Software agent-based applications, platforms, and development kits

Intelligent agents and multi-agent systems (MAS) represent the next big step in the development of next-generation software systems, especially when consid- ing large scale distributed applications consisting of several sub-components with behavior that is increasingly di?cult to predict. This is supported by imp- tant research and development results and reinforced by the increasing uptake of agent-based solutions and services for real-world industries. In fact, software agent technology successfully addresses a number of highly relevant issues, like - ?cient resource distribution, scalability, adaptability, maintainability, modularity, autonomy,self-sustainability,anddecentralizedcontrol,byprovidingpowerfulc- cepts, metaphors and tools. The mentioned issues are often regarded as essential non-functional properties of emerging software architectures and systems. The high importance of agent-related research and development can be seen from the fact that currently about 100 major projects are funded in Europe only - see http://www. agentlink. org/resources/agentprojects-db. php - and more than 100 academic and commercial software tools are publicly advertised - see http://www. agentlink. org/resources/agent-software. php. And these numbers are still growing. As a result of the enormous e?orts the stage of maturation has reached a level, which encourages commercial players to increasingly adopt mul- agent systems concepts and technologies for the development of a variety of re- world applications in di?erent domains such as logistics, e-commerce, and - tertainment. In this perspective, concrete agent-driven research and development results (such as applications, platforms, and development kits) substantially c- tribute to promote the technology and increase its exploitation for industrial - lutions.