Developing Goal-Oriented Normative Agents: The NBDI Architecture

Abstract

In open multi-agent systems norms are mechanisms used to restrict the behaviour of agents by defining what they are obligated, permitted or prohibited to do and by stating stimulus to their fulfillment such as rewards and discouraging their violation by pointing out punishments. In this paper we propose the NBDI architecture to develop goal-oriented normative agents whose priority is the accomplishment of their own desires while evaluate the pros and cons associated with the fulfillment or violation of the norms. The BDI architecture is extended by including norms related functions to check the incoming perceptions (including norms), select the norms they intend to fulfill based on the benefits they provide to the achievement of the agent's desires and intentions, and decide to cope or not with the norms while dropping, retaining or adopting new intentions. The applicability of our approach is demonstrated through an non-combatant evacuation scenario implemented by using the Normative Jason platform. © Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2013.