Agent technology promises to increase the flexibility and power of software systems 10 accommodate the next generation of computing, including intelligent web services, e-business, and grid computing. In recent years, agent technology has seen dramatic growth and has gained wide acceptance among industry professionals. This unique new reference offers software engineers, system developers and advanced students the most thorough and comprehensive explanation of the methods, tools, standards and techniques used to develop software using the agent-oriented approach. Addressing issues of direct...

This book presents selected tutorial lectures given at the summer school on Multi-Agent Systems and Their Applications held in Prague, Czech Republic, in July 2001 under the sponsorship of ECCAI and Agent Link.
The 20 lectures by leading researchers in the field presented in the book give a competent state-of-the-art account of research and development in the field of multi-agent systems and advanced applications. The book offers parts on foundations of MAS; social behaviour, meta-reasoning, and learning; and applications.