The agent computing paradigm is rapidly emerging as one of the powerful technologies for the development of large-scale distributed systems to deal with the uncertainty in a dynamic environment. The domain of traffic and transportation systems is well suited for an agent-based approach because transportation systems are usually geographically distributed in dynamic changing environments. Our literature survey shows that the techniques and methods resulting from the field of agent and multiagent systems have been applied to many aspects of traffic and transportation systems, including modeling and simulation, dynamic routing and congestion management, and intelligent traffic control. This paper examines an agent-based approach and its applications in different modes of transportation, including roadway, railway, and air transportation. This paper also addresses some critical issues in developing agent-based traffic control and management systems, such as interoperability, flexibility, and extendibility. Finally, several future research directions toward the successful deployment of agent technology in traffic and transportation systems are discussed.

A Review of the Applications of Agent Technology in Traffic and Transportation Systems

An air traffic control system, for use by a controller controlling multiple aircraft, comprising a processor, an input device and a display device, further comprising: trajectory prediction means for calculating a trajectory for each aircraft, for inputting aircraft detected position data, and for recalculating the trajectories based on said position data, and conflict detection means for detecting, based on the trajectories, future circumstances under which pairs of aircraft violate predetermined proximity tests, and for causing a display on the display device indicating said circumstances, further comprising means for inputting instruction data corresponding to instructions issued by the controller to an aircraft, and in which the proximity indication means is arranged to use a first proximity test and a second, more restrictive, proximity test; and in which the system is arranged to display a symbol representing pairs of aircraft which violate the second test in a first display mode, and those which violate the first set but not the second set in a second display mode, and in which the system is arranged, on input of a said instruction by a controller in relation to a pair of aircraft, to change the display mode of the symbol for said pair from the second mode to a third mode indicating that no further action is necessary.

Air Traffic Control

Future air traffic management concepts envisage shared decision-making responsibilities between controllers and pilots, necessitating that controllers be supported by automated decision aids. Even as automation tools are being introduced, however, their impact on the air traffic controller is not well understood. The present experiments examined the effects of an aircraft-to-aircraft conflict decision aid on performance and mental workload of experienced, full-performance level controllers in a simulated Free Flight environment. Performance was examined with both reliable (Experiment 1) and inaccurate automation (Experiment 2). The aid improved controller performance and reduced mental workload when it functioned reliably. However, detection of a particular conflict was better under manual conditions than under automated conditions when the automation was imperfect. Potential or actual applications of the results include the design of automation and procedures for future air traffic control systems.

Automation in future air traffic management: effects of decision aid reliability on controller performance and mental workload.

Cognitive complexity in air traffic control: a literature review

Future airspace needs to be flexible, dynamic and adaptable based on traffic demand, equipage, and weather. Initial concepts focus on three core areas: 1) restructuring airspace, 2) adaptable airspace, and 3) generic airspace. The paper presents mid-term and long-term airspace configuration concepts. These concepts were developed based on literature reviews, workshops, subject matter expert discussions, and field trips. The mid-term airspace configuration concept includes high altitude airspace where user-preferred routes will be predominant and low altitude airspace divided into regions for super density and metroplex areas and remaining portion. Subsequently, the long-term airspace configuration may include four primary regions: 1) airspace for automated separation assurance, 2) high altitude airspace, 3) super density and metroplex operations airspace, and 4) structured classic airspace.

Initial Concepts for Dynamic Airspace Configuration

Agent-based simulation may provide an effective method of evaluating safety issues in air traffic control. For example, simulation of human performance models of controllers and pilots, interacting with aircraft avionics systems and with communication, navigation, and surveillance technologies, may assess both the individual behavior of these agents and the overall emergent behavior of the air traffic control system. This paper describes a collaborative effort in developing an agent-based simulation of air traffic control. In order to exercise the capabilities of the proposed approach, a test scenario was developed to investigate the impact of new avionics systems which provide alerts of clear air turbulence (CAT) to flight crews. An agent-based simulation using the Reconfigurable Flight Simulator (RFS) software architecture and its asynchronous timing methods is outlined. Adaptation of the Man-machine Integration Design and Analysis System (MIDAS) human performance model to model the behavior of pilots and air traffic controllers and to interact with RFS is detailed, including description of an algorithm implemented to synchronize the timing between RFS and MIDAS. This paper then discusses the use of agent-based simulation incorporating human performance models as a means to assess safety.

Examining air transportation safety issues through agent-based simulation incorporating human performance models

Measuring controller reactions to free flight in a complex transition sector

Models of human performance in large scale and complex systems have long served to engineers in prediction of system performance. They have also been used to identify performance shortfalls in the human-machine system under a range of anticipated scenarios. These shortfalls have then been used to predict requirements for aiding systems to augment human performance and assure safe system operation. Finally, human performance models have served the human factors and cognitive sciences by establishing a platform for the explicit instantiation of key theories of human performance. These require the stipulation of architectural and functional assumptions about the underlying process of human behavior.

/pdf/human-performance-simulation-in-the-analysis-of-advanced-air-4fmxdfvw4h.pdf

Human performance simulation in the analysis of advanced air traffic management

Five modeling teams from industry and academia were chosen by the NASA Aviation Safety and Security Program to develop human performance models (HPM) of pilots performing taxi operations and runway instrument approaches with and without advanced displays. One representative from each team will serve as a panelist to discuss their team s model architecture, augmentations and advancements to HPMs, and aviation-safety related lessons learned. Panelists will discuss how modeling results are influenced by a model s architecture and structure, the role of the external environment, specific modeling advances and future directions and challenges for human performance modeling in aviation.

/pdf/human-performance-models-of-pilot-behavior-2n13aqxu7u.pdf

Human Performance Models of Pilot Behavior

Several developments in the technologies supporting air traffic management (ATM) such as digital communication and improved positioning accuracy for aircraft, have enabled consideration of new organizational and functional operations. In order that these new organizational and functional operations be properly evaluated, efficient and effective methods need to be developed in support of systematic analysis of the new ways of managing air traffic. This paper provides such an evaluation method using Cognitive Systems Engineering (CSE) and discusses its application to new controller-team processes. One such consideration of a new controller-team process is a modification of the standard air traffic control team to include a multi-sector planner (MSP) position. This MSP is being investigated in several research and field studies both in Europe and in the US The feasibility and effectiveness of two of these concept variations were investigated in the current study. The experiment consisted of a pair of one-wee...

/pdf/new-air-traffic-management-concepts-analysis-methodology-1uekjuqeo0.pdf

Kevin M. Corker

Papers

Examining air transportation safety issues through agent-based simulation incorporating human performance models

Measuring controller reactions to free flight in a complex transition sector

Human performance simulation in the analysis of advanced air traffic management

Human Performance Models of Pilot Behavior

New Air Traffic Management Concepts Analysis Methodology: Application to a Multi-Sector Planner in US Airspace