A software framework for simulation studies of interaction models in agent teamwork.

This thesis proposes a new software framework that facilitates the study of agent interaction models in early development stages from a designer's perspective. Its purpose is to help reduced the design decision space through simulation experiments that provide early feedback on comparative performance of alternative solutions. This is achieved through interactive concurrent simulation of multiple teams in a representative microworld context. The generic simulator's architecture accommodates an open class of different microworlds and permits multiple communication mechanisms. It also supports interoperability with other software tools, distributed simulation, and various extensions. The framework was validated in the context of two different research projects on helpful behavior in agent teams: the Mutual Assistance Protocol, based on rational criteria for help, and the Empathic Help Model, based on a concept of empathy for artificial agents. The results show that the framework meets its design objectives and provides the flexibility needed for research experimentation. --Leaf i.The original print copy of this thesis may be available here: http://wizard.unbc.ca/record=b184472

Role-based and agent-oriented teamwork modeling

Teamwork has become increasingly important in many disciplines. To support teamwork in dynamic and complex domains, a teamwork programming language and a teamwork architecture are important for specifying the knowledge of teamwork and for interpreting the knowledge of teamwork and then driving agents to interact with the domains. Psychological studies on teamwork have also shown that team members in an effective team often maintain shared mental models so that they can have mutual expectation on each other. However, existing agent/teamwork programming languages cannot explicitly express the mental states underlying teamwork, and existing representation of the shared mental models are inefficient and further become an obstacle to support effective teamwork. To address these issues, we have developed a teamwork programming language called Role-Based MALLET (RoB-MALLET) which has rich expressivity to explicitly specify the mental states underlying teamwork. By using roles and role variables, the knowledge of team processes is specified in terms of conceptual notions, instead of specific agents and agent variables, allowing joint intentions to be formed and this knowledge to be reused by different teams of agents. Further, based on roles and role variables, we have developed mechanisms of task decomposition and task delegation, by which the knowledge of a team process is decomposed into the knowledge of a team process for individuals and then delegate it to agents. We have also developed an efficient representation of shared mental models called Role-Based Shared Mental Model (RoB-SMM) by which agents only maintain individual processes complementary with others?? individual process and a low level of overlapping called team organizations. Based on RoB-SMMs, we have developed tworeasoning mechanisms to improve team performance, including Role-Based Proactive Information Exchange (RoB-PIE) and Role-Based Proactive Helping Behaivors (RoBPHB). Through RoB-PIE, agents can anticipate other agents?? information needs and proactively exchange information with them. Through RoB-PHB, agents can identify other agents?? help needs and proactively initialize actions to help them. Our experiments have shown that RoB-MALLET is flexible in specifying reusable plans, RoB-SMMs is efficient in supporting effective teamwork, and RoB-PHB improves team performance

DEFINING DIGITAL PRESERVATION WORK: A CASE STUDY OF THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE REFERENCE MODEL FOR AN OPEN ARCHIVAL INFORMATION SYSTEM

I report on a multi-method case study of the development of a standard called the Reference Model for an Open Archival Information System (OAIS), which describes components and services required to develop and maintain archives in order to support long-term access and understanding of the information in those archives. The development of the OAIS took place within a standards development organization called the Consultative Committee for Space Data Systems (CCSDS), whose formal purview is the work of space agencies, but the effort reached far beyond the traditional CCSDS interests and stakeholders. It has become a fundamental component of digital archive research and development in a variety of disciplines and sectors. Through document analysis, social network analysis and qualitative analysis of interview data, I explain how and why the OAIS development effort, which took place within a space data standards body, was transformed into a standard of much wider scope, relevant to a diverse set of actors. The OAIS development process involved substantial enrollment of resources from the environment, including skills and expertise; social ties; documentary artifacts; structures and routines; physical facilities and proximity; and funding streams. Enrollment from the environment did not occur automatically. It was based on concerted efforts by actors who searched for relevant literature, framed the process as open, and promoted it at professional events. Their acts of participation also helped to enroll resources, contributing to what structuration theory calls the signification and legitimation of the Reference Model, i.e. enactment of what the document means, and why and to whom it is important. Documentary artifacts were most successfully incorporated into the OAIS when they were perceived to support modularity and to be at an appropriate level of abstraction. The content of the Reference Model was subject to stabilization over time, making changes less likely and more limited in scope. A major factor in the success of the OAIS was the timing of its development. Actors within several streams of activity related to digital preservation perceived the need for a highlevel model but had not themselves developed one. At the same time, several actors now felt they had knowledge from their own recent digital archiving efforts, which could inform the development of the OAIS. This study has important implications for research on standardization, and it provides many lessons for those engaged in future standards development efforts.Ph.D.InformationUniversity of Michigan, Horace H. Rackham School of Graduate Studieshttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/39372/2/dissertation_callee.pd

Proactive Communications in Agent Teamwork

Abstract. The capabilities for agents in a team to anticipate information-needs of teammates and proactively offer relevant information are highly desirable. However, such behaviors have not been fully prescribed by ex-isting agent theories. To establish a theory about proactive information exchanges, we first introduces the concept of “information-needs”, then identify and formally define the intentional semantics of two proactive communicative acts, which highly depend on the speaker’s awareness of others ’ information-needs. It is shown that communications using these proactive performatives can be derived as helping behaviors. Conversa-tion policies involving these proactive performatives are also discussed. The work in this paper may serve as a guide for the specification and design of agent architectures, algorithms, and applications that support proactive communications in agent teamwork.

Proactive Communications in Agent Teamwork

The capabilities for agents in a team to anticipate informationneeds of teammates and proactively o#er relevant information are highly desirable. However, such behaviors have not been fully prescribed by existing agent theories. To establish a theory about proactive information exchanges, we first introduces the concept of "information-needs", then identify and formally define the intentional semantics of two proactive communicative acts, which highly depend on the speaker's awareness of others' information-needs. It is shown that communications using these proactive performatives can be derived as helping behaviors. Conversation policies involving these proactive performatives are also discussed