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Fourth International Conference on Hybrid Intelligent Systems (HIS'04)
Agent-Based Modelling: A Case Study in HIV Epidemic
Kitakyushu, Japan
December 05-December 08
ISBN: 0-7695-2291-2
Eyob Teweldemedhin, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
Tshilidzi Marwala, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
Conrad Mueller, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
This research presents an agent-based, bottom-up modelling approach to develop a simulation tool for estimating and predicting the spread of the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) in a given population. HIV is mainly a sexually transmitted disease (STD) causing a serious problem to human health. The virus is transmitted from an infected person to another who was previously healthy through different biological, social and environmental factors. The research develops the simulation tool by modelling these factors by agents. Although research has and is being conducted to estimate and predict the spread of the HIV epidemic, the proposed research seeks to investigate the spread using a different approach. The previous models used a top-down modelling approach. They are built from the general characteristics and behaviours of the population. They have not explored the potential use of agent technology. This research attempts to investigate the flexibility that the multiagent system offers. Agent-based models are close to the situations that exist in a given real system that consists of autonomous components interacting with each other. The modelling approach has the advantage of observing the interaction made between agents, which is a difficult task in the top-down modelling approach. The research investigates the performance of the tool and presents the first results obtained.
Index Terms:
Multi-agent based simulation, human behaviour, modelling HIV
Citation:
Eyob Teweldemedhin, Tshilidzi Marwala, Conrad Mueller, "Agent-Based Modelling: A Case Study in HIV Epidemic," his, pp.154-159, Fourth International Conference on Hybrid Intelligent Systems (HIS'04), 2004
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