Intelligent Agents that operate in dynamic, real-time domains are required to embody complex but controlled behaviours, some of which may not be easily implementable. This thesis investigates the difficulties presented with implementing Intelligent Agents for such environments and makes contributions in the fields of Agent Reasoning, Agent Learning and Agent-Oriented Design in order to overcome some of these difficulties. / The thesis explores the need for incorporating learning into agents. This is done through a comprehensive review of complex application domains where current agent development techniques are insufficient to provide a system of acceptable standard. The theoretical foundations of agent reasoning and learning are reviewed and a critique of reasoning techniques illustrates how humans make decisions. Furthermore, a number of learning and adaptation methods are introduced. The concepts behind Intelligent Agents and the reasons why researchers have recently turned to this technology for implementing complex systems are then reviewed. Overviews of different agent-oriented development paradigms are explored, which include relevant development platforms available for each one. / Previous research on modeling how humans make decisions is investigated, in particular three models are described in detail. A new cognitive, hybrid reasoning model is presented that fuses the three models together to offset the demerits of one model by the merits of another. Due to the additional elements available in the new model, it becomes possible to define how learning can be integrated into the reasoning process. In addition, an abstract framework that implements the reasoning and learning model is defined. This framework hides the complexity of learning and allows for designing agents based on the new reasoning model. / Finally, the thesis contributes the design of an application where learning agents are faced with a rich, real-time environment and are required to work as a teamto achieve a common goal. Detailed algorithmic descriptions of the agent's behaviours as well as a subset of the source code are included in the thesis. The empirical results obtained validate all contributions within the domain of Unreal Tournament. Ultimately, this dissertation demonstrates that if agent reasoning is implemented using a cognitive reasoning model with defined learning goals, an agent can operate effectively in a complex, real-time, collaborative and adversarial environment. / Thesis (PhDComputerSystemsEng)--University of South Australia, 2006.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:ADTP/267374 |
| Creators | Sioutis, Christos. |
| Source Sets | Australiasian Digital Theses Program |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Rights | copyright under review |
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