Cormas, une plate-forme multi-agent pour concevoir collectivement des modèles et interagir avec les simulations

International audienceCe document présente les nouvelles fonctionnalités de Cormas, une plate-forme de modélisation multi-agent dédiée à la gestion des ressources renouvelables. Logiciel libre, Cormas vise à concevoir facilement un SMA et analyser des scénarios. Aujourd'hui, Cormas a pris une direction novatrice orientée vers la conception collective de modèles et la simulation interactive. Ces simulations hybrides mixent des décisions prises par les joueurs et d'autres par le modèle. Cela permet d'interagir avec une simulation en modifiant le comportement des agents et la façon dont ils utilisent les ressources. Ainsi, il est possible d'explorer collectivement des scénarios à moyen et long terme afin de mieux comprendre comment atteindre une situation souhaitée. En retour, cela permet de réviser collectivement le modèle conceptuel. Après avoir expliqué la philosophie de la modélisation d'accompagnement, ce document présente la façon dont les fonctionnalités de Cormas sont appliquées à travers trois expériences. Abstract This paper presents the new functionalities of Cormas, a multi-agent modeling platform dedicated to the management of renewable resources. As free software, Cormas is intended to facilitate the design of ABM as well as the monitoring and analysis of simulation scenarios. Today Cormas has taken an innovative direction oriented towards the collective design of models and interactive simulation. These hybrid simulations are mixing decisions taken by stakeholders and others by the model. This allows the user to interact with a simulation by changing the behavior of agents. Thus, it is possible to collectively explore medium and long-term scenarios to better understand how a desired situation may be reached. In turn, this feed back into the collective design of the model. After having explained the philosophy of the companion modeling, this paper presents how the Cormas functionalities are put into practice through three experiments with stakeholders facing actual environmental challenges

Usability of Computerised Gaming Simulation for Experiential Learning

This chapter examines the impacts of computerization of gaming simulations on their usability. Simulation and gaming is an interdisciplinary domain which rallies, among others, the disciplines of education and modelling, and which aim at helping groups of participants to acquire knowledge and skills on complex topics. Gaming simulations can take the form of haptic games or computerised simulations. Yet, the later form may slow down the learning potential for the users. The chapter describes the different types of computerization of gaming simulations. It then examines the effects of computerization, both from the users’ perspective (accessibility, captive effect, and flexibility of use) and from the developers’ perspective (material, human, and time requirements). Some paths to overcome barriers to experiential learning of computerised gaming simulation are finally presented

VISUALIZADOR DE ÁGUA E SOLO: UMA FERRAMENTA DE SUPORTE AO GERENCIAMENTO DE RECURSOS NATURAIS E SUA APLICABILIDADE EM SISTEMAS MULTIAGENTE

Os recursos e serviços hídricos estão diretamente ligados ao crescimento econômico e à sustentabilidade ambiental. Devido a isso, é importante aperfeiçoarmos a coleta, a análise e a percepção dos processos físicos da água. O objetivo deste trabalho é identificar e avaliar como a plataforma Google Earth Engine pode auxiliar no contexto de análise de dados em recursos hídricos, bem como realizar a integração inicial com a técnica de Sistemas multiagente, de forma a obter um sistema dinâmico e bastante similar a realidade dos sistemas ambientais. O GEE integra as tecnologias presentes em sistemas de informação geográficas, tornando-a interessante para o desenvolvimento de aplicações voltadas para os recursos naturais, e os sistemas multiagente buscam integrar aspectos comportamentais/humanos aos sistemas computacionais. O estudo de caso desta pesquisa foi aplicado no gerenciamento de recursos hídricos da bacia hidrográfica da Lagoa Mirim e Canal São Gonçalo. Os dados disponibilizados são uma ferramenta de suporte ao Comitê de Gerenciamento das Bacias Hidrográficas, que pode entender e analisar esta região de forma mais completa. Palavras-chave: recursos naturais; recursos hídricos; uso do solo; ferramentas computacionais.   Water and soil viewer: a support tool to the management of natural resources   ABSTRACT: Researchers linked water resources and services directly to economic growth and environmental sustainability. In this way, it is essential to store, analyze and understand the water's physical processes. This work aims to identify and validate how the platform Google Earth Engine (GEE) can assist in the analysis of data in water resources, as well as perform the initial integration with the technique of Multi-agent Systems, in order to obtain a dynamic system and quite similar to the reality of environmental systems. GEE integrates the technologies present in geographic information systems, making it interesting to develop applications aimed at natural resources and multi-agent systems aim to integrate behavioral/human aspects into computer systems. We applied the case study of this research to manage water resources of the hydrographic basin of Lagoa Mirim and Canal São Gonçalo. The data available is a tool to support the Hydrographic Basin Management Committee, which can understand and analyze this region in a more complete way. Keywords: natural resources; hydric resources; land use; computational tools

Using agent-based modelling to simulate social-ecological systems across scales

Agent-based modelling (ABM) simulates Social-Ecological-Systems (SESs) based on the decision-making and actions of individual actors or actor groups, their interactions with each other, and with ecosystems. Many ABM studies have focused at the scale of villages, rural landscapes, towns or cities. When considering a geographical, spatially-explicit domain, current ABM architecture is generally not easily translatable to a regional or global context, nor does it acknowledge SESs interactions across scales sufficiently; the model extent is usually determined by pragmatic considerations, which may well cut across dynamical boundaries. With a few exceptions, the internal structure of governments is not included when representing them as agents. This is partly due to the lack of theory about how to represent such as actors, and because they are not static over the time-scales typical for social changes to have significant effects. Moreover, the relevant scale of analysis is often not known a priori, being dynamically determined, and may itself vary with time and circumstances. There is a need for ABM to cross the gap between micro-scale actors and larger-scale environmental, infrastructural and political systems in a way that allows realistic spatial and temporal phenomena to emerge; this is vital for models to be useful for policy analysis in an era when global crises can be triggered by small numbers of micro-level actors. We aim with this thought-piece to suggest conceptual avenues for implementing ABM to simulate SESs across scales, and for using big data from social surveys, remote sensing or other sources for this purpose

Assessing vulnerability and modelling assistance: using demographic indicators of vulnerability and agent-based modelling to explore emergency flooding relief response

Flooding is a significant concern for much of the UK and is recognised as a primary threat by most local councils. Those in society most often deemed vulnerable: the elderly, poor or sick, for example, often see their level of vulnerability increase during hazard events. A greater knowledge of the spatial distribution of vulnerability within communities is key to understanding how a population may be impacted by a hazard event. Vulnerability indices are regularly used – in conjunction with needs assessments and on-the-ground research – to target service provision and justify resource allocation. Past work on measuring and mapping vulnerability has been limited by a focus on income-related indicators, a lack of consideration of accessibility, and the reliance on proprietary data. The Open Source Vulnerability Index (OSVI) encompasses an extensive range of vulnerability indicators supported by the wider literature and expert validation and provides data at a sufficiently fine resolution that can identify vulnerable populations. Findings of the OSVI demonstrate the potential cascading impact of a flood hazard as it impacts an already vulnerable population: exacerbating pre-existing vulnerabilities, limiting capabilities and restricting accessibility and access to key services. The OSVI feeds into an agent-based model (ABM) that explores the capacity of the British Red Cross (BRC) to distribute relief during flood emergencies using strategies based upon the OSVI. A participatory modelling approach was utilised whereby the BRC were included in all aspects of the model development. The major contribution of this work is the novel synthesis of demographics analysis, vulnerability mapping and geospatial simulation. The project contributes to the growing understanding of vulnerability and response management within the NGO sector. It is hoped that the index and model produced will allow responder organisations to run simulations of similar emergency events and adjust strategic response plans accordingly

Software Usability

This volume delivers a collection of high-quality contributions to help broaden developers’ and non-developers’ minds alike when it comes to considering software usability. It presents novel research and experiences and disseminates new ideas accessible to people who might not be software makers but who are undoubtedly software users