A modelling language for cooperative plans in highly dynamic domains

Cooperative behaviour is one of the challenges most pronounced in the RoboCup Middle Size League. Especially the dynamic nature of the domain, which calls for swift adaptation by each robot and the team as a whole, is a distinctive property of the league. The ability to establish highly responsive teamwork while facing unreliable communication and sensory noise is a key to successful soccer teams. Moreover, modelling such responsive, cooperative behaviour is difficult. In this work, we specify a novel model for cooperative behaviour geared towards highly dynamic domains, focussing on the language syntax and semantics. In our approach, agents estimate each other’s decision and correct these estimations once they receive contradictory information. We provide a comprehensive approach for agent teamwork featuring intuitive modelling capabilities for multi-agent activities, abstractions over activities and agents, and a clear operational semantics. Moreover, we briefly present a graphical modeling tool for cooperative strategies, which is based directly on the theory laid out, together with a practical framework for executing said strategies. We show experimentally the responsiveness and coherence of the resulting team play.

Research highlights
► We specify a novel model for cooperative behaviour geared towards highly dynamic domains, focussing on the language syntax and semantics.
► In our approach, agents estimate each other’s decision and correct these estimations once they receive contradictory information.
► We provide a comprehensive approach for agent teamwork featuring intuitive modelling capabilities for multi-agent activities, abstractions over activities and agents, and a clear operational semantics.
► Moreover, we briefly present a graphical modeling tool for cooperative strategies, which is based directly on the theory laid out, together with a practical framework for executing said strategies.
► We show experimentally the responsiveness and coherence of the resulting team play.