70 Software Networks
fulfilled then the action can successfully be carried out, and finally,
not attempt to bring about all of the consequences. However, we may
well wonder what happens when the action has been carried out by
another agent, when an agent has two intentions in the conditions in
which an agent can give up on its intention.
3.8. Reactive agent systems
A reactive agent does not have an explicit representation of its
environment, and cannot take account of its past. The way in which it
operates is simple, following a set of pre-programmed
stimulus/response-type decisions. The system’s organization is
biological, and the number of agents present in such a system is very
high. Communication is non-intentional. For example, the agents
leave traces of their presence, or signals, which can be perceived by
other agents. We then speak of environmental communication.
This type of agent results from the following postulate: the
interaction of a large number of simple agents can emerge from
complex organizations.
We can consider various levels of complexity for a reactive agent:
– stimulus/response: simple reactions to the environment;
– coordination of elementary actions: inhibition mechanisms,
relations between elementary actions;
– reactive cooperation: mechanisms of recruitment between agents,
aggregation of elementary agents;
– reproduction: mechanisms of reproduction of reactive agents;
– organization of reactive agents.
Eco-resolution is a problem-solving technique based on the use of
reactive agents. Here, problem-solving is considered to be the result of
a set of interactions. This view stands in opposition to those adopted
in conventional approaches to problem-solving, such as space state
exploration, which poses problems of combinatorial explosion.
www.it-ebooks.info