Agent Technology: Feasibility for Business and Manufacturing Application.

摘要

Agent-based computing is poised to emerge as the next wave in the software development paradigm. Unfortunately, there is currently no consensus on the definition of software agents. Some emphasize the intelligent nature of software agents, others suggest that any piece of software or object that can perform a specific given task is an agent. Regardless, the potential benefits of adopting an agent-based approach is to improve the business process and add value in conducting business-to-business electronic commerce over the Internet. However, application of agents and the technical difficulties associated with developing such systems needs to be investigated. The purpose for investigating agent technology is to determine how agents can improve business-to-business (b2b) e-commerce. It was also done to provide technical asisstance to the NIST Internet Commerce for Manufacturing (ICM) project in the analysis, design, and development of web-based agent technology for improving supply-chain operations in Printed Circuit Board and Printed Circuit Assembly (PCB/PCA) manufacturing.