Annual Report of the

International McLeod Institute of Simulation Sciences Hungarian Center

and the Hungarian Satellite Center  2001-2002

 

 

The activities of the Center consist basically of two areas, i.e. research and education in simulation.

 

Research activities

 

1)      The methodological research in applying AI in simulation by using intelligent demons  (a special class of high level agents) and Knowledge Attributed Petri Nets is continued.

 

2)      Both at the Hungarian MISS Center and Hungarian Satellite Center the application of simulation is aimed at various fields and especially to interdisciplinary, economic and conflict resolving problems.

 

3)      Professor Keresztes director of the Hungarian Satellite Center is active in the field of symbolic simulation, software and hardware simulation.

 

Projects

 

We are participating in the EU 5th framework program Open Framework for Simulation of Transport Strategies and Assessment, where the Hungarian project leader is Prof. Dr. Andras Javor director of MISS/Hungary and all coworkers of our Center are working intensively on the project. In this project the other countries are participating are Spain, France, U.K., Germany and Belgium.

 

We have started a research project lasting 3 years (2002-2004) sponsored by the Hungarian Scientific Research Fund. The topic of the project is: “Investigation of Intelligent – Mobile and Static – Agent Controlled Simulation Methodologies for Multidisciplinary Problem Solving”.

 

In the capacity of being co-director of the MISS network responsible for the European Centers Prof. Javor has submitted an Expression of Interest to the European Union for the 6th Framework Program where among the promoted projects one important issue will be the establishment of 'Networks of Excellence'. It would be useful to establish a network of excellence based on the MISS centers. Before having submitted we have contacted in the first step the most active centers in Europe. Prof. Dietmar Moeller (Director of the German Center at the University of Hamburg), Prof. Mhamed Itmi (Director of the French Center at the Scientific and Technical University in Rouen), Prof. Felix Breitenecker (Director of the Satellite Center at the Technical University of Vienna), Prof. Ghislain Vansteenkiste (Director of the Belgian Center at the University of Ghent). We propose to include in this project the University of Coimbra (Portugal), where – based on their high level research in simulation -  under the guidance of Dr. Fernando Barros the Portugal MISS Center should be established. We will contact the other European MISS Centers in the near future until the final project proposal has to be submitted by the end of the year. We think that in case this project proposal would be accepted this may contribute to our joint goal that the MISS centers should cooperate as a network. This possibility would also provide financial support for the centers participating. Although this possibility would provide financial aid as a first step for the European Centers but later we should try to include the other centers as well. The Expression of Interest submitted is attached.

 

There are two projects in preparation:

Here both the Hungarian Center and Satellite Center intends to participate in cooperation with an academic institute dealing with the development of regions. This is intended to be a national project but in case other partners would join we would be pleased to start an international project in this field.

 

Professor Keresztes visited this year Prof. Stanislaw Raczynski director of the Mexican MISS Center and took contacts with Dominique Borione in the field of symbolic simulation.

Last but not least we would like to mention that preliminary negotiations with Prof. Tuncer Ören Director of the Ottawa MISS Center have been started to establish cooperation in research and education between our centers.

 

 

Education

 

The simulation courses taught by the personal of the Hungarian MISS Center and Satellite Center were the following:

 

At the Budapest University of Technology and Economics:

 

At the Szechenyi Istvan University:

 

There are 5 Ph.D. students working on their thesis at the Hungarian MISS Center. They are actively taking part in the different research projects.

 

A staff member of the Center Gabor Szucs defended his Ph.D. thesis in the field of intelligent demon controlled simulation: “Optimizing and modeling methods of highly sophisticated systems by artificial intelligence controlled simulation, with special emphasis on the examination of transport systems”

 

 

Center simulation tools

 

The main tool we apply in our research projects as well as in education is the AI controlled simulation system CASSANDRA (Cognizant Adaptive Simulation System for Applications in Numerous Different Relevant Areas) 3.0 we have developed in the recent years. (The CASSANDRA system has been applied in numerous international projects in various fields of application and its main features are outlined in the courses taught as mentioned above.)

 

Another tool is the PASION simulation system developed at the MISS Center of Mexico and provided by courtesy of Prof. Dr. Stanislaw Raczynski director of the Center.

 

By the courtesy of Prof. Dr. Bernd Schmidt from the University of Passau we have obtained the simulation system SIMPLEX II as freeware.

 

Beyond CASSANDRA 3.0 developed by us we have already used the other two software systems as well.

 

By courtesy of Incontrol Simulation Software BV we have received the student version of their simulation tool Enterprise Dynamics just recently that we intend to apply in the education of simulation.

 

 

Center highlights

 

The Center intends to combine basic research of simulation methodologies coupled tightly with applications in various fields. Our approach is that we aim at finding solutions to problems arising in practical problem solving where the existing solutions are inadequate. In the past we have been participating in various projects, that we intend to continue. On the other hand we intend to get the students involved in the research work. This latter aspect could be enhanced by starting MISS Ph.D. curricula.

 

The main area of simulation we are active in is discrete simulation combined with artificial intelligence. The possible field of applications is rather wide. There are however some areas in which we already have been active or intend to be active in the near future. These priority areas are; flexible manufacturing systems, traffic, logistics, conflict resolution, micro and macro economy, development of regions. We are however open to undertake simulation in other application fields as well where our expertise and tools can be applied efficiently.

 

One of the directions in which we intend to work and obtain results is the simulation of ill-defined systems with particular emphasis to economic and multidisciplinary problems. We have started already research work in this direction and we endeavor to include graduate and Ph.D. students in this work. It should be mentioned that a number of students who listened to the simulation courses mentioned above became eager to participate in our projects and deal with simulation in our center. We consider this as a positive feedback of our work.

 

 

Center publications

 

Javor, A., Keresztes, P., Szucs, G.: Research and Education of AI Controlled

Simulation for Interdisciplinary Problem Solving

Summer Computer Simulation Conference, Orlando, Florida, July 15-19,

2001. 536-541

Szucs, G.: Railway Simulation with the CASSANDRA Simulation System

            Journal of Computing and Information Technology (CIT), Vol. 9, 2001.

133-142

Szucs, G.: Simulation Model Structure Development by using an Intelligent Demon

            New and Renewing Information Systems, Budapest University of Technology

            and Economics, Budapest, 2001. 251-260. (in Hungarian)

Javor, A., Meszaros-Komaromy, G.: Investigation of the Influence of the Road Traffic

            Network Conditions on the Development of Regions by Means of AI

            Controlled Simulation

            AIS’2002, Lisbon, Portugal, April 7-10, 2002. 86-90.

Javor, A., Szucs, G.: A Methodology for the Determination of the Models of Soft

Systems by Means of Intelligent Agents

Periodica Polytechnica (in publication)

Meszaros-Komaromy, G.: Simulation as a Tool to Promote Decision Making

in the Development of Regions

Periodica Polytechnica (in publication)

Csík, B: Simulation of Competitive Market Situations using Intelligent Agents

Periodica Polytechnica (in publication)

           

 

What you mean you want to see at MISS Network

 

1) The elaboration, accreditation and starting of a joint Ph.D. in simulation sciences curriculum that has already been planned in the last years.

 

2) Starting of joint projects with the participation of those MISS centers which are interested in them. Some concrete initiations have already been mentioned above.

 

 

What you will serve for MISS

 

1) Prof. Javor, director of the Hungarian Center in his capacity of being co-director of the MISS network in close cooperation with Lou Birta senior vice president started to make contacts and realize the revitalization of the active networks.

 

2) Active participation in the elaboration of the Ph.D. in simulation sciences program.

 

3) Participation in joint research and/or education programs.

 

Budapest, July 3, 2002

 

                                                           Prof. Andras Javor Ph.D.,D.Sc.

                                                    Director of the Hungarian MISS Center

                                         Associate director of the Hungarian Satellite Center