Enhancing Coordination and Cooperation Techniques Using the SODA Methodology

The ability of an agent to be successful within their environment falls on their ability to act. The word ´act´ has been one of the most researched areas of intelligent multi-agent systems as it is this ability that will result in completion of tasks and goals. To ensure the actions of an agent are successful, their coordination and cooperation becomes imperative. Coordination and cooperation techniques have centralised on the effects on an agent´s behaviour and governing policies of a multi-agent system. Yet, these techniques have lacked discussion into how they affect and can be affected by an agent´s cognitive and reasoning abilities. This paper shows how the Stimulate, Orient, Decide and Act, or SODA methodology, affects both coordination and cooperation individually, and how this methodology strengthens the link between coordination and cooperation. An example using unmanned vehicle systems will illustrate how this methodology has successfully implemented an agent´s cognitive and reasoning modelling into coordination and cooperation.