Practical Performance Aspects of Using Real-Time Multi-agent Platform in Complex Systems

Despite many research developments in agent platforms during the last two decades, little effort has been dedicated to real-time multi-agent architectures. This paper focuses on the possibility of implementing hybrid agent platforms in full compliance with Real Time Specification for Java and with JADE, a popular middleware based on the agent paradigm. Our approach offers several advantages: it is less sensitive to time fluctuations in thread synchronization, it is FIPA compliant, requires relatively little changes in existing architectures and it may be integrated without much trouble in large Java-based distributed applications. Two reference scenarios - the ´dummy´ threads and real-time agent execution - are taken into account. For this purpose, an autonomous vehicle system was developed. The average time delay between agents (threads) behaviour execution is determined as a performance index. This work investigates the effect of different platforms and capacity.