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

• 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

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