Abstract
(Englisch)
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Agentcities NET will create an open dynamic service environment based on Agent technology by supporting users wishing to deploy agent platforms and services that connect to an extensible Internet based testbed. The project will also enable technology transfer by bringing together key players from related industries (potential users of the technology) and those developing testbed infrastructure and services - potential technology providers but also early take up users - with the testbed as a focal point for collaborative work. The trial will open to encourage Europe-wide participation and has over 40 pre-registered contributors. Concretely, the trial will involve a set of coordinated 'actions', designed to support these activities: information days, a deployment support program, a competition, student exchange support and focused working groups.
Objectives:
The primary objectives of this project are:
I) creation of a Europe-wide, extensible, open testbed network of agent platforms, to enable users to connect up their own systems at will to grow the network and begin to explore the potential of the technology,
2) support technology transfer by facilitating discussion, input and feedback on all aspects (technical, scientific, legal, business) of the evolving open network.
The project expects to produce a valuable public resource for agent research and pre-competitive commercial exploitation, bring together key players from related industries (tool vendors, hosting services, portals, e-commerce solution providers, content providers).
Work description:
The project will work closely with an associated project Agentcities.RTD (Proposal number IST-2000-28385) which will develop a backbone of 14 Agent platforms worldwide. This project will build on the Agentcities.RTD effort to enable other users to extend and exploit the initial backbone.
Concretely the trial will be based on a series of actions:
1. Information days: providing for quick and easy access to testbed developments.
2. A deployment support programme: supporting new users deploying network nodes.
3. A competition aspect: to encourage the development of innovative new services.
4. A student exchange programme: to support short collaborative projects and begin/support the process of education required for take up of a new technology.
5. Focused working groups: supporting discussion and feedback channels for users and technology suppliers in selected testbed issues.
To enable Europe-wide take up, a fundamental aspect of the trial will be its openness with interested parties able to join and contribute throughout the lifetime of the project. Members joining the trial will be able to participate in actions active in the project. It is worth noting that the member interest and support is world-wide with a central core from Europe.
Milestones:
The project is expected to have the following results:
1) a live testbed with an active user group providing real utility in research and commercial testing/exploratory projects - with the possibility the environment will evolve to supporting commercial services,
2) significant technology transfer between technology suppliers, universities and users to proactively advance the European commercial activity for incorporation of related technologies and results into future products and services.
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