontinuierlich verfeinert und bereits in zwei Projekten der Europäischen Union implementiert

A model-driven framework for engineering multiagent systems

This dissertation presents the Bochica framework for Agent-Oriented Software Engineering (AOSE). The framework’s task in the software development process is (i) to capture the design decisions for a system under consideration on a platform-independent level of abstraction and (ii) to project this design to a target platform. Bochica goes beyond the state-of-the-art in AOSE as it combines the benefits of a platform-independent approach with the possibility to address concepts of custom application domains and execution environments. Several extension interfaces are specified to enable the customization of the underlying modeling language to the engineer’s needs. Bochica is accompanied by an iterative adaptation process to gradually incorporate extensions. Conceptual mappings for projecting Bochica models to executable code are specified. In order to enable Bochica for modeling agents that inhabit semantically-enhanced virtual worlds, an according extension model is proposed. Finally, a model-driven reverse engineering approach for lifting the underlying design of already implemented Multiagent System (MAS) to the platform-independent layer is introduced. The framework has been successfully evaluated for designing intelligent agents that operate a virtual production line as well as for extracting the underlying design of an already implemented MAS. The evaluation results show that the Bochica approach to AOSE contributes to overcome the gap between design and code.Diese Arbeit präsentiert das Bochica Rahmenwerk für agentenorientierte Softwareentwicklung. Die Aufgabe des Rahmenwerks ist es, die Designentscheidungen für ein IT-System auf einer plattformunabhängigen Ebene festzuhalten und auf eine Zielplattform abzubilden. Bochica erweitert den Stand der Wissenschaft der agentenorientierten Softwareentwicklung durch die Kombination von plattformunabhängigen und plattformspezifischen Eigenschaften. Zu diesem Zweck werden konzeptionelle Schnittstellen für die Anpassung an benutzerspezifische Anwendungsdomänen und Ausführungsumgebungen spezifiziert. Ein iterativer Adaptionsprozess ermöglicht die schrittweise Integration von neuen Konzepten. Für die Projektion von Bochica-Modellen auf eine Agentenplattform werden entsprechende Abbildungsregeln spezifiziert. Um das Bochica Rahmenwerk für die Modellierung von Agenten in semantisch annotierten virtuellen Welten anzupassen wird eine entsprechende Erweiterung eingeführt. Abschließend wird ein modellgetriebener Ansatz für die Extraktion des zugrundeliegenden Designs eines bereits implementierten Agentensystems auf die platformunabhängige Ebene vorgestellt. Bochica wurde in zwei Fallstudien für die Modellierung von Agenten in einer virtuelle Fabrikumgebung und die Extraktion des Designs eines bereits implementierten Agentensystems evaluiert. Die Evaluierungsergebnisse zeigen, daß das Rahmenwerk die Lücke zwischen einem plattformunabhängigen agentenorientiertem Design und der Zielplattform effektiv verringert