Software Agents

Subject 433-682 (2009)

Note: This is an archived Handbook entry from 2009. Search for this in the current handbook

Credit Points: 12.50
Level: 9 (Graduate/Postgraduate)
Dates & Locations:

This subject has the following teaching availabilities in 2009:

Semester 1, - Taught on campus.
Pre-teaching Period Start not applicable
Teaching Period not applicable
Assessment Period End not applicable
Last date to Self-Enrol not applicable
Census Date not applicable
Last date to Withdraw without fail not applicable


Timetable can be viewed here. For information about these dates, click here.
Time Commitment: Contact Hours: 3 hours per week; Non-contact time commitment: 84 hours
Total Time Commitment: Not available
Prerequisites:
  • 433-255: Logic and Computation
  • 433-341: Software Engineering Process and Practice or the equivalent
  • 433-303: Artificial Intelligence is desirable
Corequisites: None
Recommended Background Knowledge: None
Non Allowed Subjects: None
Core Participation Requirements:

For the purposes of considering request for Reasonable Adjustments under the Disability Standards for Education (Cwth 2005), and Student Support and Engagement Policy, academic requirements for this subject are articulated in the Subject Overview, Learning Outcomes, Assessment and Generic Skills sections of this entry.

It is University policy to take all reasonable steps to minimise the impact of disability upon academic study, and reasonable adjustments will be made to enhance a student's participation in the University's programs. Students who feel their disability may impact on meeting the requirements of this subject are encouraged to discuss this matter with a Faculty Student Adviser and Student Equity and Disability Support: http://services.unimelb.edu.au/disability

Coordinator

Dr Adrian Pearce
Subject Overview:

What is an agent? Intentional agents and BDI architecture. Reactive agents and subsumption architecture. Emergent properties of agents. Believable agents. Agent languages: Agent-0, KQML, dMARS, etc. Agents extracting information from the World-Wide Web. Formalisation. Cooperating agents.

Objectives: On successful completion, students will be able to:
  • explain the nature of agents and their role in a distributed open environment
  • design a simple agent-based system.
Assessment: Choice of project work expected to take approximately 36-hours including design and possibly implementation (60%); presentation skills and class participation (10%); and a 3-hour open-book examination (30%)
Prescribed Texts: None
Breadth Options:

This subject is not available as a breadth subject.
Fees Information: Subject EFTSL, Level, Discipline & Census Date
Generic Skills:

On successful completion, students should:

  • have an understanding of the concept of agents;
  • be able to build a simple agent design;
  • be able to perform a literature search on agent topics;
  • be able to present material about agents;
  • be able to undertake problem identification, formulation and solution;
  • have a capacity for independent critical thought, rational inquiry and self-directed learning; and
  • have a profound respect for truth and intellectual integrity, and for the ethics of scholarship.
Notes: Credit may not be gained for both 433-432: Software Agents and 433-682: Software Agents
Related Course(s): Master of Engineering in Distributed Computing
Master of Information Technology
Master of Software Systems Engineering

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