Agent research and development in Europe

European Community programs have been supporting agent-related projects for 15 years, initially on a relatively small scale but more recently through broader collaborative initiatives. One distinguishing feature of European programs is their emphasis on coordination and the support of value-adding activities that exceed the scope of specific projects. Another is the holistic approach, which ensures that technology isn´t developed in a vacuum and that research is generally anchored in practical application contexts. The various agent projects are coordinated through initiatives such as the AgentLink network of excellence for agent-based computing. Three current projects funded by the European Commission suggest the breadth of agent-related issues: NIMIS, CASABA, and Mascada. The Networked Interactive Media in Schools (NIMIS) project aims to support young pupils in developing reading skills, notions of narrativity, and the ability to take a second- or third-person perspective across a range of situations. The Competitive Agents for Secure Business Applications (CASBA) project is intended to improve existing e-commerce services and develop new services to create a flexible electronic marketplace. The Holonic Manufacturing System consortium is using the holon concept in the Mascada project to develop a technology for manufacturing industries