Abstract
(Englisch)
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Objectives
The overall objective of this project is to implement control strategies on an ATM testbed as a society of interacting/co-operating agents. The work is focused towards ATM using the EXPERT platform in Basel on which some strategies have been implemented and tested. The application concentrates on Connection Admission Control (CAC) but to demonstrate the attractiveness of agents in controlling co-operating functions, the work also introduces an accounting/charging agent. The project also validates the Foundation for Intelligent Physical Agents (FIPA) model for agent management and communication in the context of a real time distributed telecommunications environment.
To provide a demonstration that has technical value it is necessary to address the following points:
· the definition of a scenario that can be demonstrated
· the design of an agent architecture and the component agents
· the implementation of that architecture onto the EXPERT platform
· the use of that platform in experiments, demonstrations and trials
· validation of the result
ASPA as leader of Workpackage 0 has the following role within the project:
· ensure that the project achieves its goals within the allocated timeframe and budget
· ensure that the intermediate milestones (e.g. Deliverables) are achieved on schedule
· to establish and chair a Management Committee with responsibility for any day-to-day issues related to the project's progress and for the final reviewing of all outputs from the project (e.g. Deliverables, Annual Review Reports).
· handle Cost Claims, Advance Payments and CAPPLUS data in a professional manner
· maintain a good working relationship with the ACTS Central Office
· liaise with other projects and Programmes.
· ensure that the IMPACT platform (the EXPERT testbed located in Basel) remains operational.
· ensure that the appropriate hardware and software for the scheduled demonstrations, application trials and experiments to be performed are available.
· organise an international workshop outside Europe to promote the results of ACTS projects in this area.
· produce a book detailing the results from IMPACT and other agent-related projects.
Summary of ASPA/Ascom's YEAR 2 Activities
The systems and mechanisms instituted during the first year for the co-ordination of the project's management were continued through the second year and ensured that technical progress proceeded according to plan and that all reports, Deliverables and Milestones were submitted punctually.
The first round of cost claims and second advance payments were effected on schedule.
Relations with our counterparts within the ACTS Central Office and other related projects were conducted professionally.
Regular plenary and technical integration meetings were organised as required throughout the year.
The Annual Project Review Report and audit presentations were completed by the due dates.
The Basel testbed continued to be available as the main arena for internal trials, and formal project meetings, as well as smaller specific integration sessions. The necessary technical and administrational infrastructure was maintained to ensure full, smooth operations.
An international symposium, called 'IMPACT '99' was organised in Seattle at the beginning of December. This attracted a good-sized audience of visitors and participants and contributed in a major way to the dissemination of the ideas and results achieved in the field of intelligent agents within the ACTS Domain V cluster of projects. As was expected, interest in our activities was stimulated in the U.S., Canada and Japan, where agent technology is not so far developed as in Europe, and consequently where there could be considerable potential for ongoing developments, stemming from the work initiated under the ACTS Programme.
A book was subsequently produced combining all the papers submitted for the Seattle symposium as well as other articles relating to agent development, constituting a state of the art compendium of the latest progress in the field of intelligent agents.
An open house workshop was arranged to coincide with the demonstrations given at the final (on-site) audit in Aarhus in February '00, followed by a final project meeting in Basel to conclude the technical aspects of the project and finalise the composition of the project's book., to be published by the Springer Verlag company in mid-2000.
Benefits to Switzerland
ASPA (P01), together with Swisscom (P02), represented a strong Swiss contingent within the project and provided Switzerland with access to the innovative IMPACT agent technology, enabling a considerable improvement in Swiss expertise in this field. The IMPACT agent platform was used in a new Swisscom product.
The project culminated with trials and demonstrations on the EXPERT platform in Basel and in Aarhus (Denmark), in part linked with other trials in the Swisscom laboratory facilities in Bern. In addition, the Commission allocated additional funds for project results dissemination purposes, which went towards an open international workshop that took place in Seattle in December 1999, as well as the production of a book on developments in agent technology. These will all help to promote the work of the IMPACT participants and in the case of ASPA add international prestige and awareness to Switzerland's endeavours in the field of advanced telecommunications development and open doors for future technical collaboration, both within Europe and further afield.
The involvement of Swiss companies in EC projects helps to keep Swiss technology informed and up to date with global industry developments and provides ongoing links at European level with companies associated within the telecommunications industry, which is vital in the context of Europe's ever more integrated networks.
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