Automatically Determining Consequences of Unexpected Events

Abstract

Planning is essential for an action-oriented, goal-driven software agent. In order to achieve a specific goal, an agent must first generate a plan. However, as the poet Robert Burns once noted, the best laid plans can often go awry. Each step of the plan is subject to the possibility of failure, a truth particularly relevant in the realworld or a realistic simulated environment. External influences not originally considered can often cause sudden, unanticipated consequences during the execution of the plan. When this happens, an intelligent software agent needs to answer the following important questions: What are the consequences of this event on its plan? How will the plan be affected? Can the plan be adjusted to accommodate the unanticipated effects? The research described in this thesis develops a model whereby intelligent agents can automatically determine consequences of unplanned events. Such a model provides agents with the ability to detect if and how events will affect the plan. This allows agents to subsequently modify the plan to mitigate unfavorable consequences or take advantage of favorable consequences.

Notes

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Thesis Completion

2007

Semester

Spring

Advisor

Gonzalez, Avelino J.

Degree

Bachelor of Science (B.S.)

College

College of Engineering and Computer Science

Degree Program

Computer Engineering

Subjects

Dissertations, Academic -- Engineering and Computer Science; Engineering and Computer Science -- Dissertations, Academic

Format

Print

Identifier

DP0022685

Language

English

Access Status

Open Access

Length of Campus-only Access

None

Document Type

Honors in the Major Thesis

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