Implementation and Evaluation Model for the Asynchronous Search Techniques: From a Synchronously Distributed System to an Asynchronous Distributed System

Abstract

The implementation of asynchronous search techniques can be done in any programming language allowing a distributed programming. Nevertheless, for the study of such techniques and for their evaluation, it is easier and more efficient to implement the techniques under certain distributed environments, which offer various facilities, such as NetLogo. The aim of this article is to introduce an as general as possible model of implementation and evaluation for the asynchronous search techniques in the two possible cases: synchronous and asynchronous. In the case of the synchronous model, a synchronization of the agents' execution is done after each computing cycle. This model, we believe, allows the use of the NetLogo environment as a basic simulator for the study of asynchronous search techniques. This model can be used in the study of agents behavior in several situations, like the priority order of the agents, the behavior in the synchronous and asynchronous case and, therefore, leading to identify possible enhancements in the performances of asynchronous search techniques. A first set of experiments for two large families: the ABT family and the AWCS family, based on the two proposed models is presented in this article