An agent-oriented methodology for hybrid intelligent system construction
- Publication Type:
- Thesis
- Issue Date:
- 2005
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In recent years, both researchers and practitioners have recognised the advantages
of applying the agent-based paradigm to the development of hybrid intelligent
systems (HIS). Yet, the number of deployed commercial agent-based hybrid
intelligent applications is small. One of the reasons for this is the lack of practical
methodologies for agent-based hybrid intelligent applications development.
The aim of this thesis is to overcome this limitation. We have devised an agent-oriented
methodology, called MAHIS (standing for Methodology for constructing
Agent-based Hybrid Intelligent Systems). To avoid building MAHIS from scratch,
we have followed the strategy of extending an existing well-known methodology in
order to bridge the gap between the existing methodology and agent-based HIS
construction. MAHIS has extended the capabilities of MAS-CommonKADS in
agent-based HIS development. It is suitable for constructing agent-based HIS, as
well as analysing and designing any open systems with hierarchical structure. Open
system in this thesis means that the system allows for dynamic addition or removal
of agents at run-time.
MAHIS consists of eight models: Hybrid Strategy Identification Model,
Organisation Model, Task Model, Agent Model, Expertise Model, Coordination
Model, Reorganisation Model, and Design Model. These models are grouped into
three levels: conceptualisation, analysis, and design. Both the Hybrid Strategy
Identification Model and Reorganisation Model are newly developed models rather
than from MAS-CommonKADS. At the same time, some existing models have
been improved accordingly. The Reorganisation Model is the key model to support
HIS and any open systems with hierarchical structure. It consists of category role,
group roles, virtual organisation role, and dynamics rules. This model describes the
hierarchical, dynamic, reusable, and unpredictable characteristics of HIS with
virtual organisation, category, and group perspectives. Some previously developed
agents can be reused by means of involving them in a new virtual organisation
dynamically. The output of the Reorganisation Model is the specification of the
dynamic platform which comprises middle agents and makes all agents and agent
groups hierarchical and dynamic.
A dynamic platform PAHIS (Platform for Agent-based Hybrid Intelligent
Systems) has been developed. PAHIS not only verified the capability of MAHIS in
dynamic platform construction, but also can be used as an infrastructure of agent-based
HIS. It supports the dynamic addition and removal of group-based agents at
run-time. A self-organising ring-based architectural model has been developed to
organise middle agents in PAHIS. Moreover, the ring-based architectural model has
been evaluated from the viewpoints of complexity, efficiency, extendibility, and
availability. The ring-based architectural model is competent in agent-based
systems with middle agents.
The verification of MAHIS in HIS construction has been conducted by two
successful case studies: "financial investment planning system" and "petroleum
reservoir characterisation system". The former has verified MAHIS in constructing
agent-based HIS with tight-coupling hybrid strategy. The latter has verified MAHIS
in constructing agent-based HIS with loose-coupling hybrid strategy. PAHIS has
been employed in these two systems.
The evaluation of MAHIS with the enriched evaluation framework which was
originally proposed by Cemuzzi and Rossi has been completed by comparing it
with Gaia and MAS-CommonKADS. The reorganisation attributes have been
added into the evaluation framework. The evaluation results have indicated that
MAHIS is preferable over Gaia and MAS-CommonKADS, especially in the
construction of agent-based HIS.
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