AGENTLINK UPDATE # 63 -- 31 August 2004 This is the email newsletter of AgentLink -- Europe's Network of Excellence for Agent-based Computing. The AgentLink WWW site is http://www.AgentLink.org/ IMPORTANT: Please take the time to ensure that every member of your group receives a copy of the AgentLink update. If you have a group mail alias, why not get this alias to be added to the mailing list? To subscribe/unsubscribe to this mailing list simply send a request to mailto:coordinator@agentlink.org ---------------------------------------------------------------------- * 2004 Agent Technology Conference * AgentLink Newsletter Request for Articles * Standards Activities: - W3C Announce that WSDL 2.0 documents published as Last Call Working Drafts - FIPA Inform Newsletter (Issue 1, Vol 5) - GGF meeting, Brussels, Belgium, 20-23 September 2004 - FIPA meeting, Erfurt, Germany, 28-30 September 2004 * Agent System Repository * Call for Proposal to Host TF2 * CFP: The 2nd European Workshop on Multi-Agent Systems ---------------------------------------------------------------------- * 2004 Agent Technology Conference: ATC - the business conference on agent technologies will take place this year in Zurich -- 1 October 2004 (http://www.agentlink.org/agents-zurich/). This event will bring together commercial organizations interested in exploiting agent technologies to benefit their businesses. The programme will include presentations by world-leading agent technology experts from some of the most innovative companies in the field, as well as representatives from traditional industries reporting on their agent-based solutions. Participation is by invitation only. The event will target the business (rather then academic) community primarily. Interested parties should register at http://www.agentlink.org/agents-zurich/book.php. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- * AgentLink Newsletter Request for Articles We are in the process of planning the next AgentLink Newsletter (Issue #16) and are interested in receiving articles. The quality of the newsletters depends on the contribution and diversity of these articles, which are typically short overviews, project reports, industrial deployments, etc. The closing date for submissions for th next Newsletter is the 31st Oct, 2004. If you are interested in writing a short, high level article, or want to provide a report on projects or industrial agent systems, then email editor@agentlink.org, outlining the article your are interested in contributing. The current AgentLink Newsletter (Issue #15) is in production and should be available mid September. An announcement will be sent when it is available. For more details, visit http://www.agentlink.org/newsletter/index.html ---------------------------------------------------------------------- * Standards Activities: - W3C Announce that WSDL 2.0 documents published as Last Call Working Drafts The Web Services Description Language (WSDL) Version 2.0 documents have been published as Last Call Working Drafts: - WSDL Version 2.0 Part 1: Core Language http://www.w3.org/TR/2004/WD-wsdl20-20040803/ - WSDL Version 2.0 Part 2: Predefined Extensions http://www.w3.org/TR/2004/WD-wsdl20-extensions-20040803/ - WSDL Version 2.0 Part 3: Bindings http://www.w3.org/TR/2004/WD-wsdl20-bindings-20040803/ Comments are welcome until 4 October 2004. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- * Standards Activities: - FIPA Inform Newsletter (Issue 1, Vol 5) Issue 1 (Volume 5) of the FIPA Inform newsletter has been published and is available online. The current issue includes: Barcelona Meeting Report; Barcelona Workshop Report; News in Brief; An Overview of FIPA; Agents and the Semantic Web Activity; Special Announcements; FIPA Member Profile: Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona - Cominatorics and Digital Communication Group. The newsletter can be downloaded from the following URL: http://www.fipa.org/docs/output/f-out-00157/f-out-00157.pdf ---------------------------------------------------------------------- * Standards Activities: - GGF meeting, Brussels, Belgium, 20-23 September 2004 The Twelfth Global Grid Forum meeting, entitled "Grids Deployed in the Enterprise" will take place this 20-23 September in Brussels, Belgium. Registration, hotel reservation, and information about the meeting venue and localities can be found at: http://www.gridforum.org/Meetings/GGF12/GGF12.htm ---------------------------------------------------------------------- * Standards Activities: - FIPA meeting, Erfurt, Germany, 28-30 September 2004 The 33rd FIPA meeting will take place this 28-30 September in Erfurt, Germany. Registration, hotel reservation, and information about the meeting venue and localities will be posted on the FIPA website shortly. For further information or questions, contact Jacquie Kelly (FIPA Secretariat) at secretariat@fipa.org ---------------------------------------------------------------------- * Agent Systems Repository We are currently updating the AgentLink agent system repository (http://www.agentlink.org/resources/agent-software.php). All outdated (i.e. stale) entries will be removed, unless we are informed otherwise. In order to keep your system posted provide us with: 1) name 2) url 3) abstract - brief information (upto 100 words) 4) information about (put separately) type: Development-Environment/Simulation/Application, language: Java/C++/Logic-Programming/Alternative, FIPA compliancy: fully-integrated/plugin-exits/ in-parts(onlyACL)/none All updated records and new systems are welcome. The old version of the pages will be removed by October 1st, 2004. If you want your system posted, provide us with the relevant information by then. Information to be sent to: web@agentlink.org ---------------------------------------------------------------------- * Call for Proposal to Host TF2 CALL FOR PROPOSALS TO HOST THE SECOND AGENTLINK III TECHNICAL FORUM (TF2) The Technical Fora of AgentLink III have the following aims: - To facilitate the dynamic development of communities around specific areas of strategic importance for European agent R&D, enabling them to share common problems, issues, and results in a manner that other forums (e.g., academic workshops and conferences) do not allow. - To respond dynamically to fast-changing developments. - To develop and update the AL3 roadmap from AgentLink II. - To provide the AL3 management committee with "bottom-up" input to its decision-making process, and hence ensure that the strategic direction of the network is reactive to the needs of its members. - To establish links with related areas within computing, and related areas in other research disciplines, such as economics and biology. AgentLink III hosted its 1st Technical Forum (TF1) in Rome, Italy, on 30 June - 2 July 2004. This was a very successful event, comprising 9 separate Technical Forum Groups, and attracting a total of 110 participants. Details of the 1st Technical Forum can be found on the AgentLink III web-pages: http://www.agentlink.org/activities/al3-tf/index.html AgentLink III is now calling for proposals from Universities, research groups or companies in an EC member state to host the 2nd Technical Forum (TF2). This second event is scheduled for February 2005, with the exact dates to be agreed in collaboration with the successful proposer. We expect between 100-150 participants, divided into a maximum of 5 simultaneous groups. The meeting is expected to run for 3 days. Currently, the known requirements for TF2 are: - A lecture or meeting room able to hold plenary sessions (100-150 participants) - Nearby seminar or lecture rooms able to host 5 simultaneous groups (each with 20-30 participants) -- possibility to occasionally accomodate 6 simultaneous group welcome. - Each room equipped with data projectors, overhead projectors, etc. - Ideally, access to Internet (wired or wireless) - Provision of teas, coffees, etc, twice per day. (Participants are expected to find their own meals.) - Good access to travel connections (air, rail, road links) - Nearby access to reasonable hotels or accommodation (ie, hotels in the 2* - 3* range) - Good access to nearby restaurants for lunch and dinner. The exact requirements for TF2 may change as the planning goes forward. AgentLink III will pay for the venue and room hire, the costs of equipment hire, and the costs of teas/coffees. Depending on costs, we may also pay for a welcoming reception. AgentLink's criteria for selection of a location will include: - Cost-effectiveness - Travel convenience (access to airports, etc) - Balance across the EU: We wish to ensure that AgentLink III events are spread throughout the EU. - Preference for New Accession States: We wish to ensure that some AgentLink III events are held in new member states - Professionalism of the proposal and the proposal team. To submit a proposal to host AgentLink III Technical Forum 2, please send an email to Professor Andrea Omicini, at Andrea.Omicini@agentlink.org by 30 September 2004, with the following informatiom: 1. Name and address of organization offering to host the event. 2. Name and details (email, telephone, fax) of contact person. 3. People potentially contributing to the organisation. 4. Preferred dates in February 2005 for the meeting. 5. Details of travel connections (airports, etc). 6. A list of nearby hotels or accommodation in the 2* and 3* range, with current daily rates. 7. The expected total cost. 8. The expected component costs for: a) venue hire b) hire of each seminar room c) tea/coffee per participant d) equipment hire per item (eg, data projector) e) a welcoming reception per participant. 9. Details of any financial subsidies available from the host institution. 10. Details of any assumptions on which these costs are based (for example: the minimum number of participants). 11. Information on any other requirements you have. 12. A statement of willingness to host AgentLink III Technical Forum 2 in February 2005. 13. A paragraph presenting the case for your location as the venue for TF2. Prior to proposal submission, feel free to contact Professor Omicini for any clarifications. PROPOSED TIMETABLE: 30.09.04: Deadline for submission of proposals to host TF2 31.10.04: Decision by AgentLink II of selected proposer 30.11.04: Completion of negotiations with selected proposer and official public announcement of location. February 2005: AgentLink III Technical Forum 2. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- * The 2nd European Workshop on Multi-Agent Systems THE SECOND EUROPEAN WORKSHOP ON MULTI-AGENT SYSTEMS Barcelona, Spain 16th and 17th December, 2004 http://www.eumas.org/2004/ INTRODUCTION The aim of this second European Workshop on Multi-Agent Systems is to encourage and support activity in the research and development of multi-agent systems, in academic and industrial European efforts. For more information on topics of interest and how to submit, refer to http://www.eumas.org/2004/ SUBMISSIONS AND ATTENDANCE Those interested in participating in the workshop should submit either a paper (of no more than 5000 words) describing relevant preliminary or completed work to be presented at the workshop, or a statement of interest, consisting of a single page description of research interests and current work, to be used to encourage discussion and to ensure maximum contribution and participation. The workshop has no formal proceedings; it is intended primarily as a forum for interaction and discussion. Submissions concerning work that has recently been or will be at relevant international conferences are particularly welcome. IMPORTANT DATES Submission Deadline 1st October to http://www.csc.liv.ac.uk/~eumas Notification to Authors 5th November Camera Ready due 19th November Early Registration 15th November Late Registration 13th December GENERAL CHAIRS Chiara Ghidini, ITC-irst, Italy Paolo Giorgini, University of Trento, Italy PROGRAM CHAIR Wiebe van der Hoek, University of Liverpool, UK LOCAL CHAIRS Pablo Noriega, IIIA-CSIC, Spain Steven Willmott, Universitat Politecnica de Catalunya, Spain FINANCE CHAIR Carles Sierra, Artificial Intelligence Research Institute, Spain PUBLICITY AND SPONSORSHIP CHAIR Ulises Cortes Garcia, Universitat Politecnica de Catalunya, Spain