AHCI RESEARCH GROUP
Publications
Papers published in international journals,
proceedings of conferences, workshops and books.
OUR RESEARCH
Scientific Publications
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You can use the tag cloud to select only the papers dealing with specific research topics.
You can expand the Abstract, Links and BibTex record for each paper.
2004
Cossentino, Massimo; Sabatucci, Luca
Agent System Implementation Book Section
In: Agent-Based Manufacturing and Control Systems: New Agile Manufacturing Solutions for Achieving Peak Performance. CRC Press, Boca Raton, 2004, ISBN: 1-57444-336-4.
Abstract | BibTeX | Tags: Agents, Architecture, FIPA, JADE
@incollection{cossentinoAgentSystemImplementation2004,
title = {Agent System Implementation},
author = { Massimo Cossentino and Luca Sabatucci},
isbn = {1-57444-336-4},
year = {2004},
date = {2004-01-01},
booktitle = {Agent-Based Manufacturing and Control Systems: New Agile Manufacturing Solutions for Achieving Peak Performance. CRC Press, Boca Raton},
abstract = {The systematic study of the development of agent systems has a recent history. Little time has elapsed since the scientific world perceived the promise of using the agent paradigm to solve a great variety of problems. This realization prompted many researchers to design, independently, their own infrastructures on which to activate their own agents. The result working proposals were often optimal, very efficient for a specific problem domain, but not devoid of some defects. The programming language, the communication paradigm, and other technical details generally made these frameworks unsuitable for purposes other than those for which a given approach was originally conceived. The total absence of genuine attention towards the system design and development process (and consequent documentation) often stymied the growth, scalability and maintenance of these applications. Furthermore, systems were developed without regard to compliance to any standard, thereby creating agents so significantly diverse that they were unable to interact with each other across different frameworks. Now that agent technology has come of age, these solutions, while good for a first experimental phase, , are inadequate for the true uptake of this paradigm. The importance of standardization is such a pivotal issue that an international organization, the Foundation for Intelligent Physical Agents (FIPA), was founded to promote the intelligent agent industry by openly developing specifications supporting interoperability among agents and agent- based applications. A new and very active field, agent-oriented software engineering is now dealing with the problem of identifying the proper design method for a multi-agent systems. In this chapter we deal with all of these themes, first discussing the key features of FIPA specifications in order to position and define widespread concepts like agent, behavior, and communication in a reference context, and then presenting a complete design process (adopting the PASSI methodology) applied to the PPS-Bikes' system case study. In more detail, the chapter is articulated as follows: in paragraph 5.2 the standard architecture designed by FIPA for an agent platform is examined, describing the mandatory components that each platform has to implement, then in paragraph 5.3, using the practical example of the PPS-Bikes' system, the fundamentals guiding the implementation of a multi agent system, starting from the initial design down to the code implementation, are illustrated.},
keywords = {Agents, Architecture, FIPA, JADE},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {incollection}
}
The systematic study of the development of agent systems has a recent history. Little time has elapsed since the scientific world perceived the promise of using the agent paradigm to solve a great variety of problems. This realization prompted many researchers to design, independently, their own infrastructures on which to activate their own agents. The result working proposals were often optimal, very efficient for a specific problem domain, but not devoid of some defects. The programming language, the communication paradigm, and other technical details generally made these frameworks unsuitable for purposes other than those for which a given approach was originally conceived. The total absence of genuine attention towards the system design and development process (and consequent documentation) often stymied the growth, scalability and maintenance of these applications. Furthermore, systems were developed without regard to compliance to any standard, thereby creating agents so significantly diverse that they were unable to interact with each other across different frameworks. Now that agent technology has come of age, these solutions, while good for a first experimental phase, , are inadequate for the true uptake of this paradigm. The importance of standardization is such a pivotal issue that an international organization, the Foundation for Intelligent Physical Agents (FIPA), was founded to promote the intelligent agent industry by openly developing specifications supporting interoperability among agents and agent- based applications. A new and very active field, agent-oriented software engineering is now dealing with the problem of identifying the proper design method for a multi-agent systems. In this chapter we deal with all of these themes, first discussing the key features of FIPA specifications in order to position and define widespread concepts like agent, behavior, and communication in a reference context, and then presenting a complete design process (adopting the PASSI methodology) applied to the PPS-Bikes' system case study. In more detail, the chapter is articulated as follows: in paragraph 5.2 the standard architecture designed by FIPA for an agent platform is examined, describing the mandatory components that each platform has to implement, then in paragraph 5.3, using the practical example of the PPS-Bikes' system, the fundamentals guiding the implementation of a multi agent system, starting from the initial design down to the code implementation, are illustrated.
Cossentino, Massimo; Sabatucci, Luca; Chella, Antonio
Patterns Reuse in the PASSI Methodology Proceedings Article
In: Engineering Societies in the Agents World IV: 4th International Workshops, ESAW 2003, London, UK, October 29-31, 2003. Revised Selected and Invited Papers 4, pp. 294–310, Springer Berlin Heidelberg, 2004.
Abstract | Links | BibTeX | Tags: Design Process, JADE, Multi agent systems
@inproceedings{cossentinoPatternsReusePASSI2004,
title = {Patterns Reuse in the PASSI Methodology},
author = { Massimo Cossentino and Luca Sabatucci and Antonio Chella},
doi = {10.1007/978-3-540-25946-6_19},
year = {2004},
date = {2004-01-01},
booktitle = {Engineering Societies in the Agents World IV: 4th International Workshops, ESAW 2003, London, UK, October 29-31, 2003. Revised Selected and Invited Papers 4},
pages = {294--310},
publisher = {Springer Berlin Heidelberg},
abstract = {Design patterns already proved successful in lowering the development time and number of errors of object-oriented software; now, they are, candidate to play a similar role in the MAS (multi-agent system) context. In this work we describe our experiences in the identification, production and application of patterns for agents. Some patterns are described together with the classification criteria and documentation approach we adopt. Upon them, we base a pattern reuse process that can be considered one of the distinguishing elements of the design methodology (PASSI) we use to develop MAS. Patterns can be applied to an existing agent or used to produce a new one with the support of a specific web based application that can read both the JAVA source code and XMI representation of the agent design documentation. After the successful application of the desired pattern(s), the source code and the design diagrams (usually a structural and dynamic diagram) of the agent can be exported. Some experimental results are reported in order to demonstrate the utility of this approach in automatically producing an interesting percentage of code lines.},
keywords = {Design Process, JADE, Multi agent systems},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {inproceedings}
}
Design patterns already proved successful in lowering the development time and number of errors of object-oriented software; now, they are, candidate to play a similar role in the MAS (multi-agent system) context. In this work we describe our experiences in the identification, production and application of patterns for agents. Some patterns are described together with the classification criteria and documentation approach we adopt. Upon them, we base a pattern reuse process that can be considered one of the distinguishing elements of the design methodology (PASSI) we use to develop MAS. Patterns can be applied to an existing agent or used to produce a new one with the support of a specific web based application that can read both the JAVA source code and XMI representation of the agent design documentation. After the successful application of the desired pattern(s), the source code and the design diagrams (usually a structural and dynamic diagram) of the agent can be exported. Some experimental results are reported in order to demonstrate the utility of this approach in automatically producing an interesting percentage of code lines.
2003
Cossentino, Massimo; Sabatucci, Luca; Chella, Antonio
Designing JADE Systems with the Support of CASE Tools and Patterns Journal Article
In: Special Issue on JADE of Telecom Italia Journal EXP of September, 2003.
Abstract | BibTeX | Tags: Design Patterns, Design Process, JADE, Multi agent systems, Supporting Tool
@article{cossentinoDesigningJADESystems2003,
title = {Designing JADE Systems with the Support of CASE Tools and Patterns},
author = { Massimo Cossentino and Luca Sabatucci and Antonio Chella},
year = {2003},
date = {2003-01-01},
journal = {Special Issue on JADE of Telecom Italia Journal EXP of September},
abstract = {In the last years, multi-agent systems (MAS) have proved more and more successful. The need of a quality software engineering approach to their design arises together with the request of new tools that could support a quick, affordable and cost- profitably development process. In this work we describe two different aspects of these topics: the support that a CASE tool specifically conceived for MASs can provide to the designer and the impact that patterns of agents can have in the systems production. Both of these issues have, in our approach, a common denominator that is the PASSI (Process for Agent Societies Specification and Implementation) design methodology since the CASE tool we will describe has been built to work with it and our patterns are totally integrate with this process. We will complete our discussion with some examples of the functionalities offered by these tools.},
keywords = {Design Patterns, Design Process, JADE, Multi agent systems, Supporting Tool},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
In the last years, multi-agent systems (MAS) have proved more and more successful. The need of a quality software engineering approach to their design arises together with the request of new tools that could support a quick, affordable and cost- profitably development process. In this work we describe two different aspects of these topics: the support that a CASE tool specifically conceived for MASs can provide to the designer and the impact that patterns of agents can have in the systems production. Both of these issues have, in our approach, a common denominator that is the PASSI (Process for Agent Societies Specification and Implementation) design methodology since the CASE tool we will describe has been built to work with it and our patterns are totally integrate with this process. We will complete our discussion with some examples of the functionalities offered by these tools.