Agents-Based Knowledge Logistics

A research carried out in the framework of the knowledge logistics lies in the base of the chapter. As a result of the research an approach addressing the knowledge logistics problem was developed. The approach considers the problem as a problem of configuring a knowledge source network that is assumed to consist of distributed heterogeneous knowledge sources. An implementation of the approach was put into practice through its realization in the system “KSNet”. Distribution and heterogeneity of the knowledge sources determine a distributed and scalable character to the problem of the network configuring. Such nature of the problem causes for the system to have a multi-agent architecture. This chapter presents a prototype of the developed agent community implementation in the system “KSNet” and a constraint-based protocol designed for the agents’ negotiation. An application of the developed agent community to coalition-based operations support and the protocol are illustrated via case studies of a mobile hospital configuration as a task of health service logistics and automotive supply network configuration.