Programming Multi-Agent Systems in AgentSpeak using Jason

Rafael H. Bordini, University of Durham, UK  Jomi Fred Hubner, University of Blumenau, BrazilMichael Wooldridge,University of Liverpool, UK

"This essential guide to ArgentSpeak and Jason will be invaluable to senior undergraduate and post-graduate students." (Zentralblatt Math 1132, August 2008)

• Preface xiAcknowledgements xvii1 Introduction 11.1 Autonomous Agents 11.2 Characteristics of Agents 21.3 Multi-Agent Systems 51.4 Hello World! 72 The BDI Agent Model 152.1 Agent-Oriented Programming 152.2 Practical Reasoning 172.3 A Computational Model of BDI Practical Reasoning 202.4 The Procedural Reasoning System 222.5 Agent Communication 253 The Jason Agent Programming Language 313.1 Beliefs 323.2 Goals 403.3 Plans 413.4 Example: A Complete Agent Program 583.5 Exercises 654 Jason Interpreter 674.1 The Reasoning Cycle 674.2 Plan Failure 864.3 Interpreter Configuration and Execution Modes 934.4 Pre-Defined Plan Annotations 974.5 Exercises 985 Environments 1015.1 Support for Defining Simulated Environments 1025.2 Example: Running a System of Multiple Situated Agents 1095.3 Exercises 1146 Communication and Interaction 1176.1 Available Performatives 1186.2 Informal Semantics of Receiving Messages 1196.3 Example: Contract Net Protocol 1306.4 Exercises 1357 User-Defined Components 1397.1 Defining New Internal Actions 1407.2 Customising the Agent Class 1447.3 Customising the Overall Architecture 1517.4 Customising the Belief Base 1557.5 Pre-Processing Directives 1607.6 Exercises 1628 Advanced Goal-Based Programming 1658.1 BDI Programming 1668.2 Declarative (Achievement) Goal Patterns 1698.3 Commitment Strategy Patterns 1728.4 Other Useful Patterns 1758.5 Pre-Processing Directives for Plan Patterns 1769 Case Studies 1799.1 Case Study I: Gold Miners 1809.2 Case Study II: Electronic Bookstore 19410 Formal Semantics 20110.1 Semantic Rules 20710.2 Semantics of Message Exchangein a Multi-Agent System 21210.3 Semantic Rules for Receiving Messages 21510.4 Semantics of the BDI Modalities for AgentSpeak 22111 Conclusions 22511.1 Jason and Agent-Oriented Programming 22511.2 Ongoing Work and Related Research 22711.3 General Advice on Programming Style and Practice 230Appendix: Reference Guide 235A. 1 EBNF for the Agent Language 235A. 2 EBNF for the Multi-Agent Systems Language 236A. 3 Standard Internal Actions 237A. 4 Pre-Defined Annotations 255A. 5 Pre-Processing Directives 256A. 6 Interpreter Configuration 258References 261Index 269