APICe » Publications » Artifacts in the A&A Meta-Model for Multi-Agent Systems

Artifacts in the A&A Meta-Model for Multi-Agent Systems

Andrea Omicini, Alessandro Ricci, Mirko Viroli
In this article we focus on the notion of artifact for agents in MAS (multi-agent systems) as a basis for a new meta-model promoting the modelling and engineering of agent societies and MAS environment as first-class entities. Its conceptual foundations lay upon theories and results coming from computational sciences as well as from organisational and cognitive sciences, psychology, CSCW, anthropology and ethology. In the resulting A&A (agents & artifacts) meta-model, agents are the (pro-)active entities in charge of the goals/tasks that altogether build up the whole MAS behaviour, whereas artifacts are the reactive entities providing the services and functions that make individual agents work together in a MAS, and that shape agent environment according to the MAS needs.

After presenting the scientific background, we define the notions of artifact in the A&A meta-model, discuss how it affects the notion of intelligence in MAS, and show its application to a number of agent-related research fields.
Autonomous Agents and Multi-Agent Systems 17(3), pages 432-456, December 2008.
Andrea Omicini, Peter McBurney (eds.), Springer
Special Issue on Foundations, Advanced Topics and Industrial Perspectives of Multi-Agent Systems 
@article{artifacts-jaamas17,
	Author = {Omicini, Andrea and Ricci, Alessandro and Viroli, Mirko},
	Doi = {10.1007/s10458-008-9053-x},
	Editor = {Omicini, Andrea and McBurney, Peter},
	Issn = {1387-2532},
	Issn-Online = {1573-7454},
	Journal = {Autonomous Agents and Multi-Agent Systems},
	Month = dec,
	Note = {Special Issue on Foundations, Advanced Topics and Industrial Perspectives of Multi-Agent Systems},
	Number = 3,
	Pages = {432--456},
	Publisher = {Springer},
	PublonsId = {13197269},
	ScopusId = {2-s2.0-52949149709},
	Title = {Artifacts in the {A\&A} Meta-Model for Multi-Agent Systems},
	Url = {http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s10458-008-9053-x},
	Volume = 17,
	WosId = {000259411800004},
	Year = 2008}