2011 Eclipse DemoCamp Budapest, Indigo Release

Eclipse as an Agent-Based Modeling Platform

Richard Oliver [email protected]

AITIA International, Inc.Eötvös Loránd University

http://people.inf.elte.hu/legendi/

Eclipse DemoCamps Indigo Budapest - 24 June, 2011

mailto:[email protected]


Richard O. Legendi, Eclipse DemoCamp Indigo

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OutlineAgents?

General (and academic) definitionWhy care?Motivation & Examples

How Eclipse is related?Why the Eclipse Platform?What tools are available for the modelers?Who are the modelers?

Conclusion

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Agents

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Agent?

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Replicator (Stargate)


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Agent-Based Modeling (ABM)Agent

Autonomous participators

Complex systems with a set of interacting individuals

Bottom-up computational model:By specifying low level

(micro) rules we search for emergent global (macro) behaviour

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Agent-Based Modeling (ABM)Agents are usually:

AutonomousMake own decisionsLearn, adapt to the changes of the environmentInteract through a specified communication

topology(e.g., grid, networks, etc.)

Not for predictionWe search for behavioural patterns,...and what we can conclude.

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Motivation – An Example„The economy needs agent-based modelling - The leaders of the world are flying the economy by the seat of their pants, say J. Doyne Farmer and Duncan Foley. There is, however, a better way to help guide financial policies.In today’s high-tech age, one naturally assumes that US President Barack Obama’s economic team and its international counterparts are using sophisticated quantitative computer models to guide us out of the current economic crisis. They are not.”

J. Doyne Farmer and Duncan FoleyThe economy needs agent-based modelling

Nature Vol. 460, 6 August, 2009

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EconomyThe best models, both with their own flaws:

1. Econometric Empirical statistical models Time series analysis: fitted to past data Perfect to forecast a few quarters ahead

As long as things stay more or less the same

2. „Dynamic stochastic general equilibrium” These models assume a perfect world... ... and by their very nature rule out even the

definition of crises

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EconomyOther aspects:

Heterogeneity?Individual preferences?Speculators?Non rational participators?And so on...

Using ABM we can shift from these constraints(to other ones, of course)

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In General – Why care?Shift from the representative to

heterogeneous actorsIn some cases, it could be easier to define a

modelSpecifying micro instead of macro rules

Using the ABM approach could be more intuitive for specific set of models

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More ExamplesInformation diffusionEpistemologySupporting decision makersTax evasion

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Eclipse

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How Eclipse is Related?Indigo: 62 project teams are part of the

releaseIncluding an ABM platform

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Modeling with Eclipse?Eclipse provides many unique features that

make it ideal for an ABM platformJDT/EMF/GMT/DTP/GEF/ZEST/BIRT/...

Several initiations and directionsAgent Modeling PlatformRepast SimphonyAscapeFables Modeling Environment

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FormalizationDozens of frameworks existNearly all tool has its own way to define

modelsEclipse has a great support for all of them

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ModelersSmall, but very

heterogeneous research area

~15% has formal training in computer science

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Source: Computational social scientists: a draft directory and basic survey resultshttp://lowlywonk.blogspot.com/2011/05/computational-social-scientists-draft.html

http://lowlywonk.blogspot.com/2011/05/computational-social-scientists-draft.html


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Agent Modeling PlatformTools for representing, editing, generating,

executing and visualizing agent-based modelsAgent Modeling Framework

Meta-model representationAgent Execution Framework

UI to observ and manage simulationAgent Graphics Framework

Visualizationhttp://eclipse.org/amp/

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http://eclipse.org/amp/




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Agent Modeling PlatformClosely related to MetaABM and AscapeGenerates models for different simulation

platformsValidation: Escape, Ascape and Repast

SimphonySimiliar to EMF Ecore, but with agents

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Repast SimphonyThe Repast Suite is one of the most popular

platformsActive user communityOffers several ways to define a model

Java/Groovy APIReLogo – a Logo-like DSL (cf. NetLogo)Flowcharts

http://repast.sourceforge.net/

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Google Summer of Code – 2011Repast Simphony was selected for GSoC

2011University of Michigan

Center for the Study of Complex Systems8 students work under the guidance of 4

mentorsDeveloping new demo models

Robotics, Swarm intelligence, Virus spreading, Mobile wireless sensor localization, etc.

New features and testing the IDE

http://code.google.com/p/cscs-repast-demos/24/06/2011

http://code.google.com/p/cscs-repast-demos/




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FablesFunctional Agent-Based Language for SimulationHybrid programming language

Mixing functional, object-oriented and sequential elements

Designed for agent-based simulations„Support modelers, not the professional programmers”

Save as much on programming as possibleAppropriate language concepts for each part of the modelSyntax is close to formalism used in publications

https://fables.aitia.aihttps://mass.aitia.ai/fables

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https://fables.aitia.ai/

https://fables.aitia.ai/

https://mass.aitia.ai/fables

https://mass.aitia.ai/fables


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Summary

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SummaryEclipse had a considerable influence on ABM

toolsFree and open source ABM simulation toolsBuilt upon the Eclipse Platform

ABMs getting attentionOne of the platforms is bundled into Indigo

Tools are collectively under continuous development for several years

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Questions

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Thank you for your attention!

Richard Oliver [email protected]

AITIA International, Inc.Eötvös Loránd University


Eclipse DemoCamps Indigo Budapest - 24 June, 2011

24/06/2011

mailto:[email protected]



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Technology

2011 Eclipse DemoCamp Budapest, Indigo Release