HTN Planning for Flexible Coordination Of Multiagent Team Behavior

Fachberichte Informatik

HTN Planning for Flexible Coordination Of Multiagent Team Behavior

Oliver Obst, Anita Maas, and Joschka Boedecker. HTN Planning for Flexible Coordination Of Multiagent Team Behavior. Fachberichte Informatik 3--2005, Universität Koblenz-Landau, 2005.

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Abstract

Coordination of agents in a dynamic and nondeterministic environment is a difficult task. There are many approaches to this problem where agents are controlled reactively. In this paper we present an approach to coordinate the behavior of a multiagent team using an HTN (Hierarchical Task Network) planning procedure. To coordinate teams, high level tasks have to be broken down into subtasks which is a basic operation in HTN planners. We are using planners in each of the agents to incorporate domain knowledge and to make agents follow a specified team strategy. With our approach, agents coordinate deliberatively and still maintain a high degree of reactivity. In our implementation for use in the RoboCup Simulation League, first results were already very promising. Using a planner helps to maintain a clear agent design, separating the agent code from the expert domain knowledge.

BibTeX

@TechReport{	  obst:etal:3:2005,
  author	= "Oliver Obst and Anita Maas and Joschka Boedecker",
  title		= "{HTN Planning for Flexible Coordination Of Multiagent Team
		  Behavior}",
  institution	= "{Universit{\"a}t Koblenz-Landau}",
  year		= 2005,
  type		= "Fachberichte Informatik",
  number	= "3--2005",
  language	= "english",
  address	= "Universit{\"a}t Koblenz-Landau, Institut f{\"u}r
		  Informatik, Universit{\"a}tsstr. 1, D-56070 Koblenz",
  url		= "http://www.uni-koblenz.de/fb4/publikationen/gelbereihe/RR-3-2005.pdf"
		  ,
  abstract	= "Coordination of agents in a dynamic and nondeterministic
		  environment is a difficult task. There are many approaches
		  to this problem where agents are controlled reactively. In
		  this paper we present an approach to coordinate the
		  behavior of a multiagent team using an HTN (Hierarchical
		  Task Network) planning procedure. To coordinate teams, high
		  level tasks have to be broken down into subtasks which is a
		  basic operation in HTN planners. We are using planners in
		  each of the agents to incorporate domain knowledge and to
		  make agents follow a specified team strategy. With our
		  approach, agents coordinate deliberatively and still
		  maintain a high degree of reactivity. In our implementation
		  for use in the RoboCup Simulation League, first results
		  were already very promising. Using a planner helps to
		  maintain a clear agent design, separating the agent code
		  from the expert domain knowledge. ",
  issn		= "1860-4471"
}