AGENTLINK UPDATE # 76 – 20th September 2005 This is the email newsletter of AgentLink -- Europe's Co-ordination Action 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 coordinator@agentlink.org ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- * Last Call for Research Event Support Proposal * Updating the Agentlink Software Systems Archive * Standards Activities: - The Semantic Web Services Framework (SWSF) has been submitted to the W3C - xml:id Is a W3C Recommendation - 15th Global Grid Forum (GGF15) Registration open (3-6th Oct, 2005 - Boston, MA) - Web and Grid Services available * Semantic Web Days, 2005 (6-7th October, 2005 - Munich, Germany) * Call For Bids To Host AAMAS 2008 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ * AgentLink III: Last Call for Research Event Support Proposal The Agentlink III project is committed to supporting European Research activities in the area of Agent Technology and under its research coordination action has been providing various types of support for research and scientific events related to Agent technology. The objective of this support is to pump-prime research in strategically important areas, support emerging new areas, encourage inter-disciplinary links and support access to leading events in particular for students from under-resourced regions. Because the AgentLink III project ends in December 2005, we will not be able to fund events which will take place after 30 November 2005. Applications for financial support for these events will only be accepted up to 30 October 2005. Further information on event support can be found at: http://www.agentlink.org/activities/eventsupport/index.html ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ * Updating the Agentlink Software Systems Archive AgentLink is collecting information about available agent software systems, agent platforms and agent development toolkits. A preliminary collection of systems can be seen at: http://labe.felk.cvut.cz/~bendap1/agentsoftware AgentLink is ready to integrate information about new agent systems, new agent technologies or possible agent applications on the web portal. The above list of agent systems will be integrated within the AgentLink web portal in the next month or so. Please provide us (web@agentlink.org) details of any updates regarding the existing collection of agent-based systems, as well as new systems with the information containing url, author, first/latest release, commercial status/licence, language and category (application, development toolkit, language, platform,simulation). Submissions should ideally be sent by October 31st, 2005 to be included in the next update of the AgentLink Archive. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ * Standards Activities: - The Semantic Web Services Framework (SWSF), has been submitted to the W3C http://www.w3.org/Submission/2005/07/ Abstract This submission presents the Semantic Web Services Framework (SWSF), which includes the Semantic Web Services Language (SWSL) and the Semantic Web Services Ontology (SWSO). This is the work of the Semantic Web Services Language Committee of the Semantic Web Services Initiative. Expository Documents: - Semantic Web Services Framework (SWSF) Overview http://www.w3.org/Submission/SWSF/ - Semantic Web Services Language (SWSL) http://www.w3.org/Submission/SWSF-SWSL/ - Semantic Web Services Ontology (SWSO) http://www.w3.org/Submission/SWSF-SWSO/ - SWSF Application Scenarios http://www.w3.org/Submission/SWSF-Applications/ The W3C Team comment on this submission can be found at: http://www.w3.org/Submission/2005/07/Comment ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ * Standards Activities: - xml:id Is a W3C Recommendation The World Wide Web Consortium has released xml:id Version 1.0 as a W3C Recommendation. The specification defines an attribute name, xml:id, that can always be treated as an identifier and hence can always be recognized, without fetching external resources, and without relying on an internal subset. The Recommendation is the latest deliverable of the XML Core Working Group, part of the W3C XML Activity. For more details on this recommendation, please visit: http://www.w3.org/TR/2005/REC-xml-id-20050909/ ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ * Standards Activities: - 15th Global Grid Forum (GGF15) Registration open (3-6th Oct, 2005 - Boston, MA) Registration for GridWorld/GGF15 (3-6 October, Boston, MA) is open! GGF participants receive a $300 discount from the standard GridWorld pricing and registration fees are discounted an additional $200 if you register in August. Take advantage of these significant savings (up to $500) by registering today at: http://www.ggf.org/ggf_events_regstrtn_ggf15.htm. GridWorld/GGF15 will feature three concurrent programs: * an Enterprise Program (4-5 Oct.), * a Community Program (3-6 Oct.), and * GGF Group Sessions (3-6 Oct.). For more information on these programs, please visit: http://www.ggf.org/ggf_events_schedule_ggf15.htm. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ * Standards Activities: - Web and Grid Services available At the CASA (Coordinating Agent Standardisation Activities) Technical Forum Meeting in Budapest, Omer Rana, of the Welsh eScience Center demonstrated a number of Web Services and Grid Services which are available to Grid and Agent researchers alike. Several repositories are listed at the eScience Center web site, including a UDDI Registry. For more details, and to explore the available services, visit: http://www.wesc.ac.uk/services/ Other repositories that are available: UDDI registry at Cardiff: http://www.wesc.ac.uk/services/uddi/index.html UDDI Registry in the UK: http://tyne.dl.ac.uk/ETF/public/Registry/index.shtml Data Mining Web Services: http://users.cs.cf.ac.uk/Ali.Shaikhali/faehim/ ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ * Semantic Web Days, 2005 (6-7th October, 2005 - Munich, Germany) An international conference entitled 'Semantic Web Days 2005' will take place in Munich, Germany, from 6 to 7 October. Organised by KnowledgeWeb and REWERSE, This two-day event offers a forum of exchange for innovative businesses and European research institutions that concentrate on semantic web tools and technologies. As a special industry-orientated event, a particular focus will be placed on applications based on ontologies- and reasoning-based technologies to process (semantic) web data. Application areas such as Bioinformatics and Semantic Web Services will offer insights into practical application issues.Workshops and keynote speeches focusing on the latest trends and hottest topics in semantic web technologies will offer participants the chance to keep up-to-date with important IT developments. The exhibition area gives companies and researchers the opportunity to present their ideas and results. Further information, visit: http://semantic-web-days.net ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ * Call For Bids To Host AAMAS 2008 BACKGROUND Bids are solicited to host the Seventh International Joint Conference on Autonomous Agents and Multiagent Systems in 2008 (AAMAS 2008). The initial AAMAS conference (AAMAS 2002) was held in Bologna, Italy as a joint event comprising the 6th International Conference on Autonomous Agents (AA), the 5th International Conference on Multiagent Systems (ICMAS), and the 9th International Workshop on Agent Theories, Architectures, and Languages (ATAL). It was attended by 700 researchers. AAMAS is now established as a single conference, and is the biggest and most influential conference in the area of agents and multagent systems. The Second AAMAS conference (AAMAS 2003) was held in Melbourne, Australia, July 14 - 18, 2003 and had 500 attendees. AAMAS 2004, held in New York, USA, July 19 - 23, 2004, attracted 800 participants. AAMAS 2005, held in Utrecht, the Netherlands, July 25-29, 2005 attracted aproximately 700 participants. AAMAS 2006 is planned for 8th-12th May 2006, in Hakodate, Japan and AAMAS 2007 is planned for Spring 2007 in Hawaii. AAMAS brings together researchers and practitioners in all areas of agent technology such as software agents, multiagent systems, synthetic agents, robotic agents, human agent interaction, and mobile agents. The AAMAS Joint Conferences include a variety of activities, including technical sessions, tutorials, associated workshops, and social events. (See the recent conference website at http://www.aamas-conference.org for an example.) The AAMAS Joint Steering Committee now invites bids for hosting AAMAS 2008. AAMAS 2008 will be held at dates to be determined in consultation with the successful bid team, preferrably in Spring or Summer 2008. Based on past experience and trends we expect the attendance of AAMAS 2008 to be between 500 and 800 people. For AAMAS 2008 the AAMAS Steering Committee particularly encourages strong bids from Europe, although bids from other regions are also welcomed. BIDDING PROCEDURE All correspondence regarding bids should be directed to Lin Padgham, co-chair of the AAMAS Joint Conference Steering committee: Lin Padgham e-mail: linpa@cs.rmit.edu.au VOICE: +61 3 9925 3214 FAX: +61 3 9662 1617 Email correspondence is strongly preferred. Bids should be made by individuals or small groups, with the backing of a host institution (typically a university or research centre). Groups or individuals who are planning to submit a bid should notify Dr. Padgham of their intention as soon as possible. Submission Deadlines: * Bids for AAMAS 2008 must be submitted NO LATER THAN December 31 2005. Bids are geared towards determination of responsibility for local arrangements and designation of Local Arrangements Chair. Bids will be reviewed by the AAMAS joint steering committee. The outcome of the site selection will be announced in April 2006. A bid should consist of a short statement that explains why you meet the criteria below. Bids should be no more than a few pages in length, and at this stage, detailed financial projections are not necessary. (Ballpark financial figures -- such as estimated cost of hotel rooms -- are useful, however.) Each bid should clearly identify the authors, including full contact details. CRITERIA FOR ASSESSING AAMAS BIDS The following criteria will be used for evaluation. * Site Location --- attractiveness to conference attendees [as well as those accompanying the attendees (i.e. nearby attractions, tours, restaurants, night clubs, etc.).] Will people *want* to attend? * Accessibility --- location with respect to major air routes and local transportation (trains, buses, automobiles). Function as a gateway city serviced by both domestic and international air lines; ease of connecting to local transportation. * Dates/Time --- relation to possibly conflicting special or local holidays; to other conventions or special events at the same time or immediately before or after the conference. * Climate/Season --- particularly as these factors affect availability of rooms and rate structure (and provide some negotiating edge with the hotels). * Facilities -- quantity, quality, flexibility, availability of meeting rooms, meeting support services, and exhibition hall. This factor is linked to the choice of accommodations, as may be desirable to co-locate meeting facilities and accommodations. Provide preliminary information regarding any space rental fees that may have to be paid by the conference. * Accommodations --- ability to accommodate the anticipated numbers of conference attendees, with a range of income levels. * Experience of the local organizers in organizing and handling projects of comparable size and complexity * Supporting Scientific Community --- the presence of regional and local research communities to support the conference and to benefit from its presence. * Supporting Local Industry --- is there local/national industry that may be willing to support the conference in some way? * Volunteer Labor --- availability of an active local group willing to help out before, during, and after the conference.