Mobile Agent Network Topology and Routing Adaptation (MANTRA)

Army Transformation requires a force that can see first, understand first, act first and finish decisively. This requires an information system that can obtain, deliver, and interpret information in a timely manner. This poses special problems for a highly dynamic mobile network with limited bandwidth and computing such as those found in the dismounted warrior systems. Mobile agent architectures such as the Extensible Mobile Agent Architecture (EMAA) provide a framework for meeting this goal in dismounted warrior systems. In addition to the framework, the network must have the logic to be self-adaptive, so changes to the topology or provided services are automatically taken into account. The logic that drives the agents must allow user commands to be efficiently executed to minimize data flow and minimize execution time. We propose to address these needs by designing and implementing agents that adapt to network conditions and ensure that task agents move and operate optimally. Specifically we envision a Status Agent residing on each node to maintain and propagate information on the network status and a Command Agent residing on each node to configure mobile agents with a statically optimized Agent Itinerary and the necessary Agent Control Logic to dynamically optimize its itinerary.