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SWARM: A Multi-agent System for Layout Automation in Analog Integrated Circuit Design

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Agent and Multi-Agent Systems: Technology and Applications

Part of the book series: Smart Innovation, Systems and Technologies ((SIST,volume 58))

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Abstract

Despite 30 years of Electronic Design Automation, analog IC layouts are still handcrafted in a laborious fashion today due to the complex challenge of considering all relevant design constraints. This paper presents Self-organized Wiring and Arrangement of Responsive Modules (SWARM), a novel approach addressing the problem with a multi-agent system: autonomous layout modules interact with each other to evoke the emergence of overall compact arrangements that fit within a given layout zone. SWARM’s unique advantage over conventional optimization-based and procedural approaches is its ability to consider crucial design constraints both explicitly and implicitly. Several given examples show that by inducing a synergistic flow of self-organization, remarkable layout results can emerge from SWARM’s decentralized decision-making model.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Robert Bosch Center for Power Electronics, Reutlingen University, Reutlingen, Germany

    Daniel Marolt & Jürgen Scheible

  2. Robert Bosch GmbH, Automotive Electronics, Reutlingen, Germany

    Göran Jerke & Vinko Marolt

Authors
  1. Daniel Marolt
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  2. Jürgen Scheible
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  3. Göran Jerke
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  4. Vinko Marolt
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Daniel Marolt .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Electrical Engr & Comput, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia

    Gordan Jezic

  2. School of Mathematical & Computer Scienc, Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh, United Kingdom

    Yun-Heh Jessica Chen-Burger

  3. KES International, Shoreham-by-sea, United Kingdom

    Robert J. Howlett

  4. University of Canberra, Canberra, South Australia, Australia

    Lakhmi C. Jain

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Marolt, D., Scheible, J., Jerke, G., Marolt, V. (2016). SWARM: A Multi-agent System for Layout Automation in Analog Integrated Circuit Design. In: Jezic, G., Chen-Burger, YH., Howlett, R., Jain, L. (eds) Agent and Multi-Agent Systems: Technology and Applications. Smart Innovation, Systems and Technologies, vol 58. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-39883-9_2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-39883-9_2

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-39882-2

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-39883-9

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