CBIS3203 - INTELLIGENT SYSTEM DEVELOPMENT
Agent-based technology is the popular choice for building certain industry-driven systems.
a. In your opinion, what are the fundamental characteristics of an agent-based system? Explain your answer.
b. Explain the differences between agent-based systems and conventional systems.
c. Can an agent-based make mistakes? Justify your answers with relevant facts.
d. BDI (Belief-Desire-Intention) model is an approach in developing agent-based systems. In your own words, discuss the meaning of BDI-model and the situations in which this model can be applied.
===============My Answer=============
1.0 Introduction.
Agent-based technology is widely used in
many electronic devices
that we use today. It covers the construction industry, medicine, transportation,
education, research, military, and so on.
Agent-based technology is also known as an intelligent
agent. It is arguably the main tool as a driver
/ brain of the
software. The main purpose is
to replace human
tasks that need to be taken continuously. In addition, agent-based also able
to make decisions based on the
solution options available.
Quoted from website umich.edu,
intelligent agent is defined as "An intelligent agent is a software that assists people and act on
their behalf. Intelligent agents work by allowing people to delegate work that
they could have done, to the agent software. Agents can perform repetitive
tasks, remember things you forgot, intelligently summarize complex data, learn
from you and even make recommendations to you." Another definition is "An agent is a computer software system to play Whose Characteristics
are situatedness, autonomy, adaptivity, and
sociability" (Charles R. Dyer, 2003). These
two definitions are almost the
same mean-based agent that helps people
do their jobs 24 hours
non-stop and can act and make their own
decisions based on user input
or the current environment.
The purpose of this paper
is to describe
an agent-based technology in more depth.
Writing will include
the characters of agent-based. The literature also
includes the difference between the methods without intelligent
agent as against the use of intelligent agent.
Description is also made to identify possible errors
that occur in agent-based technology or otherwise. The latter is based on one model of
agent-based technology model BDI (Belief-Desire-the intention).
2.0 Fundamental
characteristics
Generally, the characters can be
divided into two, namely internal characteristics and external characteristics. Internal characters
include nature conducted
by the agent-based technology. The
external characters, which
requires the involvement and interaction with humans, other agents, the environment or other resources to enable agent-based technology to accomplish the task
set.
2.1 Internal
Characteristics
Internal characters to be
described is learning, reactivity, autonomy and
goal-orinted.
2.1.1 Learning
Agents have the ability to learn from past experiences and use them as
appropriate. Examples of this
characteristics of agent-based technology
has been used in
a storm or tsunami
warning systems. Tremor recorded by the agent will
be stored and analyzed to produce a range of ground
shaking will be said to be
harmless. And the agent will automatically warn
the user about
the danger.
2.1.2 Reactivity
Agents are able to react
quickly based on existing environmental information. For example, in
the medical field. Content of platelets and white
blood red blood
platelets measured using a specially designed machine. Humans cannot calculate the ratio of white blood with red blood faster than existing agents
in the machine.
2.1.3 Autonomy
Agents can control all
internal actions performed by him.
It does not require support for the act. Agent
takes input from
the user covers the important
decisions to be made. Generally, an
agent acting on its own in the tasks set.
2.1.4 Goal-oriented
Agents have a very
clear goal. Agents
will affect the
environment when necessary
to achieve the
desired goals. For example: In a computer
game, if we
play war games
and computers are
our enemies. We find that the computer always want
to try to beat us in various ways. This shows the computer's main goal is to beat people.
All this is carried out by agents who created
the game.
2.2 External Characteristics
The exterior features also are communication, cooperation,
mobility and character.
2.2.1 Communication
Agents always require interaction
with the environment, such as humans, other agents and
other sources of information to ensure
that the task executed
successfully.
2.2.2 Cooperation.
When faced with a complex
task, the cooperation between agents can
produce a solution more quickly and effectively. Ability and accuracy
will be reduced if it is implemented by an agent.
2.2.3 Mobility
Each agent can browse
through an electronic communications
network available. So it will act alone or combined as
necessary.
2.2.4 Character
Agents have the same
character with human behavior.
Agents will always
learn and improve
behavior obtained as capable.
3.0 Agent-based
System vs. Conventional Systems.
As
we know,
the characters software agents showing properties in which they have an advantage over traditional
software. The perception that we can do is, agent-based are always aware of the environmental changes that occur. Agent-based also perform the duties
of the complex
itself. In addition, agent-based which we
also know as intelligent
agents always learn through hindsight. They
also communicate with
users and other
agents. Conventional systems do not operate on its own and requires input
from the user. Each task must be performed
on the input
from the user. It
does not use a sensor that is sensitive
to the environment. In summary, agent-based versus traditional programs
listed in Table 1.0.
Agent-based
System
|
Conventional Systems
|
Aware of the changing environment.
|
Never bothered to change the
environment. This is because it relies on existing databases.
|
Perform tasks large and complex in itself.
|
Tasks large and complex to be monitored by the user.
|
Agent-based constantly gather information and learn through
hindsight.
|
Cannot learn on their own. All knowledge is the result of input from the user.
|
Software agents communicate with each other among themselves and users.
|
Systems do not communicate with each other.
|
Auto Complete
|
Users Input
|
Table
1.0
For
example, when
we want to search
through the website. Agent-based system more quickly to opportunities
and results compared to conventional systems. I want to search keywords "mh370"
through google.com website. I do not have
to type the whole keyword. Agent-based technology will help when I'm typing just two
letters only, "mh".
Some keywords will
be an option and I can continue to choose
the keywords that I want.
Figure 1.0
Note in Figure 1.0,
when I type the
letter "m", the choice of keywords will be displayed. However, agent-based keyword does
not give the option I wanted.
Figure 2.0
In Figure 2.0, the letter "mh" is typed and selection keywords
as "MH370" was listed by
software agents in the google.com search engine. With this, I can
continue to choose the keywords that
I want quickly
without having to type the entire
keyword.
Figure
3.0
And
the result is as shown in figure 3.0 which
displays a link on the keywords "MH370". Agents will also give more
preference to keywords that people use the site from
time to time. Most keywords
will be at the
top choices.
Compared
to conventional
methods of systems, I have to type the whole
keyword "MH370" and keywords will be
matched to a database search engine that is next
display links that
contain keywords word "MH370". Many lost time when I have to choose the
right link. This is because the
link will not be displayed in the
list of links to the answers received.
In other words, search engines simply
look for keywords "MH370" in their database without giving the options would be wise for users to choose.
4.0 Agent-based
system can make mistakes.
Taking into account the basic
principles of computers on which electronic devices are not all perfect.
And of course the
agent-based system can also
make mistakes. But mistakes are probably too
small and risky and
dangerous to humans. For example, the failure of the water heater. Agents are not doing
the job in order to heat water at
a temperature of 90 degrees due
to equipment malfunction. This is not a hazard to the user. However,
it cannot output
as expected by the
user to obtain water at a temperature of 90 degrees
Celsius.
While agent-based built
by programmers who know all the code
is written and tested, but the truth behind the
code so that there are many bugs
that cannot be detected. "You should assume that,
no matter how carefully you have designed and built your simulation, it will
contain bugs (code that does something different to what you wanted and
expected)." (Gilbert, 2007). Gilbert's statement
shows that each agent built by programmers are
not perfect for
all ages.
As if it was
perfect at the time it was created, but so
the agent-based code
that will have unforeseen drawbacks. This
arises when the agents communicate with each other and the old agent cannot be
being understood that the new agent code.
Figure 4.0
As shown in Figure 4.0.
Agents interact with
environments through sensors and effectors.
Agents will learn
or receive signals from the environment using a scanner. Input received will be processed and sent to the
detector to produce a response
back to the environment. Problems will arise if the agent-based fail to recognize the new environment. This makes the agent-based
fail to analyze data and make decisions. Next
is not sending a signal to the detector to respond. This
is an example of failure that may
occur on the agent-based.
Another
example of the
failure of the agent in the event
of damage to the sensors or effectors. If the
sensors received improper
interpretation of the environment.
Indirectly, the agent is unable to perform his duties better. Similarly, in
the event of failure on the
effectors.
5.0 Belief-Desire-Intention (BDI) Model
The BDI agent
model is built on a simplified view of human intelligence. In it, agents have a
view of the world (Beliefs), certain goals they wish to achieve (Desires), and
they form Plans (Intentions) to act on these using their accumulated
experience. Agents that are written using the BDI model are at a level of
abstraction closer to normal human experience. (
http://aosgrp.com/products/jack/documentation_and_instructi/agent_concepts_and_techniqu/what_is_bdi.html).
As the name suggests, the
BDI agents
take into account the aspects of belief, desire and
the intention. BDI is a key approach
in developing a multi-agent and agent.
5.1 Belief
Belief is the fact that represent the agent
believes the environment. For example, the
camera system Automated Enforcement System (AES) will capture images
of vehicles exceeding the speed limit
based on sensors installed
on the roads. However, the
agent does not believe to receive the data
captured by the sensor if no
objects or movements
that occur when the sensor sends a picture.
5.2 Desire
Desire is a goal
to achieve something
desired. Each agent has a desire
to be achieved. Agents also have some desire
at one time will
cause conflict. For
example, AES agents have the desire to record two vehicles on the
road that crosses the sensor
simultaneously. Agents need analysis of both
the vehicle and make a decision. Are both the vehicle violates
the speed limit or is only one. This condition can cause the conflict to an agent when making decisions. At
the same time, agents must receive signals from the sensor if there are other movements
that cross the sensor.
5.3 Intention
Intentions refer to
existing commitments on the agents to achieve goals. Intentions cannot
be in conflict with each other.
Agent must be consistent in all the intention. For
example, AES sensor was recording two
simultaneous movement of vehicles
exceeding the speed limit. Agent will make decisions that may be
one vehicle or two vehicles being driven over the speed limit. But not both be driven
slowly and do not exceed the speed limit.
6.0 Conclusion
Based
on paragraphs
written above, it can be concluded that the agent-based system is very
important software in the present. It helped facilitate people perform
everyday tasks more efficiently and quickly. The only
maintenance and very
minimum observations, agents can operate for
24 hours non-stop with almost no mistakes.
We
can imagine
if we have to close the road lights every day
at 7 am and
reopened at 7 pm by pressing the switch. A lot of manpower is
needed for this task. However,
with the availability of agents, all of this is done automatically every day at regular intervals using a sensor that is
sent to the next agent is sent to the effector
for action.
Refferences
Stuart Russell and Peter Norvig, c (1995).
Artificial Intelligence: A Modern Approach. Retrieved from
http://www.cs.berkeley.edu/~russell/aima1e/chapter02.pdf
Open University Malaysia (Eds.). (2011). Intelligent
System Development.
Gilbert (2007). Errors and Artefacts in Agent-Based
Modelling . Retrieved from http://jasss.soc.surrey.ac.uk/12/1/1.html
http://aosgrp.com/products/jack/documentation_and_instructi/agent_concepts_and_techniqu/what_is_bdi.html
http://cis.k.hosei.ac.jp/~rhuang/Miccl/AI-0/2012-AI-0-L2.pdf
