VisualBots for Excel is an educational tool for exploring the fascinating world
of multi-agent systems and their emergent behaviors. Real-world systems such
as the flocking of birds, formation of crystals, trends in fashion, and the
foraging behaviors of ants are examples of group behavior resulting from the
collective interactions
between many self-directed individuals, or agents.
One fascinating aspect of phenomenon such as these is that very complex system
behaviors and patterns can emerge from agents interacting with one another according
to a relatively simple set of rules - often unaware of the consequences
of their actions in the "big picture" scheme of things.
The study of emergent behavior spans a wide range of different fields including
molecular biology, chemistry, thermodynamics, ethology,
social and political science, economics, art, computer science, and education,
to
name a handful. Because of the increasing awareness of the importance
and impact these systems have on shaping the world around us,
there is a rapidly growing body of research that focuses on how
to model
these
systems
with
computers in order to better understand them.
VisualBots Simulator
The VisualBots simulator can be used to create virtual worlds
of programmable agents that interact with one another through time. The simulator
is a
ActiveX
control that
exposes the powerful set of VisualBots objects, methods, and properties that
are manipulated using Microsoft
Visual
Basic for Applications that is packaged with Microsoft Excel. The simulator
consists of graphics window for viewing
a simulation's
progress through time and an easy to
use user interface for starting, monitoring, and stopping simulations
VisualBots Object Model
Visualbots employs an
object-oriented
design. The
VisualBots
object model is hierarchical, with the top level being the "World" object.
The World object exposes a second level which consists of collections of agents.
Each of these collections exposes a third level consisting of the
individual agents. There are two types of agents - one is a movable object called
a "Bot". Any number of Bots can exists and interact within a simulation.
The other type
of agent is a stationary object called a "Cell" which occupies a rectangular
area. Cells are arranged in a regular grid pattern covering the simulation space.
Bot and Cell characteristics (properties) and
actions (methods) can be controlled at the collection and individual levels.
The object model also includes functionality for simulation control, coordinate
system definition, user-defined agent properties, math support, random number
generation, and color management.
Easy to Use and Learn
One of the advantages of
developing the VisualBots object model in Microsoft Visual
Basic is the ease with which agents can be manipulated in the visual,
object-oriented programming environment of Visual Basic. The
Visual Basic Editor,
Object Browser, and technologies such as Microsoft's
Intellisense make learning
how to program using the VisualBots object model easy and fun.
Summary of Features
VisualBots for Excel includes the following features:
- Easy to use graphical interface for controlling and viewing simulations
- Extensive object model - over 200 objects, methods, and
properties
- Object-oriented programming syntax using
Microsoft Visual Basic
- Comprehensive documentation
- Manipulation of agent collections
- User-defined coordinate system
- Bounded rectangle, toroidal, and unbounded simulation topologies
- Fast neighbor search algorithms
- Powerful color management functionality
- User-defined properties
- Tools for simulation testing and monitoring
- Leverages existing Microsoft Excel functionality
