Gather strategies, opinions and solutions and adapt them to the problem and hand.

1. Dipl.- Ing. Jakob BeetzSupervisor: Prof.dr.ir. Bauke de Vries 2003 – 2007 Multi Agent Systems for Cooperative Design • Ideally, all participants involved in a design project will have a representation by personal agents. By monitoring the users’ actions and decisions each instance of personal agents will build up a knowledge base representing the unique strategies and solutions of its corresponding user for a specific problem domain. Either by communicating directly with each other or by breaking down problems into smaller parts and invoking agents specialized for these, a variety of information will be made available and offered to the user for design and decision support on a pure machine layer. • Among the most important steps in this project are: • Gather information and build a knowledge base with minimal additional workload for the user • Identify problem and context based on the current actions of the user • Identify related knowledge domains and previous use cases, the agents representing them and the corresponding communication protocols including their ontologies Research area Traditional, “monolithic” approaches of software developments to assist designers and engineers in the building process have shown to be limited in their ability to cope with the complexity of the tasks involved and to adapt to the individual style of their users. This is especially true when multiple (geographically distributed) parties are involved into the process. The use of modular, independent and autonomous software programs, referred to as Multi Agent Systems (MAS) or Distributed Artificial Intelligence (DAI) has been the subject of extensive research in a large variety of disciplines for some decades. With the growing use of network technologies such as the WWW, many of the techniques developed are especially promising for distributed work environments with loose hierarchical structures. The idea of autonomous, mobile agents that move through a network structure to acquire information or carry out tasks for a user has been implemented in a number of industrial-scale applications. Aim of project The aim of this research is to analyze the potential of different techniques of Multi Agent Systems for the use in the domains of architectural design and the building process as a whole. A system will be developed that assists the designer in an effortless manner to get information related to the current design task and to automatically offer solution to design problems. Based on information that is harvested from different local and remote resources new strategies for solving design problems will be proposed to the user by individual agents. • Gather strategies, opinions and solutions and adapt them to the problem and hand. • Generate suggestions and their representations and offer them in a convenient, non-distracting way • Offer approaches to user and incorporate reaction into knowledgebase. • The repository of existing applications and findings of related research from the areas of Case Based Reasoning, Knowledge Engineering, Concept Modeling and HCI carried out in the DDSS group will be used and build upon in this project. • Current state of research • The project has begun in Summer 2003. A literature survey of underlying theoretical and technological foundations of various topics related to Distributed Artificial Intelligence as well as recent publications on applications in the field of Collaborative Design has been carried out. In the current stage, general concepts and ideas are being narrowed down and ideas for a practical proof of concept are being developed. References If you have references, put them here (24 pt font): Name, M. (2001). My Paper in an Interesting Conference. Doe, J. (ed), Interesting Conference in Exotic Location, Exotic Publishers, Exotica, pp. 1-2. Name, M. (2002). My Article in an Outstanding Journal. Journal of Outstanding Articles 12(5), pp. 11-55. Name, M. (2003). My PhD Thesis, Technische Universiteit Eindhoven, Eindhoven.

2. Ir. Vincent TabakSupervisors: Prof.dr.ir. Bauke de Vries, Prof.dr. Harry Timmermans 2003 – 2007 User Simulation of Space Utilisation Project aim The aim of the project is to a develop a method for the simulation of space utilisation. Up to now no methods for performance evaluation are available which involve the occupants of the building. Instead, assumptions are made about people’s movement through space and their responses to the environment. These assumptions are input for important design decisions (e.g. capacity of elevators, width of corridors, escape routing, etc.) and sophisticated calculations (e.g. lighting simulation, airflow simulation, evacuation simulation). Reliable data on human movement are very scarce and can be valuable input to research in other research areas. Research approach This project integrates two methods, namely Colored Petri Nets and Activity Based Modelling. Petri Nets will be applied to create a formal description of the business process that will be accommodated by the building to be built. Activities that are executed by individuals will be represented as transitions in a Petri Net. Exchange of information or objects is represented as tokens that flow through the network. Activity Modelling is based on the premise that individuals execute activities to meet a variety of needs. Fulfilling activities return a satisfaction or utility as a reward for meeting needs. The individual evaluates the utility of alternative activities under a set of constraints and examines whether changes of the schedule are necessary. The combination of these two methods provides a solid basis that ensures process consistency, inclusion of individual re-scheduling behaviour and allows for execution in real time or compressed time intervals. Simulated activity schedule versus observed activity pattern. Petri Net with color and time extension. References Tabak, V., B. de Vries and J. Dijkstra (2004) Space Utilisation and Simulation, H.J.P. Timmermans and B.de Vries (eds.): Proceedings of the 7-th International Conference on Design and Decision Support Systems in Architecture and Urban Planning (to be published). Vries, B. de, A.J. Jessurun, and J. Dijkstra. (2002) Conformance Checking by Capturing and Simulating Human Behaviour in the Built Environment, H.J.P. Timmermans and B.de Vries (eds.): Proceedings of the 6-th International Conference on Design and Decision Support Systems in Architecture and Urban Planning, Ellecom, The Netherlands, July 7 – 10, 2002, pp. 378 – 391.

3. Maciej A. Orzechowski, MSc.Supervisors: Prof.dr. Harry Timmermans, Prof.dr.ir. Bauke de Vries1999 – 2004 Measuring Housing Preferences Using Virtual Realityand Bayesian Belief Networks • Research goal • This research aims to provide better insight in the housing preferences of (future) inhabitants. The project is guided by three research goals: • Develop a method (Bayesian Belief Network) to elicit preferences based on individually designed houses. • Comparison with conjoint analysis (CA) of validity and reliability. • Make a design support tool for non-designers to create a design. • The new approach encompasses a user-friendly virtual reality system (MuseV3) to assist in creating a housing design of one’s choice, and which estimates housing preferences via Bayesian belief networks. The CA task has a verbal description variant and a multimedia variant. The BN task has a base-design modification and a free modification variant. The base-design was provided by a real estate company. 64 Respondents participated in the experiment. The results were analyzed on internal validity, predictive performance vs. CA, and external validity compared to choices in a real housing project. Thus, the model learns incrementally while at every stage this information can be used. The incremental learning allows tracing the whole estimation process, and study individual entries provided by respondents. In summary, Bayesian belief networks offer a potential valuable approach to measuring housing preferences. The approach allows collection of housing preferences without using the sometimes artificial profiles created in CA techniques. The new approach also leads to smaller error variance in data collection. Utility Convergence Research method While modifying a base-design, MuseV3 captures these modifications as evidence into a Bayesian network, which processes the whole sample of respondents to estimate preferences and predict choices. Each subject completes a traditional task (CA), and a task based on the new system (BN). Conclusions The comparison of the internal and external validity proved that the VR task increased the performance of the CA tasks. The Bayesian belief networks identify more or less the same utility functions, but reduce the error variance. The preference information is estimated after each respondent and entered as evidence. References Orzechowski M.A., Vries de B., Timmermans H.J.P. (2003) Virtual Reality CAD system for non-designers. Proceedings of 7th Iberoameri-can Congress Of Digital Graphics, pp. 221-225. Orzechowski, M.A. and Vries, B. (2001) Musev2 - The Virtual Reality Application to Collect User Preference Data. Proceedings of SIGRADI, pp. 162-164. Vries, B. de, Achten, H., Coomans, M. et al. (2001) VR-DIS Research Programme - Design Systems Group. Vries, B. de, Leeuwen, J.P. van and Achten, H. (eds.): CAAD Futures 2001. Dordrecht: Kluwer Academic Publishers. pp. 795-808. Vries, B. de, Achten, H., Orzechowski, M. et al. (2003) The Tangible Interface: Experiments as an Integral Part of a Research Strategy. International Journal of Architectural Computing 1(2), pp. 133-152. Lounge Ext (β1) Garage Ext (β2) Scullery(β3) 2 Bedrooms (β4) First Floor Ext (β5) Dormer Window (β6) Price (γ) Choice for Lounge Extension Choice for Garage Extension Choice for Two Bedrooms Choice for First Floor Extension Choice for Dormer Window Choice for Scullery

4. Dr. Amy A.W. TanProf. Harry Timmermans, Prof. Bauke de Vries1999 – 2003 The Reliability and Validity of Interactive Virtual Reality Computer Experiments Aims and Objectives To assess the reliability and validity of interactive computer experiments, based on virtual reality systems, in the context of measuring activity-scheduling behavior. Research method With the understanding that ob-served behavioral patterns are the result of underlying activity-scheduling decision processes, a key process is to record the sequence of activities and related route choices. Hence, the project concentrated on the study of overt behavior of individuals in a virtual environment in contrast with the traditional method of interpreting behavior from data provided in diaries or questionnaires. • Conclusions • The values of this approach depends largely on the capacity tot consistently elicit from the people the same response, as one would make in a real situation. We examined three different findings as to whether SPIN performed better then the traditional Paper and Pencil (PAPI), namely: • The structural dimensions (number of stops, number of activities) were better measured by SPIN. • The PAPI questionnaire yielded better responses for durations (of shopping activity, services activity, out-of-home leisure activity, travel between activities, whole schedule). • Route choice data indicated that SPIN was not able to measure this dimension better than PAPI. • Acknowledgement • This research has been supported by the Netherlands Organization for Scientific Research (NWO) A virtual reality system was developed deploying stereographic panoramic interactive navigation (SPIN) as the key means of simulating travel. The system, unique in its kind, allows users to be situated with a mediated urban environment in stereo panoramic views with the objective of invoking in them a sense of presence – the illusion of “being there”. References Tan, A. A. W., (2003), The Reliability and Validity of Interactive Virtual Reality Computer Experiments,  PhD Thesis.  Technische Universiteit Eindhoven. Tan, A. A, W., and Timmermans, H. J. P. “Paper-and-Pencil Retrospective Activity-Travel Diaries versus Virtual Reality Re-enactment Sessions to Collect Activity-Travel Pattern Data: A Validation Study.” The Annual Transportation Research Board Meeting, January 2004, Washington D.C. Committee A1D10 on Travel Survey Methods. Tan, A. A, W., Timmermans, H. J. P. and Vries, B. de, “Interactive Computer Experiments in Virtual Reality: Issues and Prospects.” Proceedings of the Transportation Research Board Meeting & Conference, Washington D. C., 7-11 January 2001.

5. Ing. Jan Dijkstra Supervisors: Prof.dr. Harry Timmermans, Prof.dr.ir. Bauke de Vries 2000 – 2004 AMANDA : A Multi Agent Model for Network Decision Analysis Abstract The goal of the project is to develop a multi-agent model for simulating pedestrian activity and movement patterns. Movement is simulated using a grid and steering behavior. Variability is introduced by superimposing agents, with their specific agenda, environmental knowledge, beliefs, and choice heuristics and scripts. The results of the simulation are visualized in a virtual reality environment. • Activity agenda • Each pedestrian carry out a set of activities: • Activities differs in priority • Activity agenda may change during a trip • Pedestrians derive a certain utility for conducting activities • Activities should be completed within time constraints • Over time, pedestrians build and update beliefs about establishments • Behavioral principles • Each pedestrian has some kind of behavior: • Pedestrians’ behavior is driven by decision heuristics. • Pedestrians are in different motivational states. • Pedestrians have perceptual fields, which depend of • The pedestrian’s awareness threshold. • The signaling intensity of the store (establishment). Agent Architecture Conceptual Framework Point of departure Shopping environment with shopping pedestrians. This environment consists of streets represented by a network consisting of nodes and links, and a set of establishments. Agents Pedestrians can be presented by a multi-agent system with agents. Conclusion The theoretical framework and the technical specification of the model has set out. The model is currently under development to allow designers, and urban and transportation planners to assess the effects of their policies on pedestrian movement. The pedestrian model will be applied for the city center of Eindhoven as an illustration. References Dijkstra, J. and H.J.P. Timmermans (2002) Towards a Multi-agent Model for Visualizing Simulated User Behavior to Support the Assessment of Design Performance. Automation in Construction, 11, pp. 135-145. Dijkstra, J., A.J. Jessurun and H.J.P. Timmermans (2002) Simulating Pedestrian Activity Scheduling Behavior and Movement Patterns using a Multi-Agent Cellular Automata Model. Proceedings of the Transportation Research Board Conference, Washington, D.C., CD ROM.

6. Dr.ir. Nicole SegersProf.dr.ir. Bauke de Vries, Prof.dr. Harry Timmermans, Dr.ir. Henri Achten1999 – 2004 Computational Representations of Words and Associationsin Architectural Design • Research goal • In the early design phase, the architect uses many kinds of representations in the design draft, such as sketches, marks, images, and annotations. Annotations provide additional information about the design that can not be captured by the other representations. • Therefore, it seems worthwhile to pursue design support through the use of words; in particular by means of offering verbal associations based on the annotations written by the architect. • The hypotheses of the research project are that this leads to: • Increased creativity of the design. • Reduced fixation in design process. Case study 1 – The Peanut Studio Case study 2 – Bijenkorf lounge chair Research method The theoretical basis of the project was established by a literature survey and case studies. A comprehensive functional description of a design aid tool (Idea Space) was built on this, and a prototype tool (Idea Space System) implemented. The tool generates associations based on the annotations in the design draft. The work was tested through a double design experiment (with and without word associations) with professional architects. The work was assessed quantitatively (system measurements), by panel jury, and with a questionnaire. Conclusions The case studies demonstrated that all architects use annotations during the early design process, and that these annotations do not employ much specialized terms (jargon). The provision of Word Graphs is particularly stimulating for architects who already are verbally oriented, and is indifferent for others. The prototype system is conceived as pleasurable and helpful. The Idea Space System during the experiment References Segers, N.M. (2003). The Idea Space System - Words as Handles To a Comprehensive Data Structure. Chiu et al (eds.). Digital Design - Research and Practice. Kluwer Academic Publishers, Dordrecht, pp. 31-40. de Vries, B., N.M. Segers, A.J. Jessurun, and H.H. Achten (2004). Word Graphs in Architectural Design. Proceedings International Conference on Design Computing and Cognition 2004 (to be published). Heylighen, A. and Segers, N.M. (2003). Look Who's Suggesting. International Journal of Design Computing6 [digital journal]. Segers, N.M. (2004). Computational Representations of Words and Associations in Architectural Design, PhD thesis, Faculteit Bouwkunde, Technische Universiteit Eindhoven, Eindhoven. Display of Word Graphs Example of a work sheet in the Idea Space System with sketches, images, annotations, and word graph