Multi-Agent Systems – Issues, Design and Challenges

Abstract: Multi-Agent Systems (MAS) are characterized by communication, coordination, and collaboration among agents, enabling the collective achievement of complex and demanding objectives with greater effectiveness and efficiency. Although MAS offer significant advantages and have been widely applied across diverse domains, they continue to face critical challenges, particularly in resilient communication, safe cooperation, and adaptability to dynamic and uncertain environments. This talk explores real-world applications of MAS, with a focus on autonomous systems, and examines the key challenges arising in open and dynamic settings. It further presents the analysis and design of novel cooperative control strategies aimed at addressing these challenges. Experimental case studies are used to validate the proposed methodologies and to evaluate their practical performance. Finally, the talk discusses potential technological breakthroughs over the next five years, highlighting MAS as a foundational paradigm in the ongoing advancement of autonomous systems and robotics.

Peng Shi received the Bachelor degree of Applied Mathematics from Harbin Institute of Technology, China, the Master degree of Systems Engineering from Harbin Engineering University, China, the PhD degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of Newcastle, Australia, and the PhD degree in Mathematics from the University of South Australia. He was awarded the Doctor of Science degree from the University of Glamorgan, Wales; and the Doctor of Engineering degree from the University of Adelaide, Australia. He is now a Distinguished Professor at the University of Adelaide, Leader in Systems and Control, and Director of Laboratory of Advanced Unmanned Systems. His research interests include systems and control theory and applications to autonomous and robotic systems, intelligence systems, network systems and cyber-physical systems. His work has received 90000+ citations from Google Scholar with an H index 164. He has received many recognitions, prizes, and awards, including the Ramesh Agarwal Life-time Achievement Award from the International Engineering and Technology Institute in 2023, the Meritoripus Service Award from IEEE SMC Society in 2023, the M. A. Sargent Medal Award from Engineers Australia in 2022, the Highly-Cited Researcher from Thomson Reuters/Clarivate Analytics from 2014-2023, the Recognition of the Most Cited Researcher in Electrical and Electronic Engineering from Times Higher Education in 2018, the Honour of Top ranked Scientist in Electronics and Electrical Engineering from Research.com from 2022-2023, the honourable inclusion of the Lifetime Achiever Leader-Board and Field Leader from The Australian Research Review from 2019-2023, the Outstanding Research Achievement Award from University of Adelaide in 2020, the Chancellor’s Gold Medal Award for Outstanding Research Performance from Victoria University in 2018, and a number of Best/Most Cited Paper awards from international journals and conferences, such as the Andrew Sage Best Transactions Paper Award from IEEE Systems, Man and Cybernetics Society in 2016, and the Lotfi Zadeh Best Paper Award from the International Conference on Machine Learning and Cybernetics in 2019. He has delivered over 100 plenary/keynote/invited talks at international conferences, symposiums, workshops, and institutions. His work has been continuously supported by Australian Research Council, Engineering and Physical Science Research Council (UK), Defence Science and Technology Group (Australia), and industries.
He was a member of Fellow Evaluation Committee, Nomination Committee, Board of Governors, and the Vice President (Publications) of IEEE SMC Society. He now serves as the President of the International Academy of Systems and Cybernetic Science (IASCYS), and a Distinguished Lecturer of IEEE SMC Society. He is a member of the Academy of Europe, the European Academy of Science and Arts, an honorary member of the Academy of Romanian Scientists, and an Academician of IASCYS. He is a Distinguished Fellow of the International Engineering and Technology Institute, a Fellow of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, the Institution of Engineering and Technology, the Institution of Engineers Australia, and the Chinese Automation Association. He was a member of College of Expert of Australian Research Council. He has served on the editorial board of many international journals such as Editor-in-Chief, Senior Editor, Editor, Subject Editor-in-Chief, Special Issue Editor and Associate Editor, including Automatica, IEEE Transactions on (Automatic Control, Fuzzy Systems, Circuits and Systems, Artificial Intelligence), and IEEE Control Systems Letters. Currently he serves as the Editor-in Chief of IEEE Transactions on Cybernetics, a Senior Editor of IEEE Access, and the Co-Editor in-Chief of Australian Journal of Electrical and Electronics Engineering.