Module Details

Module Specification

The information contained in this module specification was correct at the time of publication but may be subject to change, either during the session because of unforeseen circumstances, or following review of the module at the end of the session. Queries about the module should be directed to the member of staff with responsibility for the module.

Module Title

Multi-Agent Systems

Module Code

COMP310

Year

Session 2023-24

Originating Department

Computer Science

Faculty

Fac of Science & Engineering

Semester

Second Semester

CATS Level

Level 6 FHEQ

CATS Value

Member of staff with responsibility for the module

Dr B Peng

Computer Science

Bei.Peng@liverpool.ac.uk

10.

Module Moderator

11.

Other Contributing Departments

12.

Other Staff Teaching on this Module

Mrs J Birtall	School of Electrical Engineering, Electronics and Computer Science	Judith.Birtall@liverpool.ac.uk
Dr U Hustadt	Computer Science	U.Hustadt@liverpool.ac.uk

13.

Board of Studies

14.

Mode of Delivery

15.

Location

Main Liverpool City Campus

		Lectures	Seminars	Tutorials	Lab Practicals	Fieldwork Placement	Other	TOTAL
16.	Study Hours	30						30
17.	Private Study							120
18.	TOTAL HOURS							150

		Lectures	Seminars	Tutorials	Lab Practicals	Fieldwork Placement	Other
19.	Timetable (if known)

20.	Pre-requisites before taking this module (other modules and/or general educational/academic requirements): COMP111 Introduction to Artificial Intelligence

21.	Modules for which this module is a pre-requisite:

22.	Co-requisite modules:

23.	Linked Modules:

24.	Programme(s) (including Year of Study) to which this module is available on a mandatory basis:

25.	Programme(s) (including Year of Study) to which this module is available on a required basis:

26.	Programme(s) (including Year of Study) to which this module is available on an optional basis:

27.

Aims

To introduce the student to the concept of an agent and multi-agent systems, and the main applications for which they are appropriate.

To introduce the main issues surrounding the design of intelligent agents.

To introduce the main issues surrounding the design of a multi-agent society.

To introduce a contemporary platform for implementing agents and multi-agent systems.

28.

Learning Outcomes

(LO1) Understand the notion of an agent, how agents are distinct from other software paradigms (eg objects) and understand the characteristics of applications that lend themselves to an agent-oriented solution;

(LO2) Understand the key issues associated with constructing agents capable of intelligent autonomous action, and the main approaches taken to developing such agents;

(LO3) Understand the key issues in designing societies of agents that can effectively cooperate in order to solve problems, including an understanding of the key types of multi-agent interactions possible in such systems;

(LO4) Understand the main application areas of agent-based solutions, and be able to develop a meaningful agent-based system using a contemporary agent development platform.

29.

Teaching and Learning Strategies

Teaching Method 1 - Lecture
Description:

Standard on-campus delivery
Teaching Method 1 - Lecture
Description: Mix of on-campus/on-line synchronous/asynchronous sessions

30.

Syllabus

Introduction (1 week)
- What is an agent? Agents and objects; agents and expert systems; agents and distributed systems; typical application areas for agent systems.

Intelligent Agents (3 weeks)
- The design of intelligent agents – reasoning agents (eg AgentO), agents as reactive systems (eg subsumption architecture); hybrid agents (eg PRS); layered agents (eg Interrap).
- A contemporary (Java-based) framework for programming agents (eg the Jack language, the JAM! system)

Multi-Agent Systems (5 weeks)
- Classifying multi-agent interactions – cooperative versus non-cooperative; zero-sum and other interactions; what is cooperation? How cooperation occurs – the Prisoner’s dilema and Axelrod's experiments; (1 week).
- Interactions between self-interested agents: auctions & voting systems: negotiation; (2 weeks)
- Interactions between benevolent agents: cooperative distributed problem sol ving (CDPS), partial global planning; coherence and coordination; (1 week)
- Interaction languages and protocols: speech acts, KQML/KIF, the FIPA framework. (1 week)

Advanced topics (2 weeks)
- One issue selected from the contemporary research literature, perhaps by guest lecturer.

31.

Recommended Texts

Reading lists are managed at readinglists.liverpool.ac.uk. Click here to access the reading lists for this module.

Assessment

32.	EXAM	Duration	Timing (Semester)	% of final mark	Resit/resubmission opportunity	Penalty for late submission	Notes
	(310) Exam Assessment Schedule (When) :Semester 2	150		100

33.	CONTINUOUS	Duration	Timing (Semester)	% of final mark	Resit/resubmission opportunity	Penalty for late submission	Notes