Population-based CTMCs and Agent-based Models

Warnke, Tom and Reinhardt, Oliver and Uhrmacher, Adelinde M. (2016) Population-based CTMCs and Agent-based Models. In: Winter Simulation Conference 2016, 11-14 Dec 2016, Washington D.C., USA. Proceedings, published by IEEE, Electronic ISSN: 1558-4305, pp. 1253-1264.

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Abstract

Currently, only few agent-based models are implemented with a continuous representation of time, although state-of-the-art agent-based modeling and simulation (ABMS) frameworks support continuous-time models and continuous time often allows for a more faithful capturing of reality. Intrigued by this discrepancy, we take a closer look at population-based Continuous-Time Markov Chains (CTMCs), their modeling and their simulation, on the one hand, and, how continuous-time agent-based models are currently realized in state-of-the-art ABMS frameworks, like Repast Simphony and Netlogo, on the other hand. Subsequently, we adopt and adapt concepts and algorithms of modeling and simulating population-based CTMCs. We propose a solution how to integrate those into contemporary ABMS frameworks which results in a more succinct description of continuous-time agent-based models.