SPAGE: An action generation engine to support spatial patterns of interaction in multi-agent simulations

Abstract

Space is a significant resource in human interaction. In this paper, we analyse the prospects of utilising space as an important resource in agent interaction. To do this, we created a software engine called SPAGE that generates communicative action signals for an agent based on the current state of the agent and its environment. These action signals are then evaluated against a set of conditions that are logically deduced from the literature on human face-to-face interaction. Depending upon the success or failure outcomes of the evaluation, the agent then receives a reward or a punitive signal. In either case, the states of both the agent and its environment are updated. The ultimate rationale is to maximise the number of rewards for an agent. SPAGE is incorporated into a simulation platform called the K-space in order to verify the believability of the action signals, and also to analyse the effects a sequence of actions can have in giving rise to spatial-orientational patterns of agent interaction. SPAGE is modular in nature which makes future modifications or extensions easy. © 2012 Springer-Verlag.