Cooperative goal-satisfaction without communication in large-scale agent-systems

Abstract

A framework for cooperative goal-satisfaction in large-scale environments is presented in this paper, focusing on a low complexity physics-oriented approach. The multi-agent systems with which we deal are modeled by a physics-oriented model. According to the model, agent-systems inherit physical properties, and therefore the evolution of the computational systems is similar to the evolution of physical systems. To enable implementation of the model, we provide a detailed algorithm to be used by a single agent within the system. The model and the algorithm are appropriate for large-scale Distributed Problem Solver systems, in which agents try to increase the benefits of the whole system. The complexity is very low, and in some specific cases it has proven to be optimal. The analysis and assessment of the algorithm are performed via the well-known behavior and properties of the physical system which models the computational system.