The Task and Workslip Scheme for Personal Agent Systems

Abstract

The Task and Workslip Scheme provides ways for people to automate tasks in their daily lives with personal systems. These systems should provide people with the ability to automate tasks in their lives, but most current approaches require technical expertise or reliance on outside organizations that may not have people's best interests at heart. The scheme provides philosophical guidelines describing how these systems should be constructed to ensure the autonomy and privacy of the people using them. The scheme also provides definitions for tasks, work-slips, agents and personal agent systems. A Situationally Aware Alarm Clock, Responsive Shopping List Manager and Proactive System Administrator Assistant are presented to demonstrate a reference implementation of the scheme and illustrate the benefits of building personal agent systems this way.