Adaptive User Support in Agent Based Dynamic Environments
Jan M. V. Misker, Cor J. Veenman, Léon J. M. Rothkrantz · 2004
In this paper the concept of an ad hoc agent environment as a way for users to interact with an ambient intelligent environment is introduced. Utilizing agents, users can interact on a level that best suits their needs and capabilities, leaving tedious chores to the agents. The user interacts with this environment as a whole, instead of interacting with individual applications on individual devices. Devices and services in the environment have to be more or less independent, which fits well with the notion that agents are autonomous. Intelligence enables the agents to learn about their user and adept the environment in such a way that the users cognitive resources are not overly addressed. A research application that demonstrates some of the issues involved when employing agents has been developed. The application shows that there is a tension between the amount of control a user can have over an agent and the autonomy of the agent.