Capability-based task allocation in emergency-response environments: a coalition-formation approach

Afsaneh FATEMI; Kamran ZAMANIFAR; Naser NEMATBAKHSH

Article Details

Capability-based task allocation in emergency-response environments: a coalition-formation approach

Authors:

Afsaneh FATEMI | Kamran ZAMANIFAR | Naser NEMATBAKHSH

Publisher:

TUBITAK

Journal:

Turkish Journal of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science 2013 Vol.21 Issue 4, pp.1166-1181

Document Type:

Article

Publication Date:

3/2013

Document Language:

Turkish

Document ID (Org No.):

2000743279

Frequency:

Bimonthly

eISSN:

1303-6203

pISSN:

1300-0632

Abstract:

 

This paper addresses coalition formation, based on agent  capabilities, centered on task allocation in emergency-response  environments (EREs).  EREs are environments that need fast task  completion as their main requirement.  We propose a team-based  organization model, based on an existing organization model for  adaptive complex systems.  The model has some key characteristics that  are beneficial for EREs: agents act in dynamic, open domains; agents  collaborate in completing group tasks; agents may have similar types  of capabilities, but at different levels; tasks need different agent  capabilities, at collective different levels; and agents are  supervised in a partially decentralized manner.  We formulate task  allocation as a capability-based coalition-formation problem, propose  a greedy myopic algorithm to form coalitions, and compare it with  F-Max-Sum, another efficient myopic algorithm.  Experiments in which  utility is measured show that the capability-based approach  outperforms the role-based one.  The numerical experiments suggest  that the proposed task allocation method is possibly scalable with  growing numbers of agents.

 

This paper addresses coalition formation, based on agent  capabilities, centered on task allocation in emergency-response  environments (EREs).  EREs are environments that need fast task  completion as their main requirement.  We propose a team-based  organization model, based on an existing organization model for  adaptive complex systems.  The model has some key characteristics that  are beneficial for EREs: agents act in dynamic, open domains; agents  collaborate in completing group tasks; agents may have similar types  of capabilities, but at different levels; tasks need different agent  capabilities, at collective different levels; and agents are  supervised in a partially decentralized manner.  We formulate task  allocation as a capability-based coalition-formation problem, propose  a greedy myopic algorithm to form coalitions, and compare it with  F-Max-Sum, another efficient myopic algorithm.  Experiments in which  utility is measured show that the capability-based approach  outperforms the role-based one.  The numerical experiments suggest  that the proposed task allocation method is possibly scalable with  growing numbers of agents.

Article Details

Capability-based task allocation in emergency-response environments: a coalition-formation approach

Authors: Afsaneh FATEMI | Kamran ZAMANIFAR | Naser NEMATBAKHSH

Publisher: TUBITAK

Journal: Turkish Journal of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science 2013 Vol.21 Issue 4, pp.1166-1181

Document Type: Article

Publication Date: 3/2013

Document Language: Turkish

Document ID (Org No.): 2000743279

Frequency: Bimonthly

eISSN: 1303-6203

pISSN: 1300-0632

Issues

Authors:

Afsaneh FATEMI | Kamran ZAMANIFAR | Naser NEMATBAKHSH

Publisher:

TUBITAK

Journal:

Turkish Journal of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science 2013 Vol.21 Issue 4, pp.1166-1181

Document Type:

Article

Publication Date:

3/2013

Document Language:

Turkish

Document ID (Org No.):

2000743279

Frequency:

Bimonthly

eISSN:

1303-6203

pISSN:

1300-0632