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This dream's in sightBetter ways are needed to manage and measure the complexity of agent models. The SDG has started on a course that emphasizes collaboration and integration, both with regard to semantics and infrastructure. Concretely, we are directing resources to assist projects that take the lead to solve the basic representational problems facing everyone in this domain, and especially those projects that have freely-redistributable infrastructure to show for it. In the near term, in collaboration with the IMA project, the SDG aims to create a web-based model description and execution facility. This task is in fact nearing completion. The technique of agent-based modeling has substantial traction, and Swarm has proven itself in this domain. We expect the distributed, multi-level Swarm scheduling interfaces will be a useful contribution to the IMA framework. The design of IMA is such that we can extend the system as necessary as SDG member needs dictate. Pragmatically, there is a clear need for a migration path from the Swarm development kit that is in use today to the next-generation IMA system, and there are clearly a number of SDG members with deep investments in Objective C and Java models. For this reason we've taken steps to make the Swarm engine usable in larger modeling frameworks by introducing bridge technologies to COM and Java. In this way, we can afford to investigate new approaches while maintaining the existing engine for SDG members with existing investments. Building on IMA's flexible infrastructure and semantics, we will then begin work on an accessible but flexible model development application for modelers. This work will start immediately after the next stabilized Swarm release. And of course the more groups that join the Swarm Development Group, the faster this work will move forward!
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This dream's in sight