|
Introduction
JADE (Java Agent DEvelopment Framework)
is a software framework fully implemented in Java language. It simplifies
the implementation of multi-agent systems through a middle-ware that claims
to comply with the FIPA specifications and through a set of tools that
supports the debugging and deployment phase. The agent platform can be
distributed across machines (which not even need to share the same OS)
and the configuration can be controlled via a remote GUI. The configuration
can be even changed at run-time by moving agents from one machine to another
one, as and when required. The only system requirement is the Java Run
Time version 1.4 or later.
The communication architecture offers
flexible and efficient messaging, where JADE creates and manages a queue
of incoming ACL messages, private to each agent; agents can access their
queue via a combination of several modes: blocking, polling, timeout and
pattern matching based. The full FIPA communication model has been implemented
and its components have been clearly distincted and fully integrated: interaction
protocols, envelope, ACL, content languages, encoding schemes, ontologies
and, finally, transport protocols. The transport mechanism, in particular,
is like a chameleon because it adapts to each situation, by transparently
choosing the best available protocol. Java RMI, event-notification, and
IIOP are currently used, but more protocols can be easily added and integration
of HTTP has been already achieved. Most of the interaction
protocols defined by FIPA are already available and can be instantiated
after defining the application-dependent behaviour of each state of the
protocol. SL and agent management ontology have been implemented already,
as well as the support for user-defined content languages and ontologies
that can be implemented, registered with agents, and automatically used
by the framework. JADE has also been integrated with JESS, a Java shell
of CLIPS, in order to exploit its reasoning capabilities.
JADE is being used by a number of companies
and academic groups, both members and non-members of FIPA, such as BT,
CNET, NHK, Imperial College, IRST, KPN, University of Helsinky, INRIA,
ATOS and many others. It has been recently made available under Open Source
License. Further details and documentation can be found at http://jade.cselt.it/.
JADE is a trademark of CSELT. JADE has been developed jointly by CSELT and the Computer Engineering Group of the University of Parma