Activities

INDUSTRIAL ACTION AGENTLINK II

This component of AgentLink's activities is coordinated by Jörg Müller.

The main aim of this workpackage is to leverage competitive advantage for EU industry, and in particular the software sector, by:

• raising awareness within industry of the value and appropriateness of agent-based computing techniques for complex systems development, and demonstrating the potential of this technology for solving industrial problems; facilitating the transfer of agent technology, skills, standards and best-practice from academia to industry; and finally
• focussing European research on agent-based systems on industrial problems, by facilitating the transfer of user requirements from industry to agent researchers.

In order to realise these aims, the following program of work will be carried out:

Industrial awareness programme

The industrial awareness programme established in AgentLink 1 will be continued in AgentLink II. The aim will be: (i) to bring the activities of AgentLink to the attention of an industrial audience, and (ii) to promote awareness of agent research and development activities in the European Region. Typically, these meetings involve taking a stall at an industrially-oriented conference, distributing leaflets and other promotional material, and giving presentations on aspects of agents and agent technology.

Agent systems and technology database.

A database of developed agent systems, technologies, and products is available via the network's WWW site. In addition, a database has been developed of agent-related expertise available within AgentLink. This database is freely available via the AgentLink WWW site. We will continue to build upon this activity, ensuring that the databases are kept up-to-date and accurate, and we will
develop and expand the database to cover new areas of agent technology as they emerge.

 

Standardisation initiatives

The lack of appropriate communication, cooperation, and negotiation standards is one of the main obstacles in the way of wider deployment of agent systems technology. The aim of this task will be to promote the development, dissemination, and adoption of such standards within the European region. AgentLink will do this by disseminating news about current standardisation activities to members of the network. Resources will be made available for AgentLink members to attend and report upon standardisation initiatives.