Fall 2011 CS539 Agent-based Systems Instructor: Henry Hexmoor Time: TR 11:00-12:15 pm Place: Faner 1004

Last updated: November 11, 2011
http://www.cs.siu.edu/~hexmoor/classes/CS539-F11/mas11.html

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. Home works are designed to conduct a project in progressive phases culminating in a final technical project report. Tests are designed to encourage exploration of the state of the art themes as well as development of research skills.

• Test 1 (20%): This will be a "traditional" in-class test.
• Test 2 (20%): This will be a research report take home test.
• HW 1 (10%): One page research proposal on a topic related to this course. The following topics will be discussed:

1. Machine learning for Gamebots, 2. Crowd modeling (including flash crowd) (for background, see Andrew Fell's Keith Still's , Henein's, 3. Modeling Virtual Organizations, 4. Man on the Loop (MOTL), 5. Social Capital and Networks

HW 2 (10%): Simulation of a agent based model in your choice of a simulation environment: e.g., netlogo, repast. A good tutorial is available on starlogo that can serve as a good starting point.

One alternative is to read this description and implement a reasonable subset of interest. Although this simulation should coincide with your class project, it can be independent from your term project.

Here is a larger list of research topics. For a introduction to social simulation read Prof. Nigel Gilbert's paper. Prepare a proposal. Once permission is granted, you may proceed.

Examples of basic research are found in papers by Prof. Nick Jennings, Prof. Michael Wooldridge, Prof. Victor Lesser, and Prof. Henry Hexmoor.

• HW 3 (10%): Interim Project presentation: This is an interium presentation on class project.
• HW 4 (10%): Background and related work
• HW 5 Final presentation (10%): This is the final presentation on class project
• HW 6 (10%): Final project report

In some cases a project topic in this clsass can be the topic of the student's graduate product or another course project.

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

Online APA Manual

A dated textbook:
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 (optional):

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.

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.

Emergency Procedures: Southern Illinois University Carbondale is committed to providing a safe and healthy environment for study and work. Because some health and safety circumstances are beyond our control, we ask that you become familiar with the SIUC Emergency Response Plan and Building Emergency Response Team (BERT) program. Emergency response information is available on posters in buildings on campus, available on BERT's website at www.bert.siu.edu, Department of Safety's website www.dps.siu.edu (disaster drop down) and in Emergency Response Guideline pamphlet. Know how to respond to each type of emergency.

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

Email: Henry Hexmoor