Volume 11, Number 05, April 2021

Role-Based Embedded Domain-Specific Language for Collaborative Multi-Agent Systems
through Blockchain Technology

  Authors

Orcun Oruc, TU Dresden, Germany

  Abstract

Multi-agent systems have evolved with their complexities over the past few decades. To create multi-agent systems, developers should understand the design, analysis, and implementation together. Agent-oriented software engineering applies best practices through mainly software agents with abstraction levels in the multi-agent systems. However, abstraction levels take a considerable amount of time due to the design complexity and adversity of the analysis phase before implementing them. Moreover, trust and security of multi-agent systems have never been detailed in the design and analysis phase even though the implementation of trust and security on the tamper-proof data are necessary for developers. Nonetheless, object-oriented programming is the right way to do it, when implementing complex software agents, one of the major problems is that the object-oriented programming approach still has a complex process-interaction and a burden of event-goal combination to represent actions by multi-agents. Designated roles with their relationships, invariants, and constraints of roles can be constructed based on blockchain contracts between agents. Furthermore, in the case of new agents who participate in an agent network, decentralization and transparency are two key parameters, which agents can exchange trusted information and reach a consensus aspect of roles. This study will take the software agent development as a whole with analysis, design, and development with role-object pattern in terms of smart contract applications. In this paper, we aim to propose a role-based domain-specific language that enables smart contracts which can be used in agent-oriented frameworks. Furthermore, we would like to refer to methodology, results of the research, and case study to enlighten readers in a better way. Finally, we summarize findings and highlight the main research points by inferencing in the conclusion section.

  Keywords

Software agents, Domain-specific languages, Blockchain technology, Smart contracts, Role-based programming languages.