Moamin A. Mahmoud

A Review of Norms and Normative Multiagent Systems

Norms and normative multiagent systems have become the subjects of interest for many researchers. Such interest is caused by the need for agents to exploit the norms in enhancing their performance in a community. The term norm is used to characterize the behaviours of community members. The concept of normative multiagent systems is used to facilitate collaboration and coordination among social groups of agents. Many researches have been conducted on norms that investigate the fundamental concepts, definitions, classification, and types of norms and normative multiagent systems including normative architectures and normative processes. However, very few researches have been found to comprehensively study and analyze the literature in advancing the current state of norms and normative multiagent systems. Consequently, this paper attempts to present the current state of research on norms and normative multiagent systems and propose a norms life cycle model based on the review of the literature. Subsequently, this paper highlights the significant areas for future work.

Norms Detection and Assimilation in Multi-agent Systems: A Conceptual Approach

In this paper, we propose a technique for a software agent to detect the norms of a community of agents and assimilate its behavior to comply with the local normative protocol, failing which, the agent is refused services and resources. In this technique, the software agent is equipped with an algorithm, which detects and analyzes the normative interactions between local agents. When the detection is successful, it launches another algorithm to request for its assimilation to the local normative protocol, indicating its acceptance by the group of local agents.

A Norm Assimilation Approach for Multi-agent Systems in Heterogeneous Communities

In a heterogeneous community, which constitutes a number of social groups that adopt different social norms, norm assimilation is considered as the main problem for a new member to join a desired social group. Studies in norm assimilation seem to be lacking in concept and theory within this research domain. Consequently, this paper proposes a norm assimilation approach, in which a new agent attempts to join a social group via assimilating with the social group’s norms. Several cases are considered for an agent’s decision which are, can assimilate, could assimilate, and cannot assimilate. We develop the norm assimilation approach based on the agent’s internal belief about its ability and its external belief about the assimilation cost of a number of social groups. From its beliefs about its ability and assimilation cost, it is able to decide whether to proceed or decline the assimilation with a specific social group or join another group.

Automated Multi-agent Negotiation Framework for the Construction Domain

In this paper, we propose an automated multi-agent negotiation framework for decision making in the construction domain. It enables software agents to conduct negotiations and autonomously make decisions. The proposed framework consists of two types of components, internal and external. Internal components are integrated into the agent architecture while the external components are blended within the environment to facilitate the negotiation process. The internal components are negotiation algorithm, negotiation style, negotiation protocol, and solution generators. The external components are the negotiation base and the conflict resolution algorithm. We also discuss the decision making process flow in such system. There are three main processes in decision making for specific projects, which are propose solutions, negotiate solutions and handling conflict outcomes (conflict resolution). We finally present the proposed architecture that enables software agents to conduct automated negotiation in the construction domain.

Potential norms detection in social agent societies

In this paper, we propose a norms mining algorithm that detects a domain’s potential norms, which we called the Potential Norms Mining Algorithm (PNMA). According to the literature, an agent changes or revises its norms based on variables of local environment and amount of thinking about its behaviour. Based on these variables, the PNMA is used to revise the norms and identify the new normative protocol to comply with the domain’s norms. The objective of this research is to enable an agent to revise its norms without a third party enforcement unlike most of the work on norms detection and identification, which entail sanctions by an authority. We demonstrate the execution of the algorithm by testing it on a typical scenario and analyse the results on several issues.

A framework for resolving task overload problems using intelligent software agents

In this paper, we model task delegation to resolve task overload problems using intelligent software agents in a normative environment. In such environment, where humans are responsible for various tasks, which are not transparent to others except to the management, task delegation is one of the possible solutions. In order to effectively delegate roles and tasks, the delegator must comply with certain norms and rules to avoid delays in completing the tasks. In this paper, we explore the complexity of decision making process in multi-level hierarchical organization and apply delegation rules to resolve issues relating to task overload problem. We then develop a framework using intelligent software agents to resolve the problem.

A Multi-agent Framework for Research Supervision Management

In this paper, we propose an agent-based framework to enhance, control and manage the research supervision process. The proposed framework consists of three phases which are Research Development Activities, Performance and Completion Measurement, and Tracking Activities. The Research Development Activities phase proposes a number of activities to develop a research. These activities consist of two layers, abstract and detail. Performance and Completion Measurement phase works on measuring a student performance and expected completion date. The Tracking Activities phase presents the proposed activities to track and trigger a student’s tasks. We discuss the components of the framework as possible implementation for a general application of research supervision management.

A fuzzy logic control in adjustable autonomy of a multi-agent system for an automated elderly movement monitoring application

Autonomous agents are being widely used in many systems, such as ambient assisted-living systems, to perform tasks on behalf of humans. However, these systems usually operate in complex environments that entail uncertain, highly dynamic, or irregular workload. In such environments, autonomous agents tend to make decisions that lead to undesirable outcomes. In this paper, we propose a fuzzy-logic-based adjustable autonomy (FLAA) model to manage the autonomy of multi-agent systems that are operating in complex environments. This model aims to facilitate the autonomy management of agents and help them make competent autonomous decisions. The FLAA model employs fuzzy logic to quantitatively measure and distribute autonomy among several agents based on their performance. We implement and test this model in the Automated Elderly Movements Monitoring (AEMM-Care) system, which uses agents to monitor the daily movement activities of elderly users and perform fall detection and prevention tasks in a complex environment. The test results show that the FLAA model improves the accuracy and performance of these agents in detecting and preventing falls.

A conceptual automated negotiation model for decision making in the construction domain

In this paper, we propose a conceptual automated multi-agent negotiation model for decision making in the construction domain. The proposed model enables software agents to conduct negotiations and autonomously make decisions. The model consists of two components, namely, Agent Architecture and Negotiation Approach. The Agent Architecture combines a Negotiation Algorithm and a Negotiation Protocol that enable each agent to conduct and regulate the negotiation process. The Negotiation Approach combines a Decision-making Process based on Value Management, a Negotiation Process Base that hosts negotiation operations among agents and a Conflict Resolution Algorithm. The paper presents the conceptual findings of these components.

Development and implementation of a technique for norms-adaptable agents in open multi-agent communities

In open normative multi-agent communities, an agent is not usually and explicitly given the norms of the host agents. Thus, when it is not able to adapt the communities’s norms, it is totally deprived of accessing resources and services from the host. Such circumstance severely affects its performance resulting in failure to achieve its goal. Consequently, this study attempts to overcome this deficiency by proposing a technique that enables an agent to detect the host’s potential norms via self-enforcement and update its norms even in the absence of sanctions from a third-party. The authors called this technique as the potential norms detection technique (PNDT). The PNDT consists of five components: Agent’s belief base; observation process; potential norms mining algorithm (PNMA); verification process; and updating process. The authors demonstrate the operation of the PNMA algorithm by testing it on a typical scenario and analyzing the results on several perspectives. The tests’ results show that the PNDT performs satisfactorily albeit the success rate depends on the environment variables settings.