BDI-based Human Decision-Making Model in Automated Manufacturing Systems

Advances in automation technologies changed the manufacturing environment, where equipment replaced many physical functions of a human. However, humans are still imperative in the automated manufacturing system due to their decision-making functions. This paper presents a novel software agent model to replace the partial decision-making function of a human and its implementation in a distributed computing environment. The proposed model, employing the BDI (belief, desire, intention) agent framework, is capable of 1) generating a plan in realtime, 2) supporting both the reactive as well as proactive decision-making, 3) maintaining situation awareness in human language like logic to facilitate real human decision-making, and 4) changing the commitment strategy adaptive to historical performance. To this end, the intention module in the traditional BDI framework is expanded to include 1) deliberator, 2) planner (reasoning processor), and 3) decision-executor sub-modules. Furthermore, a confidence state is also considered, which affects as well as is affected by three other mental modules (BDI). In this paper, the proposed model has been developed in the context of the human operator who is responsible for error detection and recovery in a complex automated manufacturing system. To this end, the sub-functions required for error detection and recovery are formally mapped on to the beliefs, desires and intentions, and LORA logic is employed to represent them. A scheme of integrating the proposed human agent with an automated shop floor control system (environment) is also developed to demonstrate the proposed agent in an automated manufacturing system context. The model has been implemented in JACK software; since JACK does not support real-time generation of a plan, the planner sub-module is developed in Java. To facilitate integration of an agent (JACK), real human, and the environment (Arena simulation software), a distributed computing platform based on DOD High Level Architecture (now IEEE 1516 Standard) has been used.

[1]  Alan S. Grier,et al.  A decision support expert system for correction of manufacturing process problems , 1990, IEA/AIE '90.

[2]  J. R. McDonald,et al.  Turbine generator plant monitoring: towards integrated systems , 1996, Proceedings of International Conference on Intelligent System Application to Power Systems.

[3]  Young-Jun Son,et al.  Design and development of a prototype distributed simulation for evaluation of supply chains , 2004 .

[4]  Christine M. Mitchell,et al.  Decision models for aiding FMS scheduling and control , 1988, IEEE Trans. Syst. Man Cybern..

[5]  Botond Kádár,et al.  An object-oriented framework for developing distributed manufacturing architectures , 1998, J. Intell. Manuf..

[6]  Christine M. Mitchell,et al.  A methodology for human-machine systems research: knowledge engineering, modeling, and simulation , 1995, IEEE Trans. Syst. Man Cybern..

[7]  Richard Fikes,et al.  STRIPS: A New Approach to the Application of Theorem Proving to Problem Solving , 1971, IJCAI.

[8]  John-Jules Ch. Meyer,et al.  Reasoning about emotional agents , 2004, Int. J. Intell. Syst..

[9]  Christine M. Mitchell,et al.  GT-MSOCC: A Domain for Research on Human - Computer Interaction and Decision Aiding in Supervisory Control Systems , 1987, IEEE Transactions on Systems, Man, and Cybernetics.

[10]  Christine M. Mitchell,et al.  Model-based cognitive engineering in complex systems - Part I , 2002, IEEE Transactions on Systems, Man, and Cybernetics - Part A: Systems and Humans.

[11]  R.M. Fujimoto,et al.  Parallel and distributed simulation systems , 2001, Proceeding of the 2001 Winter Simulation Conference (Cat. No.01CH37304).

[12]  Charles R. McLean,et al.  The IMS MISSION architecture for distributed manufacturing simulation , 2000, 2000 Winter Simulation Conference Proceedings (Cat. No.00CH37165).

[13]  Hsien-Jung Wu,et al.  Error recovery in MPSG-based controllers for shop floor control , 1994, Proceedings of the 1994 IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation.

[14]  Michael Wooldridge,et al.  Reasoning about rational agents , 2000, Intelligent robots and autonomous agents.

[15]  Christine M. Mitchell,et al.  Model-based communicative acts: human-computer collaboration in supervisory control , 1994, Int. J. Hum. Comput. Stud..

[16]  Carla H. Lagorio,et al.  Psychology , 1929, Nature.

[17]  John Ladbrook,et al.  Modelling and improving human decision making with simulation , 2001, Proceeding of the 2001 Winter Simulation Conference (Cat. No.01CH37304).

[18]  Anand S. Rao,et al.  Decision Procedures for BDI Logics , 1998, J. Log. Comput..

[19]  Anand S. Rao,et al.  BDI Agents: From Theory to Practice , 1995, ICMAS.

[20]  Emma Norling,et al.  Folk psychology for human modelling: extending the BDI paradigm , 2004, Proceedings of the Third International Joint Conference on Autonomous Agents and Multiagent Systems, 2004. AAMAS 2004..

[21]  K. Ronald Laughery.  Computer simulation as a tool for studying human-centered systems , 1998, 1998 Winter Simulation Conference. Proceedings (Cat. No.98CH36274).

[22]  Jeffrey S. Smith,et al.  Message-based Part State Graphs (MPSG): A formal model for shop-floor control implementation , 2003 .

[23]  Anand S. Rao,et al.  An architecture for real-time reasoning and system control , 1992, IEEE Expert.

[24]  Vladislav Kecojevic,et al.  Automation vs. Human intervention: What is the best fit for the best performance? , 2005 .

[25]  Bernard P. Zeigler,et al.  Creating distributed simulation using DEVS M&S environments , 2000, 2000 Winter Simulation Conference Proceedings (Cat. No.00CH37165).

[26]  Albert T. Jones,et al.  A hybrid simulation approach to planning in a VMI supply chain , 2006, Int. J. Simul. Process. Model..

[27]  F. DiCesare,et al.  Automated error recovery in manufacturing systems through learning and reasoning , 1990, Proceedings. 5th IEEE International Symposium on Intelligent Control 1990.

[28]  John Ladbrook,et al.  GRIDS-SCF: An Infrastructure for Distributed Supply Chain Simulation , 2002, Simul..

[29]  T. Norman,et al.  FORMALISING COLLABORATIVE DECISION-MAKING AND PRACTICAL REASONING IN MULTI-AGENT SYSTEMS , 2001 .

[30]  Anand S. Rao,et al.  A Methodology and Modelling Technique for Systems of BDI Agents , 1996, MAAMAW.

[31]  Judith S. Dahmann,et al.  Creating Computer Simulation Systems: An Introduction to the High Level Architecture , 1999 .