Abstract. A reference architecture integrates a set of architectural patterns that have proven their value for a family of applications. Such family of applications is characterized by specific functionality and quality requirements. A reference architecture provides a blueprint for developing software architectures for applications that share that common base. As such, a reference architecture provides a means for large-scale reuse of architectural design. This paper gives an overview of a reference architecture for situated multiagent systems we have developed in our research. We discuss various architectural views of the reference architecture. Per view, we zoom in on the main view packets, each of them containing a bundle of information of a part of the reference architecture. For each view packet we explain the rationale for the design choices that were made and we give built-in mechanisms that describe how the view packet can be exercised to build a concrete software architecture. We illustrate the use of the reference architecture with an excerpt of the software architecture of an industrial AGV transportation system. 1

Abstract. We investigate the application of a logic-based framework representing an agent environment as a composite structure that evolves over time. Such a complex structure contains the interaction between two main classes of entities: agents and objects. Interactions between these entities are specified in term of events whose occurrence is governed by a set of physical laws specifying the possible evolutions of the environment, including how these evolutions are perceived by agents and affect objects and processes in the environment. We illustrate the work using GOLEM, a protype platform whose aim is to implement the framework to build situated cognitive agents in a distributed environment. 1

Abstract. Historically, the idea of situated multiagent systems—in which the environment gets a prominent role—originates from the domain of reactive robotics. In this paper, we give a historical perspective of research on agency that devotes pertinent attention to the environment, and show how the role of the environment evolved along with subsequent evolutions of agent systems. Today, it is quite obvious that the environment offers opportunities and challenges for all types of agency. We discuss recent research in this area, which advocates that the environment is not only an essential part of every multiagent system, but also provides an exploitable design abstraction to build multiagent systems. The notion of environment exceeds specific types of agency, and as such offers opportunities for synergetic research in the interest of multiagent systems in general. 1

Abstract. A multiagent system (MAS) structures a software system as a set of autonomous agents that interact through a shared environment. Software architecture is generally considered as the structures of a system which comprise software elements and the relationships among the elements. So there is a clear connection between MAS and software architecture. In our research, we study situated MAS, i.e. systems in which agents have an explicit position in the environment. We apply situated MAS to domains that are characterized by highly dynamic operating conditions and an inherent distribution of resources. We use an architecture-centric approach for developing such MAS. From our experiences with building various applications, we have developed a reference architecture for situated MAS. The reference architecture provides an asset base architects can draw from when developing new systems that share the common base of the reference architecture. In this paper, we explain our perspective on architecture-centric software development of MAS. We give an overview of the reference architecture and we show an excerpt of the software architecture of an industrial application in which we have used the reference architecture. The reference architecture shows how knowledge and experience with MAS can be documented and matured in a form that has proven its value in mainstream software engineering. We believe that this integration is a key to industrial adoption of MAS. 1