SSI-Trader
==========

SSI-Trader is a multi-robot systems built on the Orca/Ice and JADE frameworks.

The motivation behind this implementation is to create an open multi-robot co-ordination system that is build on existing standards to enable easy experimentation with simulated and real robots.

Co-ordination of multiple robots is achieved using a market-based approach. Tasks are traded by robots through sequential single-item (SSI) auctions.


Features
========

* sequential auctions for dynamic or static task allocation
* can use minimum cost or regret clearing winner determination
* supports MiniSum and MiniMax team objectives
* connects to arbitrary Orca components, e.g. to run with Player/Stage or on real robot
* has special Experiment agent and simulation mode to quickly evaluate different
  auction schemes or heuristics
* includes custom GoalEvaluator component for creating bids (approximates solution to
  the travelling salesman problems) 
* customisable through command line options and .cfg files
* compatible with other JADE agents and software that uses Orca, Ice or FIPA messages and
  can thus interact with software written in Java, Ruby, C++, Objective C, Python, and PHP
  among others


Try it
======

NOTE: You need to have Ice and Orca installed on your system. This version has been tested with Orca 2.11.0 and Ice 3.2/3.3.

1. Start Ice and Orca using shell scripts in sim/. You might have to adjust the paths in there.
2. Go to app/class directory
2. Setup class path for Java to include Jade and Ice libraries (these also are in app/lib):
  export CLASSPATH=$CLASSPATH:.:../lib/jade/jade.jar:../lib/ice/Ice.jar
3. Start Java JADE agents from app/class directory
  java jade.Boot "<nickname>:<ClassName>(<param1> <param2> <...>)"

Experiments
-----------
  java jade.Boot "<nickname>:Experiment(<#runs> <#robot> <#task> <#tasks per round> [<debug> <winner allocation method> <dynamic allocation method>])"
		
where
	debug: spam, note, info, warning, error
	winner allocation: min_cost, regret_clearing, all
	dynamic allocation: ssi, replan, resell, all

e.g.
  java jade.Boot "x:Experiment(25 5 25 3 info all ssi)"
    
Single robots
-------------
	java.jade.Book "<nickname>:GenericRobot(<colour> [<debug> <x coord> <y coord>])"

examples:
	java jade.Boot "red:GenericRobot(red info -1 0)"	
	java jade.Boot -gui "red:GenericRobot(red spam) blue:GenericRobot(blue info) green:GenericRobot(green info) yellow:GenericRobot(yellow info) black:GenericRobot(black info)"


Version history
===============

0.1: Initial experimental release. Has been tested with Player/Stage.


References
==========

Ice middle ware: http://www.zeroc.com/ice.html
JADE framework: http://jade.tilab.com/
ORCA project: http://orca-robotics.sourceforge.net/



Available at http://github.com/nighthawk/ssi-trader/tree/master
Copyright (c) 2008 Adrian Schoenig, released under the MIT license (see LICENSE file).