Brahms tutorial

Abstract

Brahms is an agent-based modeling and simulation environment a) for developing simulations of people, organizations, and objects such as tools, documents and systems and b) for designing, simulating and implementing multi-agent software systems. The Brahms environment includes an agent-oriented BDI-like language, a compiler and virtual machine for executing Brahms models, as well as a development environment and a post-execution viewer of agent execution, communication and interaction. Brahms models are not like traditional task or functional analysis of work processes that leave out peoples practices, especially how environmental conditions come to be detected and how problems are resolved. Cognitive modeling tools (e.g. SOAR, ACT-R) focus on detailed modeling of individual cognitive tasks. In contrast, Brahms focuses on how informal, circumstantial, and located behaviors of a group of individuals interact, where communication and synchronization occurs, such that the task contributions of people and machines flow together to accomplish goals. Brahms can also be used to design and implement software agents that incorporate models of peoples work practice. Brahms enables the creation of multi-agent models that include aspects of reasoning found in cognitive models, task execution, plus the impact of geography, such as agent movement and physical changes in the environment.