Object-Oriented Simulation with Hierarchical, Modular Models

Book excerpt: Object-Oriented Simulation with Hierarchical, Modular Models: Intelligent Agents and Endomorphic Systems describes an approach to object-oriented discrete event simulation and the concepts of hierarchical, modular model construction, The implementation of the concepts of multifaceted modeling methodology in the DEVS-Scheme modeling and simulation environment is discussed. The use of the DEVS-Scheme environment in modeling artificial intelligent agents is also considered, along with the concept of endomorphism to characterize the application of self-embedded models, including models of self. Comprised of 15 chapters, this book begins with an overview of the dimensions of knowledge representation in simulation environments, followed by a discussion on object-oriented programming as well as the concepts of modular, hierarchical models and the system entity structure. Subsequent chapters focus on digraph-models and experimental frames; DEVS formalism and DEVS-Scheme simulation environment; a model base for simple multi-computer architectures; and rule-based specification of atomic models. Model bases in endomorphic systems and intelligent agents are also examined. This monograph will be of interest to simulation theorists as well as practitioners and researchers in the fields of artificial intelligence, systems engineering, computer science and engineering, and operations research.