An object-oriented simulation of autonomous agents in a complex physical environment

A design for a simulation of autonomous agents acting in a physical environment is outlined. The simulation is concurrent object-oriented in design using a continuum of message passing protocols. Messages, which account for interaction between all simulation objects, are non-symbolic and tightly coupled to the methods used for their interpretation. This coupling is expressed through the use of meta-methods which constrain the relationship of classes of messages with respect to classes of methods. Modeling is endomorphic and support is provided for the construction of dynamic modeling hierarchies internal to the agent. The dispersal of messages through such a hierarchy is discussed with respect to issues of aggregation and subsumption with special attention being given to realization of reflective computation in such an architecture