Fall 2009 Agent-based Systems Instructor: Henry Hexmoor Time: MWF 12:00-12:50 pm Place: Faner 1006 Join our googlegroup: cs536siu

Course Description: Agent-based systems are commonplace in environments characterized by distributed, collaborative, and autonomous units. The techniques and algorithms of agent-based systems and multiagent systems are presented. Real world applications are explored. A group project is an integral part of this course.

Objectives:

• To have a rich understanding of multiagent systems and their limitations
• skills to design automation solutions using multiagent system techniques

Lectures in this calss will not cover internet programming, setting up ecommerce sites, or developing web pages. The term projects could include these activities. The lectures will focus on enabling concepts, models and theories.

Course administration and grading. The course will be run as a regular lectrure class. A single term project will worth 50/100 points. Two midterms and a final exam will count 30% with equal worths. Exams will be either take home or in class. One netlogo homeword that is peer judged and peer graded will count 10% each. Attendance will count for 10%. Although it is different from netlogo, a good tutorial is available on starlogo that can serve as a good starting point.

Projects: Projects are either (a) applied where agent-based methodology is used for simulation or (b) basic research where an aspect of multiagency is extended beyond the state of the art. We recommend using netlogo for applied research. I recommend considering the following ten applied themes: 1. Redistricting voting zones, 2. Deer modeling, 3. Disaster response, 4. artificial swarm control, 5. modeling dynamics of team sports, 6. modeling a big man society (aka Dr. Paul Welch's reciprocity game), 7. modeling crowds (see Andrew Fell's Keith Still's , Henein's), and 8. Modeling airport traffic, 9. modeling human decision making, 10. Culture and Cognition. For a intriduction to social simulation read Prof. Nigel Gilbert's paper. Prepare a proposal. Once permission is granted, continue.

Examples of basic research are found in papers by Prof. Nick Jennings, Prof. Michael Wooldridge, Prof. Victor Lesser, and Prof. Henry Hexmoor. I recommend the following six themes: 1. MOTL, 2. Trust and social networks, 3. Deception, 4. Social Power, 5. Social networks and Collaboration, and 6. agent Architecture.

Schedule:

Who should attend and prerequisites. We welcome CS graduate students with some background in AI and a strong interest in multiagent systems research. Graduate students in all other closely related sciences who are interested in projects or independent studies are also encouraged to participate. Graduate students may select thesis topics. Senior undergraduate CS students who have taken CS330 with a grade of C or better are also welcome. A group project is an integral part of this course for undergraduate srtudents.

Required Textbooks:

Michael J. Wooldridge, 2000. Introduction to MultiAgent Systems, John Wiley & Sons; 1st edition, 047149691X (June 12, 2002)
Hexmoor's KIMAS 2003 slides
Recommended Textbook:

Online APA Manual

Recommended textbooks:
Multiagent Systems: A Modern Approach to Distributed Artificial Intelligence, MIT press, SBN: 047149691X.
Sabine Payr, Robert Trappl (Editors), Agent Culture: Human-Agent Interaction in a Multicultural World, Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, ISBN: 0805848088 Gerhard Weiss, 2000.

Partial Reading List:

BDI--

1. Michael Bratman, 1999. Intention, Plans, and Practical Reason, MIT press.

2. Michael Wooldridge, Rational Agents, MIT Press.

3. Brian Chellas, 1980. Modal Logic.Cambridge University Press.

4. D. Dennett, 1989. The Intentional Stance., MIT Press.

5. H. Raiffa, The Art and Science of Negotiation, Harvard University Press.

Game Theory--

6. Ken Binmore, 2007. Playing for Real: A Text on Game Theory, Oxford university Press.

7. J.D. Willimas, The complete Strategyst, Rand Corp.

8. Len Fisher, Rock, Paper, Scissors,

Trust--

9. C. Castelfranchi and Y.H. Tan, Trust and Deception in Virtual Societies, Kluwer.

10. K. Cook, Trust in Society, Russell Sage Foundation.

Autonomy--

11. Hexmoor, C. Castelfranchi, R. Falcone. Agent Autonomy, Kluwer.

Sociality--

12. R. Conte, C. Dellarocas, Social Order in Multiagent Sustems, Kluwer.

13. Dautenhahn, Bond, Canamero, Edmonds. Socially Intelligent Agents, Kluwer.

14. S. Payr, R. Trappl, Agent Culture, Lawrence Earlbaum.

Useful Links: To find research papers, citeseer and Multiagent.com

Email: Henry Hexmoor

Last updated: October 20, 2009