Using Conceptual Spaces for Belief Update in Multi-agent Systems

The BDI (Beliefs, Desires, Intentions) architecture is commonly used for the development of systems of agents situated in complex and dynamic environments. The BDI architecture represents a consolidated model that counts upon substantial theoretical and practical contributions. However, despite the strengths of symbolic models, there are some aspects of the cognitive phenomena that give rise to the need of a conceptual model that has to establish itself between the perceptual and symbolic levels. Taking into account that the use of conceptual representations can improve the recognition of objects as well as the agent communication process, the work presented here comprises the design and implementation of an integration of a conceptual-space level into the BDI agent architecture. Such integration is developed on top of the resources of the Jason platform and the CSML API. The evaluation of the implications of such a conceptual inference model for BDI agents includes the development of an application directed to the aid of users who are blind or visually impaired, as briefly discussed in this paper.