Objectives of the Project
The main objective of ID4CS is to improve the design of complex products in using the multi-agent technique. Generally, the main objective of the design is to build a simulation, in order to solve the inverse problem according to a set of constraints shared between some design parameters and performances (e.g. for an aircraft: operating cost, mission). Thus an optimization process iterates the built simulation to find feasible design parameters respecting design constraints (such as wing, fuselage and tail shapes) and performances. Therefore, the complex product design is an optimization problem where there exist numerous interdependencies between parameters, and where the uncertainties must be taken into account during the design process. Generally, the design process is an iterative process where first designers find a solution and then solve problems one by one. Our original contribution consists in providing a system which takes into account all problems at the same time. That is, the agents representing expert knowledge about disciplines, optimization methods, uncertainties treatment cooperate to find a solution to the problem design.
 Because we cannot integrate all existing techniques, models and methods coming from optimization, uncertainties and disciplines, ID4CS is a modular and open system enabling to add new agents encapsulating this knowledge. We only develop models and methods useful to design the case studies.
 The ID4CS scientific objective is to prove the effectiveness of emergent problem solving with self-organizing multi-agent systems to provide new solutions to complex product design process. The multi-agent systems have shown their relevance to solve complex system. They are used for satisfaction problems satisfaction and optimization but the specific formulation of the problem used in such systems is not relevant for continuous and non-linear problems. ID4CS wants to overcome these drawbacks.
