Agent-Based Modelling in Pharo Using Cormas
- 1. Oleksandr ZAITSEV ESUG — August 2023 oleksandr.zaitsev@cirad.fr CIRAD, UMR SENS, MUSE, Université de Montpellier, France Agent-Based Modelling in Pharo Using Cormas
- 2. 2 CIRAD is the French agricultural research and cooperation organization working for the sustainable development of tropical and Mediterranean regions.
- 3. 3 My Objectives Get you excited about the cool things that we can do with it 🤩 Encourage you to participate in our effort 🤗 Inform you about ABM and Cormas 🧐
- 5. 5 Let’s look at the Birds https://youtu.be/X0sE10zUYyY
- 6. 6 Central Questions of ABM How do individuals that act on their own create beautiful emerging patterns? How do those patters of behavior then feed back to affect those individuals? Q1: Q2:
- 8. 8 Which Queue to Choose? Real world Model
- 9. 9 Your Own Little Lab Test theories, explore interactions …
- 10. 10 ABM Platforms
- 12. 12 Cormas Platform ✓ Multi-agent simulations ✓ Developed in 90s by Green Unit ✓ Originally implemented in VisualWorks ✓ Ongoing migration to Pharo
- 14. 14 Located Agents SpatialGrid Agent Message SpatialEntity AbstractModel * * * 1 GrassField Cow 🌿 🐮 14
- 15. 15 Communicating Agents SpatialGrid Agent Message SpatialEntity AbstractModel * * * 1 Land Farmer 🏝 👩🌾 Contract 💰
- 16. 16 What Makes Cormas Unique? Cormas is interactive and particularly well adapted for the participatory modelling. It provides different « points of view », allows users to inspect and control specific agents, allows stepping back in time.
- 17. 17 Different « Points of View » PoV 1: Grass PoV 2: Water
- 18. 18 Inspect and Control Agents
- 19. 19 Stepping Back in Time Not yet supported in Pharo version
- 21. 21 « Conventional » Modelling Local stakeholder (e.g., farmer) Researcher Policy maker (makes decisions) data knowledge Local stakeholders are only contacted for data collection
- 22. 22 Participatory Modelling Researcher …insights… Local stakeholders are involved in every step of modelling: data collection, model building, model exploration Local stakeholder (e.g., farmer) Policy maker (makes decisions)
- 23. 23 Our Two Activities at CIRAD Role-Playing Games Agent-Based Modelling
- 24. 24 Role-Playing Games (no computers) • Accessible • Personal • Interactive Pros: Cons: • Slow • Imprecise • Analysed later
- 25. 25 Agent-Based Modelling • Fast & Powerful • Immediate analysis (statistical, visual) Pros: Cons: • Unaccessible (too technical) • Impersonal (barrier between researcher and participants)
- 26. 26 Hybrid Approach • People have real (tangible) interactions • Computer observes and supports them Combine the benefits of both
- 27. 27 Computerization Use software, AI, and IoT to build tools for effective communication, exploration, and knowledge sharing Empower citizens to be the actors of their own social transformation. One way to do it: Another way: Use software, AI, and IoT to replace humans in cumbersome tasks
- 28. 28 Three Research Directions Modelling Language Topic 1: Tangible Interaction Topic 2: Collaborative Modelling Topic 3: What is the language that would allow non-programmers to define models easily? Can we help stakeholders to build and control models through physical interaction? Can multiple people interact with the same model simultaneously with different PoV?
- 29. 29 Topic 1: Modelling Language What is the language that would allow non-programmers to define models easily? Problem: Modelling involves programming. Programming is difficult for non-programmers How hard would it be for geographer or biologist to use an ABM platform for the first time? Can we make it easier? More intuitive?
- 30. 30 Topic 1: Modelling Language What is the language that would allow non-programmers to define models easily? Solution 1: Object-oriented ABM TLocation TCommunication Agent Cow • Intuitive OOP framework • Traits - composable units of behaviour • Model testing framework
- 31. 31 Topic 1: Modelling Language What is the language that would allow non-programmers to define models easily? Solution 2: Executable diagrams • ARDI / PARDI diagrams • UML class diagrams • UML activity diagrams
- 32. 32 Topic 2: Tangible Interaction Can we help stakeholders to build and control models through physical interaction? Problem: Caroline Dangleant © Cirad During the participatory sessions in the field, it is often difficult to put every participant in front of a computer and make them manipulate the model. Access to electricity Access to computers Computer literacy 🖥 📚 ⚡
- 33. 33 Topic 2: Tangible Interaction Can we help stakeholders to build and control models through physical interaction? We communicate ideas better when they are tangible. Touching something is better than seeing it on a screen Hypothesis:
- 34. 34 Topic 2: Tangible Interaction Can we help stakeholders to build and control models through physical interaction? Solution 1: Sensory game board • Game board can detect the position of pieces using sensors • Implement using Raspberry Pi or Arduino and PharoThings library Intern at CIRAD from UMISSCO, Senegal Mouhamadou Falilou BALL
- 35. 35 Topic 2: Tangible Interaction Can we help stakeholders to build and control models through physical interaction? Christophe LePage © Cirad Solution 2: Computer vision • AI algorithm that detects game pieces on a table • Can be paired with simulation projection that was done with Cormas (ReHab?)
- 36. 36 Topic 2: Tangible Interaction Can we help stakeholders to build and control models through physical interaction? Solution 3: Augmented reality Interactive modelling experience with virtual reality (full immersion) or augmented reality (enhance real world with computer-generated perceptual information)
- 37. 37 Topic 3: Collaborative Modelling Can multiple people interact with the same model simultaneously with different PoV? Fisherman Farmer Policy maker Pastoralist Thierry Brevault © Cirad Patrick Dugue © Cirad Eric Malezieux © Cirad I. Duriez © Cirad Problem: Farmers think about crops, pastoralists think about cows. How can we help them understand each other and collaborate?
- 38. 38 Topic 3: Collaborative Modelling Can multiple people interact with the same model simultaneously with different PoV? Solution: One model — many devices. Different « point of view » and different set of controls for each participant Farmer controls the growth of crops. Pastoralist manages the behaviour of kettle. Fisherman observes the amount of fish in the river. Policy maker calculates the expenses. 🐮 🐟 💰 🌾
- 39. CORMAS • One model — many devices • Multiple « points of view » • Object-oriented modelling • Executable diagrams • Sensory game board • Computer vision • Augmented reality Tangible Interaction Modelling Language Collaborative Modelling … modelling for citizens by citizens Modelling environment that is inclusive and takes into account the nature of its target communities, adapts to their particular needs and helps them overcome their limitations