Abstract
We propose a programming framework for the implementation of norm-aware multi-agent systems. The framework integrates the N-2APL norm-aware agent programming language with the 2OPL organisation programming language. Integration of N-2APL and 2OPL is achieved using a tuple space which represents both the (brute) state of the multi-agent environment and the detached norms and sanctions comprising its normative state. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first implementation of an integrated framework for norm-aware MAS in which autonomous agents deliberate about whether to conform to the norms imposed by a normative organisation. The use of a tuple space makes it straightforward to integrate other system components. To illustrate the flexibility of our framework, we briefly describe its application in a novel normative application, a mixed reality game called GeoSense. We show how GeoSense game rules can be expressed as conditional norms with deadlines and sanctions, and how agents can deliberate about their individual goals and the norms imposed by the game.
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Notes
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In what follows, we adopt the version of 2OPL described by Tinnemeier [10], which includes conditional norms with deadlines.
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The 2APL platform is available from http://apapl.sourceforge.net.
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To simplify the implementation, in the current prototype the effects (postcondition) of agent actions are written directly to the tuplespace, and 2OPL fact update rules are not used. However it would be straightforward to delegate action execution to 2OPL.
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Acknowledgements
We would like to thank the reviewers for their helpful comments and Wenchao Jiang for making the code of the GeoSense game available and for assistance in developing the gameserver middleware. This work was partially supported by EPSRC grant EP/I011587/1.
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Dybalova, D., Testerink, B., Dastani, M., Logan, B. (2014). A Framework for Programming Norm-Aware Multi-agent Systems. In: Balke, T., Dignum, F., van Riemsdijk, M., Chopra, A. (eds) Coordination, Organizations, Institutions, and Norms in Agent Systems IX. COIN 2013. Lecture Notes in Computer Science(), vol 8386. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-07314-9_20
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