160 likes | 284 Views
FrEDT is a generic agent organization designed to facilitate efficient client-server communication in wireless contexts, particularly on mobile devices with limited capacities. Built upon three case studies, it supports various applications, including geographical data transfer, assistance for individuals with brain injuries, and medical report sharing. The framework employs a multi-agent system that ensures effective data synchronization, prioritizes transactions based on urgency, and maintains flexibility in data transfer. Further research is planned to enhance fault-tolerance and security.
E N D
ECUMICT 2004 Gent, 1-2 April 2004 An Agent Framework for Effective Data Transfer Stijn Bernaer Patrick De Causmaecker Joris Maervoet Greet Vanden Berghe
Framework for Effective Data Transfer • FrEDT is a generic agent organisation that manages client-server communication in a wireless environment • Runs on mobile devices with limited capacity • Based on 3 case studies • Still in development
Disciplines Agent architecture Wireless technology FrEDT Agent Platforms Platforms Programming Platforms Operating Systems
Wireless communication technology 2G • 2.5G: 2G extensions for higher bitrates • Move from phone-oriented to data-oriented networks • Move from circuit-switched to packet-switched data • Average rates - GSM: 9.6 kbps - HSCSD: 28.8 kbps - GPRS: 40 kbps - UMTS: 384 kbps 2.5G 3G
Agents • An agent is an encapsulated computer system, situated in some environment, and capable of flexible autonomous action in that environment in order to meet its design objectives (Jennings) • Agent interaction is inevitable to achieve individual objectives and to manage inter-dependencies (Jennings)
Agents • A multi-agent system (MAS) is an organisation of several agents that act and interact • The agents in a MAS perform particular roles and obey particular norms and regulations • Agents are re-active, autonomous, pro-active, continuous and persistent, social, learning, mobile
Agent Platforms AgentLight µFIPA-OS JADE-LEAP Grasshopper Programming Platforms Personal Java Java 2 Micro Edition (J2ME) Operating Systems Symbian OS Palm OS Windows CE (Pocket PC) Platforms for mobile devices
Case 1 – Transfer of geographical data • Central geographical database • Mobile employees create Update Reports (UR) • Employees need to transfer these UR’s • Wireless synchronisation process between local and central Update Report DataBase (URDB) • Employees need the most recent Update Reports on regions that will be explored in the near future (pro-active) • Agents regulate the data traffic
Case 2 – Supporting people with non-congenital brain injuries • People who have problems with coordinating and organising their daily life • Complete database on the supervisor’s computer and a subset of the data on the smartphone/PDA of the patient • Day’s schedule, addresses, instructions, itineraries, shopping lists • Optionally: mobile device for supervisor • Agents act as assistants
Case 3 – Transfer of medical reports and analyses • Mobile employees visit companies for risk analysis, ergonomic analysis and medical inspection • Employees use a procedure handbook and a program to manage analysis records on their notebook • This book has to be updated regularly and changed records need to be exchanged with a central databank • Agents are connection-aware and run in background
Motivation FrEDT • Case studies: • Client-server synchronisation mechanism • Transactions have different levels of urgency • Congestion should be avoided • Priority-based decision-making system • Negotiation about data transactions with certain priority
Why agents? • Component-based environment • To assist the end user • Asynchronity = delay independence • Autonomy, continuity • Adaptivity, proactivity • Negotiation
FrEDT: extensions • Connection awareness and reasoning about the connection (costs?) • Detachebility: the actual transfer does not need to be ACL (Agent Communication Language) • Fault-tolerance and security
Agent organisation • RETSINA architecture: interface-, task and database agents • Framework developed in JADE (Java Agent DEvelopment Framework) with LEAP (Lightweight Extensible Agent PLatform) extensions • J2SE • Personal Java • J2ME: MIDP/CLDC
Conclusion • FrEDT is suited for effective datatransfer in different situations • FrEDT joins several disciplines: agents, mobile devices and wireless communication technology • Further research: • Fault-tolerance and security • Application to the cases