Multi-agent systems and applications : 9th ECCAI advanced course, ACAI 2001 and agent link's 3rd European Agent Systems Summer School, EASSS 2001, Prague, Czech Republic, July 2-13, 2001 : selected tutorial papers

This book presents selected tutorial lectures given at the summer school on Multi-Agent Systems and Their Applications held in Prague, Czech Republic, in July 2001 under the sponsorship of ECCAI and Agent Link. The 20 lectures by leading researchers in the field presented in the book give a competent state-of-the-art account of research and development in the field of multi-agent systems and advanced applications. The book offers parts on foundations of MAS; social behaviour, meta-reasoning, and learning; and applications. The Advanced Course On Artificial Intelligence Acai 2001 With The Subtitle M Ulti- Agent Systems And Their Applications , Held In Prague, Czech Republic, Was A Joint Event Of Eccai (the European Coordinating Committee For Artificial Intelligence) And Agentlink, The European Network Of Excellence For Agent-based Computing. Whereas Eccai Organizes Two-week Acai Courses On Different Topics Every Second Year, Agentlink S European Agent Systems Summer School (easss) Has Been An Annual Event Since 1999. This Year, Both Of These Important Events Were Merged Together, Giving Weight To The Fact That Multi-agent Systems Currently Represent One Of The Hottest Topics In Ai Research. The Name, Acai 2001 Summer School, Is Intended To Emphasize That This Event Continues The Tradition Of Regular Eccai Activities (acai), As Well As The Easss Summer Schools Of Agentlink. The Prague Acai Summer School Was Proposed And Initiated By Both The Gerstner Laboratory, Czech Technical University, Prague (gl-ctu) And The Czech Society For Cybernetics And Informatics (cski), With The Support Of The Austrian Research Institute For Artificial Intelligence In Vienna (ofai). Part Of Our Motivation Was Catalyzed By Experience Gained In 1992 During The International Summer School Advanced Topics In Artificial Intelligence (see Springer S Lnai Vol. 617) Which Was Organized By The Same Czech And Austrian Bodies. One Of The Most Important Stimulating Factors Behind The Organization Of Acai 2001 Was The Support Provided By The European Commission To The Gerstner Laboratory Within The Frame Of The Miracle Center Of Excellence Project (ist No. Perspectives On Organizations In Multi-agent Systems / L. Gasser -- Multi-agent Infrastructure, Agent Discovery, Middle Agents For Web Services And Interoperation / K. Sycara -- Logical Foundations Of Agent-based Computing / W. Van Der Hoek -- Standardizing Agent Communication / Y. Labrou -- Standardizing Agent Interoperability: The Fipa Approach / S. Poslad And P. Charlton -- Distributed Problem Solving And Planning / E.h. Durfee -- Automated Negotiation And Decision Making In Multiagent Environments / S. Kraus -- Agents' Advanced Features For Negotiation And Coordination / E. Oliveira -- Towards Heterogeneous Agent Teams / M. Tambe And D.v. Pynadath -- Social Knowledge In Multi-agent Systems / V. Marik, M. Pechoucek And O. Stepankova. Michael Luck ... [et Al.], (eds.). Includes Bibliographical References And Index. Content: Front Matter....Pages I-X Perspectives on Organizations in Multi-agent Systems....Pages 1-16 Multi-agent Infrastructure, Agent Discovery, Middle Agents for Web Services and Interoperation....Pages 17-49 Logical Foundations of Agent-Based Computing....Pages 50-73 Standardizing Agent Communication....Pages 74-97 Standardizing Agent Interoperability: The FIPA Approach....Pages 98-117 Distributed Problem Solving and Planning....Pages 118-149 Automated Negotiation and Decision Making in Multiagent Environments....Pages 150-172 Agents? Advanced Features for Negotiation and Coordination....Pages 173-186 Towards Heterogeneous Agent Teams....Pages 187-210 Social Knowledge in Multi-agent Systems....Pages 211-245 Machine Learning and Inductive Logic Programming for Multi-agent Systems....Pages 246-270 Relational Reinforcement Learning....Pages 271-280 From Statistics to Emergence: Exercises in Systems Modularity....Pages 281-300 Emotions and Agents....Pages 301-316 Multi-agent Coordination and Control Using Stigmergy Applied to Manufacturing Control....Pages 317-334 Virtual Enterprise Modeling and Support Infrastructures: Applying Multi-agent System Approaches....Pages 335-364 Specialised Agent Applications....Pages 365-382 Agent-Based Modelling of Ecosystems for Sustainable Resource Management....Pages 383-403 Cooperating Physical Robots: A Lesson in Playing Robotic Soccer....Pages 404-414 A Multi-agent Study of Interethnic Cooperation....Pages 415-435 Back Matter....Pages 437-437 The aim of this paper is to illustrate and sensitize reader to the variety of perspectives and the fundamental nature of organizations as stable/stabilizing systems and as multi-perspective action systems.