|
Workshop on
Collectives and the Design
of Complex Systems
Program Chairs:
Kagan Tumer
David Wolpert
Tina Panontin
Local Organizer:
Peggy Leising
NASA Ames Research Center
Moffett Field, CA
August 6-9, 2002
|
|
With the advent of extremely cheap computing we are moving to a world
filled with distributed systems of computationally sophisticated
components. Very often there are performance criteria by which each of
these components can rank its own behavior, as well criteria by which
we rank the dynamic behavior of the complex system as a
whole. Examples of such overall performance critiera are total
throughput in a data network, total scientific information gathered by
a constellation of deployable instruments, and, in the natural world,
GDP growth in a human economy, or percentage of available free energy
exploited by an ecosystem.
No current scientific discipline provides a thorough understanding of
the relation between the structure of such "collectives" and how well
they meet their overall performance criteria. This workshop aims to be
the first step at overcoming this problem by laying the foundation of
the study of collectives.
This workshop will consider the two fundamental issues in the study of
collectives and complex systems:
-
The forward problem of how the localized attributes of a
collective induce emergent behavior at the global scale and thereby
determine performance. This problem arises in the study of complex
systems made up of biological entities and of what determines how
well they perform. Examples of such complex systems are
ecosystems, or human economies, processes (e.g., the space shuttle
maintenance and refurbishment process) and organizations. The
forward problem also arises in the context of non-biological
complex systems, like the space station. Here, for example, it
provides us a means to model and detect interactions among
components of the system that may lead to breakdowns (e.g.,
determining whether a component considered ``safe'' can cause a
critical malfunction when it is put in interaction with another
``safe'' component).
-
The inverse problem arises when we wish to move beyond
the forward problem and design the system to (induce behavior
which) optimizes the pre-specified performance criteria. Examples
are controlling constellations of deployables to maximize
scientific data collection, engineering space systems to maximize
astronaut safety, or more generally any combination of factors that
determine mission success.
The study of collectives is related to previous work in the following
fields (among others):
- Distributed adaptive control
- Control of chaos
- Nonlinear control
- Nonlinear time series analysis
- Computational economics
|
- Mechanism design
- (Evolutionary) Game theory
- Statistical mechanics
- Population biology
- Multiagent systems
|
Accordingly, we envision experts from all of these fields
contributing. The purpose of the workshop is, first, to identify the
precise strengths and weaknesses these current research areas can
bring to the study of collectives. The ultimate goal though is to go
beyond those current research areas, and begin the formulation of a
rigorous and formal synthesis, the science of collectives.
Tina Panontin
NASA Ames Research Center
Mail Stop 213-10
Moffett Field, CA 94035-1000
tpanontin@mail.arc.nasa.gov
Peggy Leising
USRA/RIACS
Mail Stop T35B-1
Moffett Field, CA 94035-1000
pleising@riacs.edu
http://www.riacs.edu
This workshop is partially supported by:
RIACS
ECS program
The workshop will be held at the main auditorium of the
Moffett Training and Conference Center
(building 3) at NASA Ames Research Center.
NASA Ames Research Center is located in Moffett Field, an easy drive from
either San Jose or San Fransisco Airports.
From the San Jose airport,
take 101 North (towards San Fransisco). Take the
"Moffett Field" exit (this exit is after Sunnyvale exits, and with the Mountain
View exits. you will see the large hangars on your right). Without traffic,
the drive takes approximately 15 minutes from San Jose Airport.
From San Fransisco Airport, follow signs to 101 South (towards San Jose).
Take the "Moffett Field" exit (this exit is after the Mountain View exits,
about a mile after the exit for highway 85. Note, it is not the same as the
"Moffett Blvd" exit, which is about 1/4 miles earlier and takes you to downtown
Mountain View). Without traffic (an unlikely event) the drive takes
approximately 30 minutes.
From either airport, once you have exited on Moffett Field, you will arrive
at the entrance of NASA Ames Research Center. At the gate, you will need
to show an ID (driver's licence/passport). Please state that you are going
to "building 3" which is the Moffett Traning and Conference Center (MTCC).
Once through the gate, continue straight until you hit Mc Cord Ave. (stay
on the left lane, the right lane veers to the right). Building 3 (MTCC) is
on your left across the street and parking lot. Go through the stop
sign across McCord Avenue, and enter the parking lot on your left.
Note the parking lot faces the back of the building, and you will need to
go around to the main entrace, which is on Severyns Ave. The workshop will
be held in the main auditorium.
Here are more detailed
directions, provided
my the Moffett Training and Conference Center.
We will ask all participants to send a draft synopsizing their
technical contribution (i.e., a draft of a chapter in a book on
collectives and the design of complex systems) electronically to
kagan@ptolemy.arc.nasa.gov
(ps or pdf format).
We will make the drafts available to the workshop participants prior
to the workshop. Final contributions, based on comments from
participants and discussions at the workshop will be due approximately
one month after the workshop.
Submision of presentation titles:
Registration:
Submission of two paragraph abstract:
Workshop:
Submission of Index terms :
Submission of revised chapter :
Expected publications of book:
|
June 12, 2002
July 12, 2002
July 12, 2002
August 6-9, 2002
Now
October 1, 2002
Spring 2003
|
If you have any questions, please contact
Kagan Tumer or
David Wolpert by email.
Purpose of Workshop