A Simulation Framework for Heterogeneous Agents

David Meyer, Christian Buchta, Alexandros Karatzoglou, Friedrich Leisch, Kurt Hornik

Publication: Working/Discussion PaperWU Working Paper

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Abstract

We introduce a generic simulation framework suitable for agent-based simulations featuring the support of heterogeneous agents, hierarchical scheduling and flexible specification of design parameters. One key aspect of this framework is the design specification: we use an XML-based format which is simple-structured yet still enables the design of flexible models. Another issue in agent-based simulations, especially when ready-made components are used, is the heterogeneity arising from both the agents' implementations and the underlying platforms. To tackle these kind of obstacles, we introduce a wrapper technique for mapping the functionality of agents living in an interpreter-based environment to a standardized JAVA interface, thus facilitating the task for any control mechanism (like a simulation manager) because it has to handle only one set of commands for all agents involved. Again, this mapping is made by an XML-based definition format. We demonstrate the technique by applying it to a simple sample simulation of two mass marketing firms operating in an artificial consumer environment.

Publication series

SeriesReport Series SFB "Adaptive Information Systems and Modelling in Economics and Management Science"
Number74

WU Working Paper Series

  • Report Series SFB \Adaptive Information Systems and Modelling in Economics and Management Science\

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