Agent Technology from a Formal Perspective (NASA Monographs in Systems and Software Engineering)

Explores some of the key issues related to agent technology from a formal perspective, following the overwhelming response to the timely FAABS workshops in this interdisciplinary field. All papers have been updated, expanded or represent new research and aim to provide a more in-depth treatment of the topic.

The intended audience is:

1. Researchers & practitioners of formal methods. For the researchers, this book gives an introduction to agent-based systems and an overview of research being undertaken in applying formal methods to agent-based systems.

This book provides formal methods practitioners with an introduction to agent-based systems and gives them an in-depth look into some of the formal methods research being undertaken that is related to agent-based & distributed intelligent systems as well as formal methods tools and approaches being used in this area.

2. Researchers & practitioners of agent-based systems. It provides an introduction to formal methods and examples of research that is being conducted in formal approaches to agent-based systems. It gives examples of how others have applied formal methods to agent-based systems as well as formal method tools and techniques that they can apply to their own systems. It also illustrates why it is non-trivial to perform verification and validation of these types of systems.

The field of agent & multi-agent systems is experiencing tremendous growth. At the same time the field of formal methods is blossoming and has proven its importance in industrial and government applications. The FAABS (Formal Approaches to Agent-Based Systems) workshops, merging the concerns of the two fields, provided a timely and compelling platform on which the growing concerns and requirement of agent-based systems users that systems should be accompanied by behavioral assurances, could be discussed. This book has arisen from the overwhelming response to FAABS ’00, ’02 & ’04 and all chapters are updated or represent new research, and are designed to provide a more in-depth treatment of the topic. Examples of how others have applied formal methods to agent-based systems are included, plus formal method tools & techniques that readers can apply to their own systems.

Agent Technology from a Formal Perspective provides an invaluable in-depth view of the key issues related to agent technology from a formal perspective, for both researchers and practitioners. This is a relatively new interdisciplinary field, and there is enormous room for further growth The book not only creates an initial foundation, but points to the gaps; indicating open problems to be addressed by future researchers, students & practitioners.