The event was organized by the Institute for Handling Devices and Robotics, and sponsored by the International Federation of Automatic Control. The 42 papers explore an approach to manufacturing in which several agents work toward a common goal, each having specializations for specific subtasks. Their topics include design, self-configuration, task distribution, learning, cooperation, fault tolerance, control, path and task planning, coordination, education, scalability, social aspects, organizational design, decision making, programming and languages, interaction between agents and between agents and humans, and automated negotiation. They might interest scientists and technicians researching robotics, manufacturing, assembly, and disassembly. There is no subject index. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)
Manufacturing and production has changed dramatically in the last years. One of the future possibilities to reduce production costs are Multi-Agent Systems (MAS). Such systems are one of the key technologies for realization of decentralized, adaptive and complex productions systems. A MAS consists of several "agents" working towards a common goal, having different specialisations for specific subtasks.
The IFAC Workshop on "Multi-Agent-Systems in Production MAS '99" was held in Vienna, Austria from December 2nd - 4th, 1999. This first event on this topic was organized by the Institute for Handling Devices and Robotics (Vienna University of Technology) and brought together industrialists and scientists involved in all fields of research and development. The workshop was sponsored by the International Federation of Automatic Control (IFAC) as well as the IFAC TC on "Advanced Manufacturing Technology" (MIT). Four other IFAC TCs, IFIP, IFORS, the City of Vienna, the Vienna University of Technology, as well as other local companies supported MAS '99 as co-sponsors.
Topics covered in these proceedings include design, self configuration, task distribution, learning, cooperation, fault tolerance, control, path and task planning, coordination, education, scalablilty, social aspects, organizational design, decision making, programming and languages, interaction (agent - agent, human - agent), automated negotiation, and others.
