Use of formal languages to consolidate a Holonic MAS methodology: a specification approach for analysing Problem and Agency domains

Abstract

In complex systems, multiple aspects interact and influence each other. A vast number of entities are present in the system. Traditional modeling and simulation techniques fail to capture interactions between loosely coupled aspects of a complex distributed system. The objective of this work is to formalize and to specify a part of the Agent-oriented Software Process for Engineering Complex Systems methodology (Problem and Agency Domains) for modeling the holarchy of studied system by using a formal specification approch based on two formalisms: Petri Net and Object-Z language. Such a specification style facilitates the modeling of complex systems with both structural and behavioural aspects. Our generic approach is illustrated by applying it to FIRA Robot Soccer and is validated with the Symbolic Analysis Laboratory framework.

Keywords:

• multi-agent systems
• formal specification
• Petri Nets
• Object-Z
• SAL