Supporting Action-at-a-distance in Situated Cellular Agents

Article type: Research Article

Authors: Bandini, Stefania | Mauri, Giancarlo | Vizzari, Giuseppe

Affiliations: Dipartimento di Informatica, Sistemistica e Comunicazione, Università degli Studi di Milano-Bicocca via Bicocca, degli Arcimboldi 8, 20126 Milano, Italy. E-mails: bandini@disco.unimib.it, mauri@disco.unimib.it, giuseppe.vizzari@disco.unimib.it

Abstract: The aim of this paper is to describe algorithms and structures required to support action-at-a-distance in Situated Cellular Agents (SCA). This model provides the possibility to define heterogeneous entities placed in regular or irregular spatial infrastructures. Different mechanisms supporting field diffusion within these structures will be described and analyzed, with reference to their performance. A sample application of SCA model (a variation of Conway's Game of Life) will also be illustrated, while a more complex usage of action-at-a-distance for pedestrian simulation will be sketched.

Keywords: Multi agent systems, action-at-a-distance, diffusion

Journal: Fundamenta Informaticae, vol. 69, no. 3, pp. 251-271, 2006