Towards a Framework for Agent Coordination and Reorganization, AgentCoRe

Research in the area of Multi-Agent System (MAS) organization has shown that the ability for a MAS to adapt its organizational structure can be beneficial when coping with dynamics and uncertainty in the MASs environment. Different types of reorganization exist, such as changing relations and interaction patterns between agents, changing agent roles and changing the coordination style in the MAS. In this paper we propose a framework for agent Coordination and Reorganization (AgentCoRe) that incorporates each of these aspects of reorganization. We describe both declarative and procedural knowledge an agent uses to decompose and assign tasks, and to reorganize. The RoboCupRescue simulation environment is used to demonstrate how AgentCoRe is used to build a MAS that is capable of reorganizing itself by changing relations, interaction patterns and agent roles

systems

Research on organization of Multi-Agent Systems (M.A.S.) has shown that by adapting its organization, a M.A.S. is better able to operate in dynamic environments. In this paper we describe an experiment with a M.A.S. that consists of agents where the capability to reorganize is integrated in their coordination mechanism. In the RoboCupRescue simulator we have implemented a M.A.S. where work can be coordinated according to three different coordination styles; direct supervision and standardization of skills with and without a reorganization extension. An experiment shows the effects of unknown workload distribution and incomplete information on the performance of the three styles. Results show significant interaction effects between both workload distribution and coordination mechanism, and completeness of information and coordination mechanism. Furthermore, results show that standardization of skills with reorganization performs better and is more robust to heterogeneous workload distribution and incompleteness of information

Facial Affect Displays during Tutoring Sessions

An emotionally intelligent tutoring system should be able to provide feedback to students, taking into account relevant aspects of the mental state of the student. Facial expressions, put in context, might provide some cues with respect to this state. We discuss the analysis of the facial expression displayed by students interacting with an Intelligent Tutoring System and our attempts to relate expression, situation and mental state building on the component process model of affective states

Towards an Infrastructure Description Language for Modeling Computing Infrastructures

provide technology independent descriptions of computing infrastructures. These descriptions include the physical resources and the network infrastructure that connects these resources. The description language also provides the necessary vocabulary to describe virtualization of resources and the services offered by these resources. Furthermore, the language can be easily extended to describe federation of different existing computing infrastructures, specific types of (optical) equipment and also behavioral aspects of resources, for example, their energy consumption. Before we introduce INDL we first discuss a number of modeling efforts that have lead to the development of INDL, namely the Network Description Language, the Network Markup Language and the CineGrid Description Language. We also show current applications of INDL in two EU-FP7 projects: NOVI and GEYSERS. We demonstrate the flexibility and extensibility of INDL to cater the specific needs of these two projects. Keywords-computing infrastructures; knowledge representation; semantic web; I

Analysing Facial Affect Displays Using the Component Process Model

tuation, the facial expressions that occur in that situation and the mental state one might assume to hold that is consistent with the data and that might be of use for the tutoring system which incorporates an embodied tutor agent. In our presentation we will discuss our experience with using and abusing the component process model for our analysis. We are reluctant to use the word dictionary as the term expresses a rather naive view on the relation between facial expression and emotion. On the other hand, for the system to be implemented simplifications will have to made anyway. Reference

UvA-DARE (Digital Academic Repository) A Semantic-Web Approach for Modeling Computing Infrastructures

A semantic-web approach for modeling computing infrastructures Ghijsen, M.; van der Ham, J.J.; Grosso, P.; Dumitru, C.; Zhu, H.; Zhao, Z.; de Laat, C.T.A.M. Link to publication Citation for published version (APA): Ghijsen, M., van der Ham, J., Grosso, P., Dumitru, C., Zhu, H., Zhao, Z., & de Laat, C. (2013). A semantic-web approach for modeling computing infrastructures. (SNE technical report; No. 2013-01). Amsterdam: Universiteit van Amsterdam, System and Network Engineering. General rights It is not permitted to download or to forward/distribute the text or part of it without the consent of the author(s) and/or copyright holder(s), other than for strictly personal, individual use, unless the work is under an open content license (like Creative Commons). Disclaimer/Complaints regulations If you believe that digital publication of certain material infringes any of your rights or (privacy) interests, please let the Library know, stating your reasons. In case of a legitimate complaint, the Library will make the material inaccessible and/or remove it from the website. Please Ask the Library: https://uba.uva.nl/en/contact, or a letter to: Library of the University of Amsterdam, Secretariat, Singel 425, 1012 WP Amsterdam, The Netherlands. You will be contacted as soon as possible. Abstract This paper describes our approach to modeling computing infrastructures. Our main contribution is the Infrastructure and Network Description Language (INDL) ontology. The aim of INDL is to provide technology independent descriptions of computing infrastructures, including the physical resources as well as their network infrastructure. INDL also provides the necessary vocabulary to describe virtualization of resources and the services offered by these resources. We build our infrastructure model upon the Network Markup Language (NML). Although INDL is a stand-alone model, it can be easily connected with the NML model. In this paper we show how INDL and NML are used as a basis for models used in three different applications: the CineGrid infrastructure, the Logical Infrastructure Composition Layer in the GEYSERS EU-FP7 project and the NOVI federation platform. Furthermore, we show the use of INDL for monitoring energy aspects of computing infrastructures and its application for workflow planning on computing infrastructures