Tools and patterns in designing multi-agent systems with PASSI
Antonio Chella, Massimo Cossentino, Luca Sabatucci · 2004
Abstract: In the last years the increasing attention on multi-agent systems (MAS) emphasized the need of a quality software engineering approach to their design and realization. In this paper we propose a comprehensive approach for the development of MAS oriented applications that uses a complete design methodology addressing important issues such as ontology representation, agent collaboration and patterns reuse. The PASSI (Process for Agent Societies Specification and Implementation) design methodology is supported by a specific design tool, granting a great number of automatisms during the design, and a pattern repository for the reuse practice; these are determinant in cutting down the time and cost for developing these systems. During the description of PASSI and its supporting tools, we refer to the most diffused standard for agents (FIPA- Foundation for Intelligent Physical Agents) and modeling languages (UML and AUML). We will complete our discussion with some examples of the functionalities offered by these tools. 1