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2012 | Buch

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Trends in Practical Applications of Agents and Multiagent Systems

10th International Conference on Practical Applications of Agents and Multi-Agent Systems

herausgegeben von: Juan M. Corchado Rodríguez, Javier Bajo Pérez, Paulina Golinska, Sylvain Giroux, Rafael Corchuelo

Verlag: Springer Berlin Heidelberg

Buchreihe : Advances in Intelligent and Soft Computing

Enthalten in: Springer Professional "Wirtschaft+Technik" , Springer Professional "Technik" , Springer Professional "Wirtschaft"

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Über dieses Buch

PAAMS, the International Conference on Practical Applications of Agents and Multi-Agent Systems is an evolution of the International Workshop on Practical Applications of Agents and Multi-Agent Systems. PAAMS is an international yearly tribune to present, to discuss, and to disseminate the latest developments and the most important outcomes related to real-world applications. It provides a unique opportunity to bring multi-disciplinary experts, academics and practitioners together to exchange their experience in the development of Agents and Multi-Agent Systems.

This volume presents the papers that have been accepted for the 2012 in the workshops: Workshop on Agents for Ambient Assisted Living, Workshop on Agent-Based Solutions for Manufacturing and Supply Chain and Workshop on Agents and Multi-agent systems for Enterprise Integration.

Inhaltsverzeichnis

Frontmatter

Applying Model-Based Techniques to the Development of UIs for Agent Systems

Abstract

To counter difficulties of user interface (UI) development, model based techniques became firmly established over the last years. The basic idea of model based user interface development (MBUID) is to formally specify a UIs appearance and behaviour by means of several models. Especially for distributed multi-agent systems, the appliance of MBUID can be most promising. Agent applications involve many different execution platforms and heterogeneous devices and perfectly fit for Ambient Assisted Living landscapes due to their innate characteristics of distribution and autonomy.When it comes to agent systems, one always has to consider the fact that humans have to communicate with agents in the end. It is our opinion that most approaches neglect this fact and thus cut the dynamics and the capabilities of distributed multi-agent systems. Hence in this work, we present an approach for the development of UIs for software agents which applies model based techniques and also retains all degrees of freedom for the underlying multi-agent system.

Sebastian Ahrndt, Dirk Roscher, Marco Lützenberger, Andreas Rieger, Sahin Albayrak

Virtual Agents in Next Generation Interactive Homes

Abstract

Today’s houses are slowly turning into a complex electronic net of devices. The increasing complexity of systems and the need for these systems to remain simple, accessible and transparent for the user, makes it necessary to research technologies that enable intelligent and autonomous computing and new ways of interacting with future home. Autonomic computing systems are those which can manage themselves given high level objectives. If we integrate autonomic computing and new interactive user mechanisms like virtual agents, we obtain the future smart homes.

Rafael Del-Hoyo, Luis Sanagustín, Carolina Benito, Isabelle Hupont, David Abadía

Accessing Cloud Services through BDI Agents

Case Study: An Agent-Based Personal Trainer to COPD Patients

Abstract

Cloud computing is envisioned a dominant role in the future. Extensive amount of data are stored, applications running in the cloud, and globally accessible. However, users neither cannot nor are interested in observing and processing those amounts of information. Thus, a mentalistic model that virtually represents the user’s goals could be integrated with the cloud to present processed extracts in a cognitively accessible way. Such an approach is presented with deliberative BDI agents both in general and in a case study for COPD patients.

Kasper Hallenborg, Pedro Valente, Yves Demazeau

Evaluating the n-Core Polaris Real-Time Locating System in an Indoor Environment

Abstract

Context-aware technologies allow Ambient Assisted Living developments to automatically obtain information from users and their environment in a distributed and ubiquitous way. One of the most important technologies used to provide context-awareness is Wireless Sensor Networks (WSN). Wireless Sensor Networks comprise an ideal technology to develop Real-Time Locating Systems (RTLS) aimed at indoor environments, where existing global navigation satellite systems do not work correctly. In this regard, n-Core Polaris is an indoor and outdoor RTLS based on ZigBee WSNs and an innovative set of locating and automation engines. This paper presents the main components of the n-Core Polaris, as well as some experiments made in a real scenario whose results demonstrate the effectiveness of the system in indoor environments.

Dante I. Tapia, Óscar García, Ricardo S. Alonso, Fabio Guevara, Jorge Catalina, Raúl A. Bravo, Juan Manuel Corchado

Cyclic Scheduling for Supply Chain Network

Abstract

This paper concerns the domain of Supply Chain Network Infrastructure (SCNI) usually observed in the multimodal transportation systems such as Multi-modal Passenger Transport Systems supported by lines of buses, trains, etc., and focuses on the scheduling problems encountered in these systems. SCNI can be modeled as a network of lines providing cyclic routes for particular kinds of stream-like moving transportation means. Lines and using them passengers can be seen as a multi agent system where passengers expectations compete with lines capability. The main question regards of SCNI schedulability, e.g. the guarantee the same distances in assumed different directions will require similar amount of the travel time. The declarative model of SCNI enabling to formulate cyclic scheduling problem in terms of the constraint satisfaction is our contribution.

Grzegorz Bocewicz, Robert Wójcik, Zbigniew Banaszak

Improving Production in Small and Medium Enterprises

Abstract

Knowledge management has gained relevance during the last years to improve business functioning. However, there is still a growing need of developing innovative tools that can help small to medium sized enterprises to detect and predict undesired situations. This article present a multi-agent system aimed at detecting risky situations. The multi-agent system incorporates models for reasoning and makes predictions using case-based reasoning. The models are used to detect risky situations and an providing decision support facilities. An initial prototype was developed and the results obtained related to small and medium enterprises in a real scenario are presented.

María L. Borrajo, Javier Bajo, Juan F. De Paz

Multiagent System for Detecting and Solving Design-Time Conflicts in Civil Infrastructure

Abstract

One typical source of problems in the Civil Infrastructure domain is the distributed and collaborative nature of the projects in which different profiles of engineers contribute with designs devoted to the interest of their field of expertise. Thus, situations in which there are different conflicts of interests are quite common. A conflict refers to a situation in which the actions of an engineer collide with the interests of other engineers. In this paper, we present a multi-agent system that, thanks to the use of ontologies and rules on those ontologies, is able to detect profilespecific conflict situations and solve them according to the preferences of the parties involved in the conflict. The conflict solving is based on the Multi Agent Resource Allocation (MARA) theory. The system is applied to a real use case of an urban development where both the road network and the buildings are designed.

Jaume Domínguez Faus, Francisco Grimaldo, Fernando Barber

Simulation and Analysis of Virtual Organizations of Agents

Abstract

Nowadays there is a clear trend towards using methods and tools that can help to develop multiagent systems (MAS). Thanks to the contribution from agent based computing to the field of computer simulation mediated by ABS (Agent Based Simulation) is obtained benefits like methods for evaluation and visualization of multi agent systems or for training future users of a system. This study presents a multiagent based middleware for the agents behavior simulation. The main challenge of this work is the design and development of a new infrastructure that can act as a middleware to communicate the current technology in charge of the development of the multiagent system and the technology in charge of the simulation, visualization and analysis of the behavior of the agents. The proposed middleware infrastructure makes it possible to visualize the emergent agent behaviour and the entity agent in a 3D environment. It also allows to design multi-agent systems considering organizational aspects of agent societies.

Elena García, Virginia Gallego, Sara Rodríguez, Carolina Zato, Juan F. de Paz, Juan Manuel Corchado

Using Simulation Based on Agents (ABS) and DES in Enterprise Integration Modelling Concepts

Abstract

The aim of this paper is to share the dilemma about approach to simulation tool selection. The paper presents the results of the authors researches using methodologies of enterprises architectures (CIMOSA and GRAI) where agent approach is used to solve planning and managing problems. Processes are performed in enterprise manufacturing and supply chains. To verify new proposed solutions, simulation experiments are necessary. The problem is which simulation tool is appropriate to use for verification. Selected tools based on ABS and DES are presented. Some tools combining DES and ABS approaches are described. The process of choice and recommendation is also presented.

Pawel Pawlewski, Paul-Eric Dossou, Paulina Golinska

A Genetic Algorithm-Based Heuristic for Part-Feeding Mobile Robot Scheduling Problem

Abstract

This present study deals with the problem of sequencing feeding tasks of a single mobile robot with manipulation arm which is able to provide parts or components for feeders of machines in a manufacturing cell. The mobile robot has to be scheduled in order to keep machines within the cell producing products without any shortage of parts. A method based on the characteristics of feeders and inspired by the (s, Q) inventory system, is thus applied to define time windows for feeding tasks of the robot. The performance criterion is to minimize total traveling time of the robot in a given planning horizon. A genetic algorithm-based heuristic is developed to find the near optimal solution for the problem. A case study is implemented at an impeller production line in a factory to demonstrate the result of the proposed approach.

Quang-Vinh Dang, Izabela Ewa Nielsen, Grzegorz Bocewicz

ACA Multiagent System for Satellite Image Classification

Abstract

In this paper, we present a multiagent system for satellite image classification. With this aim we will describe a new classification algorithm based on cellular automata called ACA (Algorithm based on Cellular Automata). This algorithm can be modeled by agents. Actually, there are different classification algorithms, such as minimum distance and parallelepiped classifiers, but none is fullreliable in terms of quality. One of the main advantages of ACA is to provide a mechanism which offers a hierarchical classification divided into levels of reliability with a final quality optimized through contextual techniques. Finally, we have developed a multiagent system which allows to classify satellite images in the SOLERES framework.

Moisés Espínola, José A. Piedra, Rosa Ayala, Luís Iribarne, Saturnino Leguizamón, Massimo Menenti

Automatic Extraction of Geographic Locations on Articles of Digital Newspapers

Abstract

On this article, we present a model to make easier the reading of digital newspapers extracting the location of the news from the articles and showing the places associated with the news on a map. A module of supervised keyword-based extraction recognizes and classifies the geographical locations like named entities. The extraction results are improved using dictionaries or gazetteers (a list of named entities of the geographic area where the news are located). Thesauri are also used to check and complete the results, and for the named entities disambiguation. Finally, the model has been applied to “El Norte de Castilla”, a digital publication of Vallladolid, to validate and identify the tools and techniques with the best results.

Cesar García Gómez, Ana Flores Cuadrado, Jorge Díez Mínguez, Eduardo Villoslada de la Torre

An Experiment to Test URL Features for Web Page Classification

Abstract

Web page classification has been extensively researched, using different types of features that are extracted either from the page content, the page structure or from other pages that link to that page. Using features from the page itself implies having to download it before its classification. We present an experiment to proof that URL tokens contain information enough to extract features to classify web pages. A classifier based on these features is able to classify a web page without having to download it previously, avoiding unnecessary downloads.

Inma Hernández, Carlos R. Rivero, David Ruiz, José Luis Arjona

On Relational Learning for Information Extraction

Abstract

The extraction and integration of data from multiples sources are required in current companies which manage their business process by heterogeneous collaborating applications. However, integrating web applications is an arduous task because they are intended for human consumption and they do not provide APIs to access to their data automatically.Web Information extractors are used for this purpose but, they mostly provide ad-hoc highly domain dependent solutions. In this paper we aim at devising Information Extractors with a FOIL based core algorithm. It is a widely used first order rule learning algorithm since their rules are substantially more expressive and allow to learn complex concepts that cannot be represented in the attribute-value format. Furthermore, we focus on integrating other scoring functions to check if we can improve the rule search guide speeding up the learning process in order to make FOIL tractable in real-world domains such as Web sources.

Patricia Jiménez, José Luis Arjona, J. L. Álvarez

Automatic Optimization of Web Navigation Sequences

Abstract

Web automation applications are widely used for different purposes such as B2B integration, automated testing of web applications or technology and business watch. In this work-in-progress paper we outline a set of techniques which constitute the basis to build a web navigation component able to analyze a web navigation sequence and automatically optimize it, detecting which parts of the loaded pages are needed, and which ones can be discarded in the following executions of the sequence. Our techniques build on the Document Object Model and the first tests executed with real web sources have found them to be very effective.

José Losada, Juan Raposo, Alberto Pan, Javier López

Metabolic Pathway Data and Application Integration

Abstract

This paper shows three previous approaches for data integration, Linked Data access and Web Service annotation, and what problems have to be solved in the context of Life Sciences to integrate and use Metabolic Pathway data published as Linked Data.

Ismael Navas-Delgado, Maria Jesús García-Godoy, José F. Aldana-Montes

Analysing the Effectiveness of Crawlers on the Client-Side Hidden Web

Abstract

The main goal of this study is to present a scale that classifies crawling systems according to their effectiveness in traversing the “client-side” Hidden Web. To that end, we accomplish several tasks. First, we perform a thorough analysis of the different client-side technologies and the main features of the Web 2.0 pages in order to determine the initial levels of the aforementioned scale. Second, we submit a Web site whose purpose is to check what crawlers are capable of dealing with those technologies and features. Third, we propose several methods to evaluate the performance of the crawlers in the Web site and to classify them according to the levels of the scale. Fourth, we show the results of applying those methods to some OpenSource and commercial crawlers, as well as to the robots of the main Web search engines.

Víctor M. Prieto, Manuel Álvarez, Rafael López-García, Fidel Cacheda

Information Extraction Framework

Abstract

The literature provides many techniques to infer rules that can be used to configureweb information extractors.Unfortunately, these techniques have been developed independently, which makes it very difficult to compare the results: there is not even a collection of datasets on which these techniques can be assessed. Furthermore, there is not a common infrastructure to implement these techniques, which makes implementing them costly. In this paper, we propose a framework that helps software engineers implement their techniques and compare the results. Having such a framework allows comparing techniques side by side and our experiments prove that it helps reduce development costs.

Hassan A. Sleiman, Rafael Corchuelo

Behavior Pattern Simulation of Freelance Marketplace

Abstract

Labour market is expanding rapidly nowadays. Therefore, recruitment processes, namely, the processes of job searching and job offer have become more complicated and there is a strong tendency to automate and integrate it in special freelance marketplaces, i.e. web solutions which seek for the best match for a buyer and seller analyzing the services and items they offer. The aim of the current research is to find possible improvements to the existing system via the implementation of the Multi-Agent-System paradigm. We model the whole marketplace as a continuous process with different agents (freelancers) and propose several behavior models of agents. We analyze different strategies with the emphasis on agent profit and employer costs and present simulation results which complement our research.

Vadim Zuravlyov, Anton Matrosov, Dmitrijs Rutko

Backmatter

Titel: Trends in Practical Applications of Agents and Multiagent Systems
herausgegeben von: Juan M. Corchado Rodríguez
Javier Bajo Pérez
Paulina Golinska
Sylvain Giroux
Rafael Corchuelo
Verlag: Springer Berlin Heidelberg
Electronic ISBN: 978-3-642-28795-4
Print ISBN: 978-3-642-28794-7
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-28795-4