A Society of Agents in Environmental Monitoring Jo˜ ao Costa Seco Departamento de Inform´ atica Faculdade de Ciˆ encias e Tecnologia Universidade Nova de Lisboa 2825 Monte da Caparica, Portugal phone: 315-1-2948596 fax: 315-1-2948541 jcs@di.fct.unl.pt Carlos Pinto-Ferreira Instituto de Sistemas e Rob´ otica Instituto Superior T´ ecnico Av. Rovisco Pais, 1 1096 Lisboa Codex, Portugal phone: 315-1-8418270 fax: 315-1-8418291 cpf@isr.ist.utl.pt Lu´ ıs Correia Departamento de Inform´ atica Faculdade de Ciˆ encias e Tecnologia Universidade Nova de Lisboa 2825 Monte da Caparica, Portugal phone: 315-1-2948596 fax: 315-1-2948541 lc@di.fct.unl.pt January 19, 1998 Keywords: Agents, Agent societies, Autonomous robots, Simulation models, Pollutant monitoring Abstract The evaluation of pollutant levels is a key aspect on the issue of keeping a clean environment. Conventional techniques include the utilisation of a fixed setup incorporating pollutant sensors. However, these approaches are a very long way from an accurate monitoring. Thus, to improve pollutant monitoring on a power plant chimney, the use of robotic agent societies (mobile robots) is suggested. This suggestion is adequate in pollutant monitoring when the environment is hostile and/or the region to be sampled has large dimensions. However, the implementation of a system incorporating robotic agents raises complex technological prob- lems. Before a set of any kind of real robotic agents is implemented, an accurate evaluation must be performed. What this paper describes is a simulation of an application of small flying robotic agent societies (helicopter models) monitoring a pollutant cloud. This simulation intends to show that an “intelligent” search method works better than a systematic or random procedure. In this kind of environment (dynamic and non-structured) and using mobile robotics to meet a goal such as this, a behavioural control architecture seems to meet the performance objectives. The behaviours designed to control the agents are prepared to implement individual needs (survival and navigation) and social needs (follow or gather group). The agents as individuals are capable of performing such a mission, however, global results are enhanced by social strategies. Topic areas: Evaluation of robot/simulation models, Collective and social behaviour, Autonomous robots. This paper is intended to be a long paper. Supported by JNICT, scholarship no. BM2902 from “Programa de mobilidade de recursos humanos”. 1