Coalition Agents eXperiment - The Coalition TIE

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CoAX Coalition Agents eXperiment AFRL Rome,
AIAI, BBN, Boeing, Dartmouth, DSTO, Lockheed
Martin ATL, Michigan, OBJS, QinetiQ, USC/ISI,
UWF/IHMC Support from GITI, ISX, MITRE, MIT
Sloan, Schafer, Stanford http//www.aiai.ed.ac.uk
/project/coax/
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Briefing Outline

• Context and Scenario
• Whats New
• CoAX Binni 2001 Demo
• Next Steps
• Transition Plans

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Context

• Increasing military requirements for coalition
  operations
• Belief that agent computational model can
  support
• Coalition interoperability requirements
• Dynamic and Decentralized C3I
• US and UK Agent Research Programmes
• US DARPA Control of Agent Based Systems (CoABS)
• UK DSTL/QinetiQ Agents Project
• TTCP C3I Groups for international involvement
• Need for middleware such as is provided by
  CoABS Grid Infrastructure

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Aim of Coalition TIE

• To address unique aspects of coalition operations
  through the development and evaluation of
• agent domain management services
• agent task, process and event management services
• Aim will be met through delivery of
• Phased technical demonstrations of increasing
  complexity
• Integration of diverse agent systems
• Development of generic Coalition-oriented grid
  services
• Requirements
• Use of a wide variety of different agent systems
• Use of existing military (non-agent) applications

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Demonstration Schedule

• 1-month demo at kick-off in February 2000 showing
  direct connection between DERA MBP and LM ATL
  AODB
• 6-month integration milestone in July 2000
  showing initial integration of selected CoAX
  components for year 2000 demo
• CoAX Binni 2000 demo in Fall 2000
• Briefing the CoAX TIE and Binni scenario
• Showing full integration of selected CoAX
  components in Binni
• Telling a relevant story about agents for
  information gathering
• CoAX Binni 2001 demo in Fall 2001
• Fully integrating all CoAX components in a rich
  coalition scenario
• Expanding scope to cover dynamic re-planning
• CoAX Binni 2002 demo in Fall 2002
• Showing dynamic aspects of coalition
  organization, domain management, tasking and
  event handling
• Expanding scope to cover dynamic planning,
  coordination and execution.

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CoAX Components
Agent Frameworks KAoS Agents (IHMC,
Boeing) NOMADS Mobile Agents (IHMC) EMAA/CAST
Agents (LM-ATL) GMAS (Dartmouth, IHMC,
LM-ATL) DAgents (Dartmouth) eGents (OBJS)
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Briefing Outline

• Context and Scenario
• Whats New
• CoAX Binni 2001 Demo
• Next Steps
• Transition Plans

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New Parts in 2001 Demo

• Generic services
• IHMC/Boeing - Domain management - KAoS Grid
  Helper for easy integration of any grid agent,
  use of resource and conversation management to up
  pace, integration with grid security services,
  hierarchical domains, DAML-based KAoS Policy
  Representation
• AIAI/QinetiQ - Task/process/event management -
  multiple panels, issue passing, reporting, more
  generic approach, XML process models, initial
  process librarian, catch-all for any issue and
  report (in simple way), can use partial knowledge
• New Agent Communications Mechanisms
• OBJS - eGents e-mail agents
• Dartmouth/IHMC/LM-ATL - GMAS mobile agents
• New functional parts
• Michigan - Plan Deconfliction Agent
• Dartmouth - Observer Agents
• OBJS MBLNI natural language data base queries
• QinetiQ Interface Agents and Semantic
  Interoperability (XSLT)
• All - Shared models and messages in XML format

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Briefing Outline

• Context and Scenario
• Whats New
• CoAX Binni 2001 Demo
• Next Steps
• Transition Plans

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CoAX Demo Emphasis
Linear
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CoAX 18-month Demo - Agent Domains
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Part 1 1505 - Firestorm media issue at UN - JTFC
considers alternatives to Firestorm and tasks
JFACC to report.
JFAC HQ
JTFHQ
US HQ
UK HQ
Grid / Common / Shared Coalition data
The Coalition
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Part 2 1515 - Cbt Ops staff enter tasking events
into the Event Panel and use MBP Ops to find out
time left for decisions.
JFAC HQ
JTFHQ
US HQ
UK HQ
Combat Ops
Grid / Common / Shared Coalition data
The Coalition
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Part 3 1520 - Cbt Ops staff locate wildlife info
via Internet. Staff subscribe to the e-Gents
service. MBNLI used.
JFAC HQ
JTFHQ
US HQ
UK HQ
Combat Ops
Grid / Common / Shared Coalition data
The Coalition
Laki
e-gent
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Part 4 1525 - Combat Ops staff create feed from
Laki site to MBP Ops / SitView using Ariadne
wrapper / XSLT Translator.
JFAC HQ
JTFHQ
US HQ
UK HQ
Combat Ops
MS
Grid / Common / Shared Coalition data
The Coalition
'Pre-canned' elephant movement data
Laki
Ariadne
e-gent
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KAoS / The Grid
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Part 5 1526 - JTFC authorises Firestorm 'Go'.
Laki / observer info dynamically redisplayed on
MBP Ops / SitViewer.
JFAC HQ
JTFHQ
US HQ
UK HQ
Grid / Common / Shared Coalition data
The Coalition
Firestorm GO!
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Part 6 1535 - 2ndry target plan from MBP must
now be deconflicted with existing plans.
JFAC HQ
JTFHQ
US HQ
UK HQ
Combat Ops
Grid / Common / Shared Coalition data
The Coalition
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Part 8 1601 - Agadez fighters start HVAA, JSTARS
must 'regress' and observer agents on board
'SCRAM' elsewhere.
JFAC HQ
JTFHQ
US HQ
UK HQ
Combat Ops
Grid / Common / Shared Coalition data
The Coalition
Firestorm GO!
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Agadez HVAA - JSTARS - DGO agents SCRAM
BEFORE SCRAM
Observers 'db' System
Stream of updates, many about Agadez, few about
Gao
D'AO
Stream of updates, many about GAO, few about
Agadez
Local
SitView
Obs Db
D'GO
Grid helper
Feeds Agadez info to Gao
Obs Db
NOMADS
Stream of updates, many about Agadez, few about
Gao
Picking up troop movement data
'Real-time' feed
Gao Obs
Grid / Common / Shared Coalition data
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CoAX Binni 2001Current Status (20-Jul-2001)

• All components delivered as agreed by
  20-Jul-2001
• Grid version 3.1.2 in use
• KAoS release addresses all issues
• All bilateral communications tested on the Grid
• KAoS mediated communications remain to be tested
• Final integration and test remains to be done

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Briefing Outline

• Context and Scenario
• Whats New
• CoAX Binni 2001 Demo
• Next Steps
• Transition Plans

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CoAX Binni 2001Next Steps

• Demonstration to be shown at TTCP C3I Groups
  Joint Meeting at Malvern on 24-Oct-2001, 1400
  GMT0100
• Plan to broadcast event to others interested live
  on Internet and to record digitally
• Creation of improved screen movies, and support
  web pages at http//www.aiai.ed.ac.uk/project/co
  ax/demo/2001/
• Packaging of demonstration materials after
  completion

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CoAX Binni 2002 (Fall 2002) Demo Plan

• Dynamic come as you are coalition formation
• Dynamic creation of virtual coalition
  organization
• Agents and domains added to coalition structure
  on-the-fly
• Dynamic coalition tasks and processes
• Tailored visualizations / interface agents
• Tools to improve human / software agent
  interaction
• High-level tools usable without specialized
  training
• Packaged generic Grid services
• Domain management and DAML-based policy analysis
• Task, process, and event management
• Involvement of more countries and organizations
• USA BBN Mixed initiative agents dynamic
  information flow
• Australia DSTO Logistics planning and
  information analysis
• Canada DEV - discussions begun

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Briefing Outline

• Context and Scenario
• Whats New
• CoAX Binni 2001 Demo
• Next Steps
• Transition Plans

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CoAX Transition Program
2000
2001
2002
2003
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CoAX Transition Plan

• CoAX "PI Team" clarified Jeff Bradshaw
  (UWF/IHMC), Austin Tate (AIAI, Edinburgh),
  Patrick Beautement and Mike Kirton (QinetiQ,
  Malvern).
• Structure for outreach or transitioning of the
  CoAX work
• CoAX Binni
• CoAX Air
• CoAX Navy
• Agreements
• Name CoAX used only if approved by the PI Team
• Any number of current CoAX and other participants
• Lead need not be a member of PI Team
• Report back to CoAX participants will be given
• CoAX Outreach Program" structure allows for
  future flexibility and possibilities
• CoAX International
• CoAX Rescue Civilian Disaster Relief
• KSCO Knowledge Systems for Coalition Operations

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Unused Slides
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Outline of Nashua Talk For Information Only

• 1. Reminder of what the TIE is about. Military
  setting plus context for TIE.  Very brief
  introduction, 1 or 2 slides. 2 minutes2. What
  and Who. Overview of contributions and
  contributors. Based  on Grid plus boxes diagram,
  plus overlay new elements.  Remember to add
  GMAS.  2 minutes3. Focus of CoAX Binni 2001.
  Showing move from linear information
  gathering/initial planning stage to more dynamic
  responsive cyclic execution support phase. 1
  minute4. Scenario overview (concentrate on new
  aspects) and overview architectural picture
  (parts of this will be amplified in 5) . 5
  minutes5. New Parts. Scenario description as
  relevant, new work and their features. 10
  minutes    Generic services    - domain
  management - packaging improved, use of resource
  management to up pace, security services?,
  hierarchical domains? - task/process management
  -process and event panels, multiple panels, issue
  passing,  reporting, packaging, generic approach,
  XML process models, initial process
  librarian, catch-all for any issue and report
  (in simple way) with partial knowledge     New
  Agent Communications Mechanisms     - eGents
  e-mail agents    New functional parts    -
  Michigan Plan Deconfliction Agent    - Dartmouth
  Observer Agents  - OBJS MBLNI    Others?6. Demo
  details.  Single screens, diagrams or screen
  movies to show featured elements.    - Laki Web,
  eGents, Ariadne wrapper, pass to MBP (screen
  movie)  8 minutes?    - MCA demo linking to
  MBP, PP? ?? minutes    - Dartmouth Observer
  Agents. Possible structural diagram to talk over.
  2 minutes?    - others to be determined.... 
  PP, KAoS, Nomads, ... ?? minutes7. Next Steps.
  2001 demo to TTCP (or other suitable forum)  in
  Autumn. 2002 to use generic and better packaged
  (for uses in Grid applications beyond CoAX)
  domain and task/process facilities to a greater
  degree. 2002 to focus on greater dynamic aspects
  and coalition organisational change.  Growth in
  scope and participants include BBN (Mark Burstein
  - mixed initiative aspects) and Australian DSTO
  (Dale Lambert - Information Fusion agents).
  Discussions now with Canada 2 minutes8.
  Transition Plans - describe framework and current
  status.  2 slides. 5 minutes9. Questions. 5
  minutes

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Technical Contributions

• GITI - CoABS Grid Infrastructure
• Boeing and UWF/IHMC- KAoS Domain Management
• AIAI - Process Panels Task, Process and Event
  Management
• QinetiQ - Master Battle Planner, Interface
  Agents, Situation Viewer and Integration
• LM ATL - EMAA/CAST AODB - Restricted Data Base
  Access
• AFRL/BBN/GITI - CAMPS Air Logistics Support Tool
• USC/ISI Ariadne - Open Information Access
• UWF/IHMC - NOMADS Mobile Agents
• Dartmouth - Observer Agents
• Michigan Plan Deconfliction Agent
• OBJS eGents (e-mail connected Observer Agents)
  and MBLNI (natural language interface wrappers)