1. Xiao-Wen Terry Liu. An Intuitive and Flexible Architecture for Intelligent Mobile Robots. Master's thesis, Department of Computer Science, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Canada, October 2005. [Slides] Abstract:

   The goal of this thesis is to develop an intuitive, adaptive, and flexible architecture for controlling intelligent mobile robots. This architecture is a hybrid architecture that combines deliberative planning, reactive control, finite state automata, behaviour trees and uses competition for behaviour selection. This behaviour selection is based on a task manager, which selects behaviours based on approximations of their applicability to the current situation and the expected reward value for performing that behaviour. One important feature of this architecture is that it makes important behavioural information explicit using Extensible Markup Language (XML) [99]. This explicit representation is an important part in making the architecture easy to debug and extend. The utility, intuitiveness and flexibility of this architecture is shown in an evaluation of this architecture against older control programs that lack such explicit behavioural representation. This evaluation was carried out by developing behaviours for several common robotic tasks and demonstrating common problems that arose during the course of this development.

   
   

   @mastersthesis{LiuThesis,
   author = {Xiao-Wen Terry Liu},
   title = {An Intuitive and Flexible Architecture for Intelligent Mobile Robots},
   school = {Department of Computer Science, University of Manitoba},
   year = {2005},
   address = {Winnipeg, Canada},
   month = {October},
   abstract = {The goal of this thesis is to develop an intuitive, adaptive, and flexible architecture for controlling intelligent mobile robots. This architecture is a hybrid architecture that combines deliberative planning, reactive control, finite state automata, behaviour trees and uses competition for behaviour selection. This behaviour selection is based on a task manager, which selects behaviours based on approximations of their applicability to the current situation and the expected reward value for performing that behaviour. One important feature of this architecture is that it makes important behavioural information explicit using Extensible Markup Language (XML) [99]. This explicit representation is an important part in making the architecture easy to debug and extend. The utility, intuitiveness and flexibility of this architecture is shown in an evaluation of this architecture against older control programs that lack such explicit behavioural representation. This evaluation was carried out by developing behaviours for several common robotic tasks and demonstrating common problems that arose during the course of this development.},
   pdf = {http://aalab.cs.umanitoba.ca/%7eandersj/Publications/pdf/LiuThesis.pdf},
   slides = {http://aalab.cs.umanitoba.ca/%7eandersj/Publications/pdf/LiuDefense.pdf} 
   }
   




2. Michael van de Vijsel. Increasing Realism in Coalition Formation in Multi-Agent Systems. Master's thesis, Department of Computer Science, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, August 2005. Abstract:

   It is well known that teams of agents in a multi-agent system often perform better than individual agents working alone. Most research in multi-agent systems has made the assumption that teams are pre-formed, and has focused on improving the performance of the existing teams. There has been far less research done on the process of coalition formation - the process by which agents are grouped into teams that can be successful in a given domain. Addtionally, research that has been done in the area of coalition formation has made several key assumptions that, while making either implementations or analyses easier, are generally not true of more realistic domains. This limits the applicability of current approaches to environments with a high degree of realism. In this thesis I examine existing coalition formation algorithms, enumerate common restrictive assumptions, and propose a new coalition formation algorithm that avoids these assumptions. I will also present an implementation of this new approach, and evaluate it against a baseline implementation in a software simulation.

   
   

   @mastersthesis{mikevthesis,
   author = {Michael van de Vijsel},
   title = {Increasing Realism in Coalition Formation in Multi-Agent Systems},
   school = {Department of Computer Science, University of Manitoba},
   year = {2005},
   month = {August},
   address = {Winnipeg, MB},
   pdf = {http://aalab.cs.umanitoba.ca/%7eandersj/Publications/pdf/vandevijselthesis.pdf},
   abstract = {It is well known that teams of agents in a multi-agent system often perform better than individual agents working alone. Most research in multi-agent systems has made the assumption that teams are pre-formed, and has focused on improving the performance of the existing teams. There has been far less research done on the process of coalition formation - the process by which agents are grouped into teams that can be successful in a given domain. Addtionally, research that has been done in the area of coalition formation has made several key assumptions that, while making either implementations or analyses easier, are generally not true of more realistic domains. This limits the applicability of current approaches to environments with a high degree of realism. In this thesis I examine existing coalition formation algorithms, enumerate common restrictive assumptions, and propose a new coalition formation algorithm that avoids these assumptions. I will also present an implementation of this new approach, and evaluate it against a baseline implementation in a software simulation.} 
   }
   

1. Jacky Baltes and John Anderson. Introductory Programming Workshop for Children Using Robotics. International Journal of Human-Friendly Welfare Robotic Systems, 6(2):17-26, July 2005.
   

   @article{childrensworkshopjournal,
   author = {Jacky Baltes and John Anderson},
   title = {Introductory Programming Workshop for Children Using Robotics},
   journal = {International Journal of Human-Friendly Welfare Robotic Systems},
   year = {2005},
   volume = {6},
   number = {2},
   pages = {17--26},
   month = {July},
   pdf = {http://aalab.cs.umanitoba.ca/%7eandersj/Publications/pdf/childrensworkshopIJHWRS.pdf} 
   }
   

1. Jacky Baltes and John Anderson. Humanoid Robots: Hiro and DaiGuard-RS. In Ansgar Bredenfeld, Adam Jacoff, Itsuki Noda, and Yasutake Takahashi, editors, Proceedings of RoboCup-2005: Robot Soccer World Cup IX, Osaka, 2005.
   

   @inproceedings{BaltesAnderson05:RCHumanoid,
   author = {Jacky Baltes and John Anderson},
   title = {Humanoid Robots: Hiro and DaiGuard-RS },
   booktitle = {Proceedings of RoboCup-2005: Robot Soccer World Cup IX},
   year = 2005,
   editor = {Ansgar Bredenfeld and Adam Jacoff and Itsuki Noda and Yasutake Takahashi},
   address = {Osaka} 
   }
   




2. Jacky Baltes, John Anderson, Brian McKinnon, and Shawn Schaerer. The Keystone Fire Brigade 2005. In Ansgar Bredenfeld, Adam Jacoff, Itsuki Noda, and Yasutake Takahashi, editors, Proceedings of RoboCup-2005: Robot Soccer World Cup IX, Osaka, 2005.
   

   @inproceedings{BaltesAnderson05:RCRescue,
   author = {Jacky Baltes and John Anderson and Brian McKinnon and Shawn Schaerer},
   title = {The Keystone Fire Brigade 2005 },
   booktitle = {Proceedings of RoboCup-2005: Robot Soccer World Cup IX},
   year = 2005,
   editor = {Ansgar Bredenfeld and Adam Jacoff and Itsuki Noda and Yasutake Takahashi},
   address = {Osaka} 
   }
   




3. Paul Furgale, John Anderson, and Jacky Baltes. Real-Time Vision-Based Pattern Tracking Without Predefined Colors. In Proceedings of the Third International Conference on Computational Intelligence, Robotics, and Autonomous Systems (CIRAS), Singapore, December 2005.
   

   @inproceedings{ergoCIRAS,
   author = {Paul Furgale and John Anderson and Jacky Baltes},
   title = {Real-Time Vision-Based Pattern Tracking Without Predefined Colors},
   booktitle = {Proceedings of the Third International Conference on Computational Intelligence, Robotics, and Autonomous Systems (CIRAS)},
   year = {2005},
   address = {Singapore},
   month = {December},
   pdf = {http://aalab.cs.umanitoba.ca/%7eandersj/Publications/pdf/ergoCIRAS.pdf} 
   }
   




4. Michael Gauthier and John Anderson. Peer Instruction for a Teleautonomous USAR System. In Proceedings of the Third International Conference on Computational Intelligence, Robotics, and Autonomous Systems (CIRAS), Singapore, December 2005.
   

   @inproceedings{mikeginstruction,
   author = {Michael Gauthier and John Anderson},
   title = {Peer Instruction for a Teleautonomous USAR System},
   booktitle = {Proceedings of the Third International Conference on Computational Intelligence, Robotics, and Autonomous Systems (CIRAS)},
   year = {2005},
   address = {Singapore},
   month = {December},
   pdf = {http://aalab.cs.umanitoba.ca/%7eandersj/Publications/pdf/instruction.pdf} 
   }
   




5. Marek Laskowski and Sara McGrath. Effects of Lying in Reputation-Based Multi-Agent Systems. In Proceedings of the 18th Canadian Conference on Electrical and Computer Engineering, Saskatoon, SK, May 2005. Abstract:

   As an increasing number of tasks on the Internet become automated using autonomous agents, it will become increasingly important for these agents to be able to discern which agents can be trusted and which cannot. This is especially true where interacting agents may have divergent goals, an example being Peer to Peer applications. Passing on reputation information about other agents is a strong way to encourage cooperation. This paper points out weaknesses in both a general reputation scheme as well as a framework which was previously proposed. These weaknesses could leave the door open for exploitation by malicious agents.

   
   

   @inproceedings{LyingRepBasedMAS,
   author = {Marek Laskowski and Sara McGrath},
   title = {Effects of Lying in Reputation-Based Multi-Agent Systems},
   booktitle = {Proceedings of the 18th Canadian Conference on Electrical and Computer Engineering},
   year = {2005},
   address = {Saskatoon, SK},
   month = {May},
   pdf = {http://aalab.cs.umanitoba.ca/%7eandersj/Publications/pdf/LyingRepMAS.pdf},
   abstract = {As an increasing number of tasks on the Internet become automated using autonomous agents, it will become increasingly important for these agents to be able to discern which agents can be trusted and which cannot. This is especially true where interacting agents may have divergent goals, an example being Peer to Peer applications. Passing on reputation information about other agents is a strong way to encourage cooperation. This paper points out weaknesses in both a general reputation scheme as well as a framework which was previously proposed. These weaknesses could leave the door open for exploitation by malicious agents.} 
   }
   




6. Terry Liu, Jacky Baltes, and John Anderson. Archangel, a flexible and intuitive architecture for intelligent mobile robots. In Proceedings of the Third International Conference on Computational Intelligence, Robotics, and Autonomous Systems (CIRAS), Singapore, December 2005.
   

   @inproceedings{LiuBaltes05:Archangel,
   author = {Terry Liu and Jacky Baltes and John Anderson},
   title = {Archangel, a flexible and intuitive architecture for intelligent mobile robots},
   booktitle = {Proceedings of the Third International Conference on Computational Intelligence, Robotics, and Autonomous Systems (CIRAS)},
   year = {2005},
   address = {Singapore},
   month = {December} 
   }
   




7. Sara McGrath, John Anderson, and Jacky Baltes. Improving Cooperation in Spatially Distributed Agents. In Proceedings of the Third International Conference on Computational Intelligence, Robotics, and Autonomous Systems (CIRAS), Singapore, December 2005.
   

   @inproceedings{saraciras,
   author = {Sara McGrath and John Anderson and Jacky Baltes},
   title = {Improving Cooperation in Spatially Distributed Agents},
   booktitle = {Proceedings of the Third International Conference on Computational Intelligence, Robotics, and Autonomous Systems (CIRAS)},
   year = {2005},
   address = {Singapore},
   month = {December},
   pdf = {http://aalab.cs.umanitoba.ca/%7eandersj/Publications/pdf/improvingspatialcoop.pdf} 
   }
   




8. Brian McKinnon, Jacky Baltes, and John Anderson. A Region-Based Approach to Stereo Matching for USAR. In Ansgar Bredenfeld, Adam Jacoff, Itsuki Noda, and Yasutake Takahashi, editors, Proceedings of RoboCup-2005: Robot Soccer World Cup IX, Osaka, pages 452-463, 2005.
   

   @inproceedings{mckinnonstereoRC,
   author = {Brian McKinnon and Jacky Baltes and John Anderson},
   title = {A Region-Based Approach to Stereo Matching for USAR},
   booktitle = {Proceedings of RoboCup-2005: Robot Soccer World Cup IX},
   year = 2005,
   editor = {Ansgar Bredenfeld and Adam Jacoff and Itsuki Noda and Yasutake Takahashi},
   address = {Osaka},
   pages = {452--463},
   pdf = {http://aalab.cs.umanitoba.ca/%7eandersj/Publications/pdf/mckinnonstereoRC05.pdf} 
   }
   




9. Michael van de Vijsel and John Anderson. Increasing Realism in Coalition Formation. In Proceedings of the Third International Conference on Computational Intelligence, Robotics, and Autonomous Systems (CIRAS), Singapore, December 2005.
   

   @inproceedings{coalitionciras,
   author = {Michael van de Vijsel and John Anderson},
   title = {Increasing Realism in Coalition Formation},
   booktitle = {Proceedings of the Third International Conference on Computational Intelligence, Robotics, and Autonomous Systems (CIRAS)},
   year = {2005},
   address = {Singapore},
   month = {December},
   pdf = {http://aalab.cs.umanitoba.ca/%7eandersj/Publications/pdf/coalitionCIRAS.pdf} 
   }
   

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