website/_posts/projects/2020-05-01-FIKS.md
2025-03-27 22:57:31 +01:00

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layout: single
title: "AI-Fusion Safety"
categories: projects
tags: multi-agent-systems reinforcement-learning safety emergence simulation
excerpt: "Studied MARL emergence and safety, built simulations with Fraunhofer."
header:
teaser: /assets/images/projects/robot.png
role: Researcher, Software Developer
skills: Multi-Agent Reinforcement Learning (MARL), Emergence Analysis, AI Safety, Simulation Environment Design, Python, Gymnasium API, Software Engineering, Unity (Visualization), Industry Collaboration
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<h4 style="margin-top: 0;">Project Resources</h4>
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<li><a href="https://github.com/illiumst/marl-factory-grid/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><i class="fab fa-fw fa-github" aria-hidden="true"></i> GitHub Repo</a></li>
<li><a href="https://pypi.org/project/Marl-Factory-Grid/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><i class="fab fa-fw fa-python" aria-hidden="true"></i> Install via PyPI</a></li>
<li><a href="https://marl-factory-grid.readthedocs.io/en/latest/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><i class="fas fa-fw fa-book" aria-hidden="true"></i> ReadTheDocs</a></li>
<li><i class="fas fa-fw fa-file-alt" aria-hidden="true"></i> {% cite altmann2024emergence %}</li>
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![Robot Arm Icon](/assets/images/projects/robot.png){: .align-left style="padding:0.1em; width:5em"}
**Project:** AI-Fusion<br>
**Partner:** [Fraunhofer Institute for Cognitive Systems (IKS)](https://www.iks.fraunhofer.de/)<br>
**Duration:** 2022 - 2023<br>
**Objective:** To investigate the detection and mitigation of potentially unsafe emergent behaviors in complex systems composed of multiple interacting AI agents, particularly in scenarios involving heterogeneous agents (e.g., mixed-vendor autonomous systems).
In collaboration with Fraunhofer IKS, the AI-Fusion project addressed the critical challenge of understanding and ensuring safety in multi-agent reinforcement learning (MARL) systems. Emergence, defined as the arising of complex, often unpredictable, system-level dynamics from local interactions between agents and their environment, was a central focus due to its implications for system safety and reliability.
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To facilitate research into these phenomena, key contributions included the development of specialized simulation tools:
**1. High-Performance MARL Simulation Environment:**
* A flexible and efficient simulation environment was developed in Python, adhering to the [Gymnasium (formerly Gym) API specification](https://gymnasium.farama.org/main/).
* **Purpose:** Designed specifically for training and evaluating reinforcement learning algorithms in multi-agent contexts prone to emergent behaviors.
* **Features:**
* **Modularity:** Supports diverse scenarios through configurable `modules` and `configurations`.
* **Observation/Action Spaces:** Handles complex agent interactions, including per-agent observations and sequential/multi-agent action coordination.
* **Performance:** Optimized for efficient simulation runs, enabling extensive experimentation.
**2. Unity-Based Demonstrator Unit:**
* A complementary visualization tool was created using the Unity engine.
* **Purpose:** Allows for the replay, inspection, and detailed analysis of specific simulation scenarios and agent interactions.
* **Utility:** Aids researchers in identifying and understanding the mechanisms behind observed emergent dynamics.
* [View Demonstrator on GitHub](https://github.com/illiumst/F-IKS_demonstrator)
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<img src="/assets/images/projects/rel_emergence.png" alt="Diagram illustrating the concept of emergence from interactions between agents and environment" style="padding:0.1em; width:80%">
<figcaption>Conceptual relationship defining emergence in multi-agent systems.</figcaption>
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This project involved close collaboration with industry-focused researchers, software development adhering to modern standards, and deep investigation into the theoretical underpinnings of emergence and safety in MARL systems. The developed tools provide a valuable platform for continued research in this critical area.
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