55,617 research outputs found
Agent Street: An Environment for Exploring Agent-Based Models in Second Life
Urban models can be seen on a continuum between iconic and symbolic. Generally speaking, iconic models are physical versions of the real world at some scaled down representation, while symbolic models represent the system in terms of the way they function replacing the physical or material system by some logical and/or mathematical formulae. Traditionally iconic and symbolic models were distinct classes of model but due to the rise of digital computing the distinction between the two is becoming blurred, with symbolic models being embedded into iconic models. However, such models tend to be single user. This paper demonstrates how 3D symbolic models in the form of agent-based simulations can be embedded into iconic models using the multi-user virtual world of Second Life. Furthermore, the paper demonstrates Second Life\'s potential for social science simulation. To demonstrate this, we first introduce Second Life and provide two exemplar models; Conway\'s Game of Life, and Schelling\'s Segregation Model which highlight how symbolic models can be viewed in an iconic environment. We then present a simple pedestrian evacuation model which merges the iconic and symbolic together and extends the model to directly incorporate avatars and agents in the same environment illustrating how \'real\' participants can influence simulation outcomes. Such examples demonstrate the potential for creating highly visual, immersive, interactive agent-based models for social scientists in multi-user real time virtual worlds. The paper concludes with some final comments on problems with representing models in current virtual worlds and future avenues of research.Agent-Based Modelling, Pedestrian Evacuation, Segregation, Virtual Worlds, Second Life
Size Matters: Microservices Research and Applications
In this chapter we offer an overview of microservices providing the
introductory information that a reader should know before continuing reading
this book. We introduce the idea of microservices and we discuss some of the
current research challenges and real-life software applications where the
microservice paradigm play a key role. We have identified a set of areas where
both researcher and developer can propose new ideas and technical solutions.Comment: arXiv admin note: text overlap with arXiv:1706.0735
On Steering Swarms
The main contribution of this paper is a novel method allowing an external
observer/controller to steer and guide swarms of identical and
indistinguishable agents, in spite of the agents' lack of information on
absolute location and orientation. Importantly, this is done via simple global
broadcast signals, based on the observed average swarm location, with no need
to send control signals to any specific agent in the swarm
Densifying the sparse cloud SimSaaS: The need of a synergy among agent-directed simulation, SimSaaS and HLA
Modelling & Simulation (M&S) is broadly used in real scenarios where making
physical modifications could be highly expensive. With the so-called Simulation
Software-as-a-Service (SimSaaS), researchers could take advantage of the huge
amount of resource that cloud computing provides. Even so, studying and
analysing a problem through simulation may need several simulation tools, hence
raising interoperability issues. Having this in mind, IEEE developed a standard
for interoperability among simulators named High Level Architecture (HLA).
Moreover, the multi-agent system approach has become recognised as a convenient
approach for modelling and simulating complex systems. Despite all the recent
works and acceptance of these technologies, there is still a great lack of work
regarding synergies among them. This paper shows by means of a literature
review this lack of work or, in other words, the sparse Cloud SimSaaS. The
literature review and the resulting taxonomy are the main contributions of this
paper, as they provide a research agenda illustrating future research
opportunities and trends
Practical applications of multi-agent systems in electric power systems
The transformation of energy networks from passive to active systems requires the embedding of intelligence within the network. One suitable approach to integrating distributed intelligent systems is multi-agent systems technology, where components of functionality run as autonomous agents capable of interaction through messaging. This provides loose coupling between components that can benefit the complex systems envisioned for the smart grid. This paper reviews the key milestones of demonstrated agent systems in the power industry and considers which aspects of agent design must still be addressed for widespread application of agent technology to occur
Where creativity comes from: the social spaces of embodied minds
This paper explores creative design, social interaction and perception. It proposes that creativity at a social level is not a result of many individuals trying to be creative at a personal level, but occurs naturally in the social interaction between comparatively simple minds embodied in a complex world. Particle swarm algorithms can model group interaction in shared spaces, but design space is not necessarily one pre-defined space of set parameters on which everyone can agree, as individual minds are very different. A computational model is proposed that allows a similar swarm to occur between spaces of different description and even dimensionality. This paper explores creative design, social interaction and perception. It proposes that creativity at a social level is not a result of many individuals trying to be creative at a personal level, but occurs naturally in the social interaction between comparatively simple minds embodied in a complex world. Particle swarm algorithms can model group interaction in shared spaces, but design space is not necessarily one pre-defined space of set parameters on which everyone can agree, as individual minds are very different. A computational model is proposed that allows a similar swarm to occur between spaces of different description and even dimensionality
- …