Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

CAN-verify: A Verification Tool For BDI Agents

  • Conference paper
  • First Online:
Integrated Formal Methods (iFM 2023)

Part of the book series: Lecture Notes in Computer Science ((LNCS,volume 14300))

Included in the following conference series:

  • 155 Accesses

Abstract

CAN-verify is an automated tool that aids the development, verification, and analysis of BDI agents written in the Conceptual Agent Notation (Can) language. It does not require users to be familiar with verification techniques. CAN-verify supports syntactic error checking, interpretation of programs (running agents), and exhaustive exploration of all possible executions (agent verification and analysis) to check against both generic agent requirements, such as if a task can be achieved successfully, and user-defined requirements, such as whether a certain belief eventually holds. Simple examples of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV) and autonomous patrol robots illustrate the tool in action.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 89.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 119.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Notes

  1. 1.

    Any model checker supporting explicit model import would work. PRISM is chosen as BigraphER natively supports PRISM format, and as ongoing work we aim to allow probabilistic extensions and reasoning on Can programs [2, 5].

  2. 2.

    Parser requires exact natural language wording with user-defined strings as beliefs.

References

  1. Arcaini, P., Bonfanti, S., Gargantini, A., Riccobene, E., Scandurra, P.: Addressing usability in a formal development environment. In: Sekerinski, E., et al. (eds.) FM 2019. LNCS, vol. 12232, pp. 61–76. Springer, Cham (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-54994-7_6

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  2. Archibald, B., Calder, M., Sevegnani, M., Xu, M.: Probabilistic BDI agents: actions, plans, and intentions. In: Calinescu, R., Păsăreanu, C.S. (eds.) SEFM 2021. LNCS, vol. 13085, pp. 262–281. Springer, Cham (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-92124-8_15

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  3. Archibald, B., Calder, M., Sevegnani, M., Xu, M.: Modelling and verifying BDI agents with bigraphs. Sci. Comput. Program. 215, 102760 (2022)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. Archibald, B., Calder, M., Sevegnani, M., Xu, M.: Verifying BDI agents in dynamic environments. In: Proceedings of the International Conference on Software Engineering and Knowledge Engineering, pp. 136–141 (2022)

    Google Scholar 

  5. Archibald, B., Calder, M., Sevegnani, M., Xu, M.: Quantitative modelling and analysis of BDI agents. Softw. Syst. Model. (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10270-023-01121-5

  6. Archibald, B., Calder, M., Sevegnani, M., Xu, M.: Quantitative verification and strategy synthesis for BDI agents. In: Rozier, K.Y., Chaudhuri, S. (eds.) NASA Formal Methods. NFM 2023. LNCS, vol. 13903, pp. 241–259. Springer, Cham (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-33170-1_15

  7. Bakar, N.A., Selamat, A.: Agent systems verification: systematic literature review and mapping. Appl. Intell. 48(5), 1251–1274 (2018)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. Benford, S., Calder, M., Rodden, T., Sevegnani, M.: On lions, impala, and bigraphs: modelling interactions in physical/virtual spaces. ACM Trans. Comput.-Hum. Interact. (TOCHI) 23(2), 1–56 (2016)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  9. Bordini, R.H., Fisher, M., Visser, W., Wooldridge, M.: Verifying multi-agent programs by model checking. Auton. Agent. Multi-Agent Syst. 12, 239–256 (2006)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. Bordini, R.H., et al.: Programming Multi-agent Systems in AgentSpeak using Jason. vol. 8. Wiley, New York (2007)

    Google Scholar 

  11. Brat, G., Havelund, K., Park, S., Visser, W.: Model checking programs. In: Proceedings of IEEE International Conference on Automated Software Engineering, pp. 3–11. IEEE (2000)

    Google Scholar 

  12. Cardoso, R.C., et al.: A review of verification and validation for space autonomous systems. Curr. Robot. Rep. 2(3), 273–283 (2021)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. Clarke, E.M., Emerson, E.A.: Design and synthesis of synchronization skeletons using branching time temporal logic. In: Proceedings of Workshop on Logic of Programs, pp. 52–71 (1981)

    Google Scholar 

  14. Clavel, M., et al.: Maude manual (version 3.0). SRI International (2020)

    Google Scholar 

  15. Dennis, L.A.: Gwendolen semantics: 2017 (2017)

    Google Scholar 

  16. Dennis, L.A., et al.: Model checking agent programming languages. Autom. Softw. Eng. 19(1), 5–63 (2012)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  17. Eker, S., Meseguer, J., Sridharanarayanan, A.: The Maude LTL model checker. Electron. Notes Theor. Comput. Sci. 71, 162–187 (2004)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  18. Farrell, M., Luckcuck, M., Sheridan, O., Monahan, R.: FRETting about requirements: formalised requirements for an aircraft engine controller. In: Gervasi, V., Vogelsang, A. (eds.) REFSQ 2022. LNCS, vol. 13216, pp. 96–111. Springer, Cham (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-98464-9_9

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  19. Gleirscher, M., van de Pol, J., Woodcock, J.: A manifesto for applicable formal methods. arXiv preprint arXiv:2112.12758 (2021)

  20. Hasan, O., Tahar, S.: Formal verification methods. In: Encyclopedia of Information Science and Technology, 3rd Edition, pp. 7162–7170. IGI Global (2015)

    Google Scholar 

  21. Hensel, C., Junges, S., Katoen, J.-P., Quatmann, T., Volk, M.: The probabilistic model checker Storm. Int. J. Softw. Tools Technol. Trans. 1–22 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10009-021-00633-z

  22. Holzmann, G.J.: The model checker SPIN. IEEE Trans. Softw. Eng. 23(5), 279–295 (1997)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  23. Holzmann, G.J., Lieberman, W.S.: Design and Validation of Computer Protocols, vol. 512. Prentice hall Englewood Cliffs (1991)

    Google Scholar 

  24. Jensen, A.B.: Machine-checked verification of cognitive agents. In: Proceedings of the 14th International Conference on Agents and Artificial Intelligence, pp. 245–256 (2022)

    Google Scholar 

  25. Luckcuck, M., Farrell, M., Dennis, L.A., Dixon, C., Fisher, M.: Formal specification and verification of autonomous robotic systems: a survey. ACM Comput. Surv. (CSUR) 52(5), 1–41 (2019)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  26. Milner, R.: The Space and Motion of Communicating Agents. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge (2009)

    Google Scholar 

  27. Nipkow, T., Wenzel, M., Paulson, L.C. (eds.): : 5. the rules of the game. In: Isabelle/HOL. LNCS, vol. 2283, pp. 67–104. Springer, Heidelberg (2002). https://doi.org/10.1007/3-540-45949-9_5

  28. Pokahr, A., Braubach, L., Jander, K.: The Jadex project: programming model. In: Ganzha, M., Jain, L. (eds.) Multiagent Systems and Applications. Intelligent Systems Reference Library, vol. 45, pp. 21–53. Springer, Berlin (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-33323-1_2

  29. Rao, A.S.: AgentSpeak(L): BDI agents speak out in a logical computable language. In: Van de Velde, W., Perram, J.W. (eds.) MAAMAW 1996. LNCS, vol. 1038, pp. 42–55. Springer, Heidelberg (1996). https://doi.org/10.1007/BFb0031845

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  30. Sardina, S., Padgham, L.: A BDI agent programming language with failure handling, declarative goals, and planning. Auton. Agent. Multi-Agent Syst. 23(1), 18–70 (2011)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  31. Sardina, S., Silva, L.D., Padgham, L.: Hierarchical planning in BDI agent programming languages: a formal approach. In: Proceedings of the International Joint Conference on Autonomous Agents and Multiagent Systems, pp. 1001–1008 (2006)

    Google Scholar 

  32. Sevegnani, M., Calder, M.: BigraphER: rewriting and analysis engine for bigraphs. In: Chaudhuri, S., Farzan, A. (eds.) CAV 2016. LNCS, vol. 9780, pp. 494–501. Springer, Cham (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-41540-6_27

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  33. Winikoff, M.: Jack™ intelligent agents: an industrial strength platform. In: Bordini, R.H., Dastani, M., Dix, J., El Fallah Seghrouchni, A. (eds.) Multi-Agent Programming. MSASSO, vol. 15, pp. 175–193. Springer, Boston, MA (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/0-387-26350-0_7

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  34. Winikoff, M., Padgham, L., Harland, J., Thangarajah, J.: Declarative & procedural goals in intelligent agent systems. In: KR, vol. 2002, pp. 470–481 (2002)

    Google Scholar 

  35. Xu, M., Rivoalen, T., Archibald, B., Sevegnani, M.: CAN-verify source repository and models, Septemer 2022. https://zenodo.org/record/8282684

Download references

Acknowledgments

This work is supported by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council, under grants EP/S035362/1, EP/W01081X/1, EP/V026801, and an Amazon Research Award on Automated Reasoning.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Computer Science, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK

    Mengwei Xu

  2. School of Computing Science, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK

    Blair Archibald & Michele Sevegnani

  3. Ecole Nationale de L’Aviation Civile (ENAC), University of Toulouse, Toulouse, France

    Thibault Rivoalen

Authors
  1. Mengwei Xu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Thibault Rivoalen
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Blair Archibald
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Michele Sevegnani
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Mengwei Xu .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Embedded Systems Group, University of Münster, Münster, Germany

    Paula Herber

  2. Eindhoven University of Technology, Eindhoven, The Netherlands

    Anton Wijs

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2024 The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG

About this paper

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this paper

Xu, M., Rivoalen, T., Archibald, B., Sevegnani, M. (2024). CAN-verify: A Verification Tool For BDI Agents. In: Herber, P., Wijs, A. (eds) Integrated Formal Methods. iFM 2023. Lecture Notes in Computer Science, vol 14300. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-47705-8_19

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-47705-8_19

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-031-47704-1

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-031-47705-8

  • eBook Packages: Computer ScienceComputer Science (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation