Lloyd Daniel Kamara

Voting in Multi-Agent Systems

Voting is an essential element of mechanism design for multi-agent systems, and by extension applications built on such systems, which includes ad hoc networks, virtual organizations, and decision support tools implementing online deliberative assemblies. Much attention has been given both to designing the process so that it is resistant to manipulation by strategic voting and so that an automated system can follow rules of order as developed for the conduct of formal meetings. In this paper, we define, characterize, formally specify and animate a general voting protocol. In particular we show how the requirements established by the characterization are captured by the specification and are exhibited by the animation. The importance of these requirements is in ensuring robustness by respecting the way in which votes are cast and the outcome is declared, especially as this issue relates to the 2004 ACM Statement on E-Voting.

A protocol for resource sharing in norm-governed ad hoc networks

Ad hoc networks may be viewed as computational systems whose members may fail to, or choose not to, comply with the rules governing their behaviour. We are investigating to what extent ad hoc networks can usefully be described in terms of permissions, obligations and other more complex normative relations, based on our previous work on specifying and modelling open agent societies. We now propose to employ our existing framework for the management of ad hoc networks, exploiting the similarities between open agent societies and ad hoc networks viewed at the application level. We also discuss the prospects of modelling ad hoc networks at the physical level in similar terms. We demonstrate the framework by constructing an executable specification, in the event calculus, of a common type of protocol used to regulate the control of access to shared resources in ad hoc networks.

Formalization of a voting protocol for virtual organizations

A voting protocol for decision-making in virtual organizations is presented. In an agent-based virtual organization the functions of formation, management and dissolution of the organization are passed to software processes. Each phase in this life-cycle requires decision making: an ostensibly fair way for independent agents to make decisions is to take a vote. Accordingly, this paper formalizes a protocol for voting. The emphasis is on characterising the powers, permissions, obligations and even sanctions of the voters, using a norm-governed approach to agent societies. The specification language is the Event Calculus, and its animation is informative with respect to a full implementation. It is well-known that various types of ad hoc alliance of autonomous entities require voting procedures, and a normative specification of the interactions is therefore beneficial for many aspects of self-organization and self-management.

Alternative Dispute Resolution in Virtual Organizations

Networked systems are the driving force of modern business and commerce, underpinned by ideas such as agile enterprises, holonic manufacturing, and dynamic real-time supply chains. On occasions, the system operation will be sub-optimal or non-ideal, and disputes will occur between independent partners. It may be undesirable to resolve such disputes by recourse to law; preferably, the parties in dispute would settle the matter by themselves. Therefore, we develop an alternative dispute resolution (ADR) system for virtual organizations as a way of settling disputes internally. We provide a norm-governed specification of an ADR protocol which is, effectively, an intelligent agent-based autonomic system. We develop this specification in two ways: concretely, through description of the mechanisms underlying protocol operation; and abstractly, by considering how the specification addresses principles for jury trials.

Voting in online deliberative assemblies

Voting is an essential element of mechanism design for multi-agent systems, and decision support for CSCW tools implementing online deliberative assemblies. Much attention has been given both to designing the process so that it is resistant to manipulation by strategic voting, and so that an automated system can follow rules of order as developed for the conduct of formal meetings. In this paper, we formalise a general voting protocol trying to take into account a right to cast a vote, and an entitlement that the vote cast is counted in the correct way. We discuss the design and development of a system for online deliberative assemblies, that incorporates this protocol as part of a suite of protocols which collectively implement rules of order. We conclude with some comments on the voting protocol as it relates to the 2004 ACM Statement on E-Voting.

Simulating computational societies

Multi-agent systems can be considered from a variety of perspectives. One such perspective arises from considering the architecture of an agent itself. Another is that of an instantiated agent architecture and its interaction with its peers in aMAS. A third perspective is that of an external observer. These three perspectives cover a potentially overlapping but essentially distinct set of issues concerning MAS simulation and modelling. In this paper, we consider each of these perspectives in turn and demonstrate how a simulation framework can support a collective treatment of such concepts. We discuss the implications for agent development and agent society design arising from the results and analysis of our simulation approach.

A norm-governed systems perspective of ad hoc networks

Ad hoc networks are a type of computational system whose members may fail to, or choose not to, comply with the laws governing their behaviour. We are investigating to what extent ad hoc networks can usefully be described in terms of permissions, obligations and other more complex normative relations, based on our previous work on modelling norm-governed multi-agent systems. We propose to employ our existing framework for the specification of the laws governing ad hoc networks. Moreover, we discuss a software infrastructure that executes such specifications for the benefit of ad hoc network members, informing them of their normative relations. We have been developing a sample node architecture as a basis for norm-governed ad hoc network simulations. Nodes based on this architecture consider the networks laws in their decision-making, and can be individually configured to exhibit distinct behaviour. We present run-time configurations of norm-governed ad hoc networks and indicate design choices that need to be made in order to fully realise such networks.