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Industrial Agents

Emerging Applications of Software Agents in Industry

  • 1st Edition - March 12, 2015
  • Latest edition
  • Editors: Paulo Leitão, Stamatis Karnouskos
  • Language: English

Industrial Agents explains how multi-agent systems improve collaborative networks to offer dynamic service changes, customization, improved quality and reliability, and flexib… Read more

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Description

Industrial Agents explains how multi-agent systems improve collaborative networks to offer dynamic service changes, customization, improved quality and reliability, and flexible infrastructure. Learn how these platforms can offer distributed intelligent management and control functions with communication, cooperation and synchronization capabilities, and also provide for the behavior specifications of the smart components of the system. The book offers not only an introduction to industrial agents, but also clarifies and positions the vision, on-going efforts, example applications, assessment and roadmap applicable to multiple industries. This edited work is guided and co-authored by leaders of the IEEE Technical Committee on Industrial Agents who represent both academic and industry perspectives and share the latest research along with their hands-on experiences prototyping and deploying industrial agents in industrial scenarios.

Key features

  • Learn how new scientific approaches and technologies aggregate resources such next generation intelligent systems, manual workplaces and information and material flow system
  • Gain insight from experts presenting the latest academic and industry research on multi-agent systems
  • Explore multiple case studies and example applications showing industrial agents in a variety of scenarios
  • Understand implementations across the enterprise, from low-level control systems to autonomous and collaborative management units

Readership

Advanced practitioners from industry and academia, and graduate students in the field of multi-agent systems, particularly those tasked with applying agents to industrial scenarios

Table of contents

Preface
List of Contributors

Part I: Industrial Agents: Concepts and Definitions

1: Software Agent Systems
Abstract

1.1 Introduction

1.2 Fundamentals of Agents and Agent-Based Systems

1.3 Supporting Technologies and Concepts

1.4 Conclusions

2: Industrial Agents
Abstract

2.1 Introduction

2.2 Modern Industrial Manufacturing Systems and Their Requirements

2.3 Architectural Types of Industrial Manufacturing Systems

2.4 The Holonic Paradigm and MAS-Based Holonic Systems

2.5 Development Tools for Industrial MASs

2.6 How MASs Can Nourish Other Industrial Approaches

2.7 Industrial MASs: Challenges and Research Areas

2.8 Conclusions

3: The Design, Deployment, and Assessment of Industrial Agent Systems
Abstract

3.1 Introduction

3.2 Distributed Versus Self-Organizing Design

3.3 Design Challenges and Directions

3.4 Deployment

3.5 Assessment

3.6 Conclusions

Part II: Industrial Agents: Related Concepts and Technologies

4: Industrial Agents in the Era of Service-Oriented Architectures and Cloud-Based Industrial Infrastructures
Abstract
Acknowledgments

4.1 Introduction

4.2 Technologies

4.3 Bridging Agents and SOA-Enabled Devices

4.4 Use Case: Cyber-Physical Infrastructure Simulation by Coupling Software Agents and Physical Devices

4.5 Use Case: Service-Oriented Industrial Automation System

4.6 Conclusions and Future Directions

5: Distributed Real-Time Automation and Control - Reactive Control Layer for Industrial Agents
Abstract

5.1 Introduction/Motivation

5.2 RCLs for Industrial Agents

5.3 Standard-Based Realization

5.4 Example

5.5 Discussion

5.6 Conclusions

6: Industrial Agents Cybersecurity
Abstract

6.1 Introduction

6.2 Technology Trends and IAs

6.3 Agent Threat Context

6.4 Requirements on IA Solutions

6.5 Discussion

6.6 Conclusions

7: Virtual Enterprises Based on Multiagent Systems
Abstract
Acknowledgment

7.1 Introduction/Motivation

7.2 Characteristics of VEs

7.3 The Benefits of Forming VEs

7.4 Obstacles and Approaches for VEs

7.5 MASs in the Coordination of VEs

7.6 MASs in E-commerce Applications

7.7 Case Study

7.8 Benefits and Assessment

7.9 Discussion

7.10 Conclusions

8: An Assessment of the Potentials and Challenges in Future Approaches for Automation Software
Abstract

8.1 Introduction

8.2 Related Work

8.3 Assessing the Potentials and Challenges in Industry

8.4 Concepts for Agents in Manufacturing Automation

8.5 Summary and Outlook

9: Agent-Based Control of Production Systems—and Its Architectural Challenges
Abstract
Acknowledgments

9.1 Introduction

9.2 Terms and Definitions

9.3 Generic Engineering Processes

9.4 Application Cases

9.5 Architectural Challenges

9.6 Conclusions and Overview

10: Identification and Implementation of Agents for Factory Automation Exploiting Mechatronical Concepts for Production System Structuring
Abstract

10.1 Introduction

10.2 Starting Points

10.3 Mechatronic-Oriented Agent Systems

10.4 Summary

Part III: Industrial Agent Applications

11: Cloud Based Agent Framework for the Industrial Automation Sector
Abstract

11.1 Introduction

11.2 Application Overview

11.3 Application Details

11.4 Benefits and Assessment

11.5 Discussion

11.6 Conclusions

12: Multi-Agent Systems for Real-Time Adaptive Resource Management
Abstract

12.1 Introduction

12.2 The Problem and Solution for Adaptive Scheduling

12.3 Examples of Applications for Industry

12.4 Discussion

12.5 Conclusion

13: Large-Scale Network and Service Management with WANTS
Abstract

13.1 Introduction and Motivation

13.2 WANTS at a Glance

13.3 WANTS in Details

13.4 Discussion

13.5 Conclusions

14: Cross-Domain Energy Savings by Means of Unified Energy Agents
Abstract

14.1 Introduction/Motivation

14.2 Application Overview

14.3 Application Details

14.4 Benefits and Assessment

14.5 Discussion

14.6 Conclusions

15: A Multi-Agent System Coordination Approach for Resilient Self-Healing Operations in Multiple Microgrids
Abstract

15.1 Introduction/Motivation

15.2 Problem Overview: Coordination and Control of Microgrids

15.3 Application Details: The Multi-Agent System Coordination Approach for a Resilient Self-Healing Operation

15.4 Benefits and Assessment: Impacts of MAS Coordination on Multiple Microgrid Transient Stability

15.5 Discussion and Conclusions

16: Multi-Agent System for Integrating Quality and Process Control in a Home Appliance Production Line
Abstract
Acknowledgments

16.1 Introduction/Motivation

16.2 Application Overview

16.3 Application Details

16.4 Benefits and Assessment

16.5 Discussion

16.6 Conclusions

17: Industrial Agents for the Fast Deployment of Evolvable Assembly Systems
Abstract

17.1 Introduction

17.2 Problem Overview

17.3 IADE—Its Architecture and Associated Concepts

17.4 On the Implementation of the IADE Stack

17.5 Benefits and Assessment

17.6 Lessons Learned

17.7 Conclusions

18: Automation Agents for Controlling the Physical Components of a Transportation System
Abstract
Acknowledgments

18.1 Introduction/Motivation

18.2 Application Overview

18.3 Application Details

18.4 Benefits and Assessment

18.5 Discussion

18.6 Conclusions

19: Intelligent Factory Agents with Predictive Analytics for Asset Management
Abstract

19.1 Introduction/Motivation

19.2 Application Overview

19.3 Application Details

19.4 Case Study

19.5 Benefits and Assessment

19.6 Discussion

19.7 Conclusions

20: A Biomimetic Approach to Distributed Maintenance Management Based on a Multi-Agent System
Abstract
Acknowledgments

20.1 Motivation

20.2 An Overview of the Applications

20.3 Application Details: AI2MS, a MAS Based on a Biomimetic Approach

20.4 Benefits and Assessment

20.5 Discussion

20.6 Conclusion

21: Programming of Multiagent Applications with JIAC
Abstract
Acknowledgments

21.1 Introduction/Motivation

21.2 Application Overview

21.3 Application Details

21.4 Tools

21.5 Benefits and Assessment

21.6 Discussion

21.7 Conclusion

Part IV: A Survey on Factors that Impact Industrial Agent Acceptance

22: A Survey on Factors that Impact Industrial Agent Acceptance
Abstract
Acknowledgments

22.1 Introduction

22.2 Factors for Industrial Agent Acceptance

22.3 Methodology, Data Collection, and Demographics

22.4 Survey Results and Analysis

22.5 Conclusions
Reference Index
Author Index
Subject Index

Review quotes

"...provides an extended survey of the field, contrasting, comparing, and citing every notable research effort that has contributed to the current state of the art...a summary of phase one, and the launching platform for stage two in industrial agent development."
— Computing Reviews

Product details

  • Edition: 1
  • Latest edition
  • Published: March 13, 2015
  • Language: English

About the editors

PL

Paulo Leitão

Paulo Leitão is currently an Associate Professor at Polytechnic Institute of Bragança as well as Head of the Department of Electrical Engineering, where he has taught robotics and automation systems courses. His research includes intelligent and reconfigurable systems, collaborative factory automation, agent-based and holonic control, service-oriented architectures and bio-inspiration engineering. He has published his research more than 100 times in journals including IEEE Intelligent Systems, and Transactions on Systems, Man and Cybernetics, and at IEEE conferences on Industrial Electronics, Systems, Self-adaptive Systems, and more. He is the research lead on the project “Grace” to develop systems to integrate process and quality control using multi-agent technology.
Affiliations and expertise
Associate Professor and Head of the Department of Electrical Engineering, Polytechnic Institute of Bragança, Portugal

SK

Stamatis Karnouskos

Stamatis Karnouskos is an expert on the IoT at SAP, Germany. He investigates the added value and impact of emerging technologies in enterprise systems. For over 20 years, he has led efforts in several European Commission and industry-funded projects relate to IoT, Cyber-Physical Systems, Industrie 4.0, manufacturing, smart grids, smart cities, security, and mobility. Stamatis has extensive experience in research and technology management within the industry as well as the European Commission and several national research funding bodies (e.g., in Germany, France, Switzerland, Denmark, Czech Republic, and Greece). He has served on the technical advisory board of the Internet Protocol for Smart Objects (IPSO) Alliance and the Permanent Stakeholder Group of the European Network and nformation Security Agency (ENISA).
Affiliations and expertise
expert on the IoT at SAP, Germany.

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