An Agent Framework for Effective Data Transfer

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An Agent Framework for Effective Data Transfer
ECUMICT 2004 Gent, 1-2 April 2004

• Stijn Bernaer
• Patrick De Causmaecker
• Joris Maervoet
• Greet Vanden Berghe

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Framework for Effective Data Transfer
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• FrEDT is a generic agent organisation that
  manages client-server communication in a wireless
  environment
• Runs on mobile devices with limited capacity
• Based on 3 case studies
• Still in development

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Disciplines
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Agent architecture
Wireless technology
FrEDT
Agent Platforms
Platforms
Programming Platforms
Operating Systems
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Wireless communication technology
2G

• 2.5G 2G extensions for higher bitrates
• Move from phone-oriented to data-oriented
  networks
• Move from circuit-switched to packet-switched
  data
• Average rates - GSM 9.6 kbps - HSCSD 28.8 kbps
  - GPRS 40 kbps - UMTS 384 kbps

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2.5G
3G
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Agents

• An agent is an encapsulated computer system,
  situated in some environment, and capable of
  flexible autonomous action in that environment in
  order to meet its design objectives (Jennings)
• Agent interaction is inevitable to achieve
  individual objectives and to manage
  inter-dependencies (Jennings)

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Agents

• A multi-agent system (MAS) is an organisation of
  several agents that act and interact
• The agents in a MAS perform particular roles and
  obey particular norms and regulations
• Agents are re-active, autonomous, pro-active,
  continuous and persistent, social, learning,
  mobile

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Platforms for mobile devices
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Case 1 Transfer of geographical data

• Central geographical database
• Mobile employees create Update Reports (UR)
• Employees need to transfer these URs
• Wireless synchronisation process between local
  and central Update Report DataBase (URDB)
• Employees need the most recent Update Reports on
  regions that will be explored in the near future
  (pro-active)
• Agents regulate the data traffic

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Case 2 Supporting people with non-congenital
brain injuries

• People who have problems with coordinating and
  organising their daily life
• Complete database on the supervisors computer
  and a subset of the data on the smartphone/PDA of
  the patient
• Days schedule, addresses, instructions,
  itineraries, shopping lists
• Optionally mobile device for supervisor
• Agents act as assistants

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Case 3 Transfer of medical reports and analyses

• Mobile employees visit companies for risk
  analysis, ergonomic analysis and medical
  inspection
• Employees use a procedure handbook and a program
  to manage analysis records on their notebook
• This book has to be updated regularly and changed
  records need to be exchanged with a central
  databank
• Agents are connection-aware and run in background

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Motivation FrEDT

• Case studies
• Client-server synchronisation mechanism
• Transactions have different levels of urgency
• Congestion should be avoided
• Priority-based decision-making system
• Negotiation about data transactions with certain
  priority

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Why agents?

• Component-based environment
• To assist the end user
• Asynchronity delay independence
• Autonomy, continuity
• Adaptivity, proactivity
• Negotiation

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FrEDT extensions

• Connection awareness and reasoning about the
  connection (costs?)
• Detachebility the actual transfer does not need
  to be ACL (Agent Communication Language)
• Fault-tolerance and security

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Agent organisation

• RETSINA architecture interface-, task and
  database agents
• Framework developed in JADE (Java Agent
  DEvelopment Framework) with LEAP (Lightweight
  Extensible Agent PLatform) extensions
• J2SE
• Personal Java
• J2ME MIDP/CLDC

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Conclusion

• FrEDT is suited for effective datatransfer in
  different situations
• FrEDT joins several disciplines agents, mobile
  devices and wireless communication technology
• Further research
• Fault-tolerance and security
• Application to the cases

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