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International Workshop on Engineering Multi-Agent Systems

EMAS 2018: Engineering Multi-Agent Systems pp 34–51Cite as

AgentSpeak(ER): Enhanced Encapsulation in Agent Plans

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Part of the book series: Lecture Notes in Computer Science ((LNAI,volume 11375))

Abstract

In this chapter, we introduce AgentSpeak(ER), an extension of the AgentSpeak(L) language tailored to support encapsulation. The AgentSpeak(ER) extension allows for significantly improving the style of BDI agent programming along relevant aspects, including program modularity and readability, failure handling, and reactive as well as goal-based reasoning. The chapter introduces the novel language based on AgentSpeak, illustrates the features of the language through examples, and discuss results of a case study based on the implementation of the proposed language.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    The ER suffix stands for “Encapsulated Reactivity”.

  2. 2.

    As in AgentSpeak(L), an intention is the result of the deliberation to commit to some desire. Briefly, if the agent has an applicable plan for a goal event (i.e. a desire), it commits to it by creating an intention based on that plan and starts executing it.

  3. 3.

    Or considered impossible to achieve, or the motivation for the goal no longer holds, etc. Programmers can use this for any condition that implies the goal should no longer be pursued. Note that, when programming declaratively, this condition is likely to include the goal in the triggering event itself (as believed to be true).

  4. 4.

    Note that g-plans within g-plans now implicitly form a plan tree for a top-level goal, and the plan library is thus a forest of such trees.

  5. 5.

    The Jason extension is available here: https://github.com/agentspeakers/jason-er.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. DISI, University of Bologna, Cesena, Italy

    Alessandro Ricci

  2. POLI-PUCRS, Porto Alegre, Brazil

    Rafael H. Bordini

  3. Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, Brazil

    Jomi F. Hübner

  4. University College of Dublin, Dublin, Ireland

    Rem Collier

Authors
  1. Alessandro Ricci
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  2. Rafael H. Bordini
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  3. Jomi F. Hübner
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  4. Rem Collier
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Correspondence to Alessandro Ricci .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Computer Science, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium

    Danny Weyns

  2. Department of Computer Science, Bioengineering, Robotics and Systems Engineering, Università degli Studi di Genova, Genoa, Italy

    Viviana Mascardi

  3. Department of Computer Science and Engineering, University of Bologna, Cesena, Forli/Cesana, Italy

    Alessandro Ricci

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Ricci, A., Bordini, R.H., Hübner, J.F., Collier, R. (2019). AgentSpeak(ER): Enhanced Encapsulation in Agent Plans. In: Weyns, D., Mascardi, V., Ricci, A. (eds) Engineering Multi-Agent Systems. EMAS 2018. Lecture Notes in Computer Science(), vol 11375. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-25693-7_3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-25693-7_3

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