273,329 research outputs found

    Unrolled Graph Learning for Multi-Agent Collaboration

    Full text link
    Multi-agent learning has gained increasing attention to tackle distributed machine learning scenarios under constrictions of data exchanging. However, existing multi-agent learning models usually consider data fusion under fixed and compulsory collaborative relations among agents, which is not as flexible and autonomous as human collaboration. To fill this gap, we propose a distributed multi-agent learning model inspired by human collaboration, in which the agents can autonomously detect suitable collaborators and refer to collaborators' model for better performance. To implement such adaptive collaboration, we use a collaboration graph to indicate the pairwise collaborative relation. The collaboration graph can be obtained by graph learning techniques based on model similarity between different agents. Since model similarity can not be formulated by a fixed graphical optimization, we design a graph learning network by unrolling, which can learn underlying similar features among potential collaborators. By testing on both regression and classification tasks, we validate that our proposed collaboration model can figure out accurate collaborative relationship and greatly improve agents' learning performance

    Merging Two Worlds: Agent-Based Simulation Methods for Autonomous Systems

    Get PDF
    This chapter recommends the increased use of agent-based simulation methods to support the design, development, testing, and operational use of autonomous systems. This recommendation is motivated by deriving taxonomies for intelligent software agents and autonomous robotic systems from the public literature, which shows their similarity: intelligent software agents can be interpreted as the virtual counterparts of autonomous robotic systems. This leads to examples of how simulation can be used to significantly improve autonomous system research and development in selected use cases. The chapter closes with observations on the operational effects of possible emergent behaviour and the need to align the research agenda with other relevant organisations facing similar challenges

    Benzimidazole-based derivatives as privileged scaffold developed for the treatment of the RSV infection: a computational study exploring the potency and cytotoxicity profiles

    Get PDF
    Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) has been identified as a main cause of hospitalisation in infants and children. To date, the current therapeutic arsenal is limited to ribavirin and palivizumab with variable efficacy. In this work, starting from a number of in-house series of previously described anti-RSV agents based on the benzimidazole scaffold, with the aim at gaining a better understanding of the related chemical features involved in potency and safety profiles, we applied a computational study including two focussed comparative molecular fields analysis (CoMFA) and comparative molecular similarity indices analysis (CoMSIA). The results allowed us to derive useful suggestions for the design of derivatives and also to set up statistical models predicting the potency and selectivity index (SI1/4CC50/EC50) of any new analogue prior to synthesis. Accordingly, here, we discuss preliminary results obtained through the applied exhaustive QSAR analyses, leading to design and synthesise more effective anti-RSV agents

    Automated Negotiation for Provisioning Virtual Private Networks Using FIPA-Compliant Agents

    No full text
    This paper describes the design and implementation of negotiating agents for the task of provisioning virtual private networks. The agents and their interactions comply with the FIPA specification and they are implemented using the FIPA-OS agent framework. Particular attention is focused on the design and implementation of the negotiation algorithms

    Cultural dialects of real and synthetic emotional facial expressions

    Get PDF
    In this article we discuss the aspects of designing facial expressions for virtual humans (VHs) with a specific culture. First we explore the notion of cultures and its relevance for applications with a VH. Then we give a general scheme of designing emotional facial expressions, and identify the stages where a human is involved, either as a real person with some specific role, or as a VH displaying facial expressions. We discuss how the display and the emotional meaning of facial expressions may be measured in objective ways, and how the culture of displayers and the judges may influence the process of analyzing human facial expressions and evaluating synthesized ones. We review psychological experiments on cross-cultural perception of emotional facial expressions. By identifying the culturally critical issues of data collection and interpretation with both real and VHs, we aim at providing a methodological reference and inspiration for further research

    Exploring cultural factors in human-robot interaction: A matter of personality?

    Get PDF
    This paper proposes an experimental study to investigate task-dependence and cultural-background dependence of the personality trait attribution on humanoid robots. In Human-Robot Interaction, as well as in Human-Agent Interaction research, the attribution of personality traits towards intelligent agents has already been researched intensively in terms of the social similarity or complementary rule. These two rules imply that humans either tend to like others with similar personality traits or complementary personality traits more. Even though state of the art literature suggests that similarity attraction happens for virtual agents, and complementary attraction for robots, there are many contradictions in the findings. We assume that searching the explanation for personality trait attribution in the similarity and complementary rule does not take into account important contextual factors. Just like people equate certain personality types to certain professions, we expect that people may have certain personality expectations depending on the context of the task the robot carries out. Because professions have different social meaning in different national culture, we also expect that these task-dependent personality preferences differ across cultures. Therefore suggest an experiment that considers the task-context and the cultural background of users
    corecore