Contextualizing normative open multi-agent systems

Abstract

Open MASs can be extremely dynamic due to heterogeneous agents that migrate among them to obtain resources or services not found locally. In order to prevent malicious actions and to ensure agent trust, open MAS should be enhanced with normative mechanisms. However, it is not reasonable to expect that foreign agents will know in advance all the norms of the MAS in which they will execute. Thus this paper presents DynaCROM, our approach for addressing these issues. From the individual agents' perspective, DynaCROM is an information mechanism so that agents become context norm-aware; from the system developers' perspective, DynaCROM is a methodology for norm management in regulated MASs. Notwithstanding the ultimate goal of a regulated MAS is to have an enforcement mechanism, we also present in the paper the integration of DynaCROM and SCAAR. SCAAR is the current solution of DynaCROM for norm enforcement. Copyright 2008 ACM.