Interdependent Artificial Institutions in Agent Environments

In this paper we present a new approach to model artificial institutions (AIs) that are situated in agent environments where heterogeneous agents reside. An AI is seen here as an entity that can evolve over time, whose rules, in terms of powers, permissions, and obligations, are perceivable as first-class entities by the agents belonging to the institution. We use a Multi-Agent Normative EnvironmenTs (MANET) meta-model for the specification of AIs that are situated in first-class agent environments. We present the concepts of MANET in a way that makes them re-usable in different application domains, and we extend our presentation with the study of AIs interdependences for the specification of the institutional part of a first-class environment. As a consequence, our framework presents institutions as first-class abstractions that can be inspected, manipulated and modified, created and destroyed by the agents populating the agent environment where the institution resides. We use an e-Energy marketplace scenario to illustrate the properties of our model.