Rigorous Graphical Modelling of Movement in Collective Adaptive Systems

Formal modelling provides valuable intellectual tools which can be applied to the problem of analysis and optimisation of systems. In this paper we present a novel software tool which provides a graphical approach to modelling of Collective Adaptive Systems (CAS) with constrained movement. The graphical description is translated into a model that can be analysed to understand the dynamic behaviour of the system. This generated model is expressed in CARMA, a modern feature-rich modelling language designed specifically for modelling CAS. We demonstrate the use of the software tool with an example scenario representing carpooling, in which travellers group together and share a car in order to reach a common destination. This can reduce their travel time and travel costs, whilst also ameliorating traffic congestion by reducing the number of vehicles on the road.