Techniques for distributed theory synthesis in multiagent systems

Data sources are often dispersed geographically in real life applications. Finding a knowledge model may require to join all the data sources and to run a machine learning algorithm on the joint set. We present an alternative based on a Multi Agent System (MAS): an agent mines one data source in order to extract a local theory (knowledge model) and then merges it with the previous MAS theory using a knowledge fusion technique. This way, we obtain a global theory that summarizes the distributed knowledge without spending resources and time in joining data sources. New experiments have been executed including statistical significance analysis. The results show that, as a result of knowledge fusion, the accuracy of initial theories is significantly improved as well as the accuracy of the monolithic solution.

Agent based risk patient management

This paper explores the role of information and communication technologies in managing risk and early discharge patients, and suggests innovative actions in the area of E-Health services. Treatments of chronic illnesses, or treatments of special needs such as cardiovascular diseases, are conducted in long-stay hospitals, and in some cases, in the homes of patients with a follow-up from primary care centre. The evolution of this model is following a clear trend: trying to reduce the time and the number of visits by patients to health centres and derive tasks, so far as possible, toward outpatient care. Also the number of Early Discharge Patients (EDP) is growing, thus permiting a saving in the resources of the care center. The adequacy of agent and mobile technologies is assessed in light of the particular requirements of health care applications. A software system architecture is outlined and discussed. The major contributions are: first, the conceptualization of multiple mobile and desktop devices as part of a single distributed computing system where software agents are being executed and interact from their remote locations. Second, the use of distributed decision making in multiagent systems, as a means to integrate remote evidence and knowledge obtained from data that is being collected and/or processed by distributed devices. The system will be applied to patients with cardiovascular or Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Diseases (COPD) as well as to ambulatory surgery patients. The proposed system will allow to transmit the patient's location and some information about his/her illness to the hospital or care centre