Chapters authored
Multi-Agent Systems, Simulation and Nanotechnology
Multi-agent systems (MAS) are used in investigations with different purposes, mainly in computational simulations. These systems are composed of autonomous software entities, named agents, that act and interact in a shared environment, changing the state of the environment. Simulation environments for nanostructures can be considered essentially reactive, that is, suitable for reactive agent architectures. A significant feature in agent-oriented theory is autonomy, which also exists in small-scale structures such as atoms and molecules, despite the strong interaction. Regarding the organisation of a reactive or cognitive multi-agent system, there are events, constraints and interactions that occur in a nanoscale environment. So, MAS paradigm has methodologies and tools that could guarantee simulations of Brownian motion, at the nanoscale, generating and monitoring collision systems. Experiments for the nanocapsule production and characterisation should be supported by computational simulations, mainly to reduce experiment time, equipment wear and material waste. Therefore, this paper presents how MAS can increase the investigations in nanoscience through simulations of moving bodies.
Part of the book: Multi Agent Systems