A Distributed Multi-Agent Framework for Simulating the Diffusion of Innovations

Abstract

In this paper we report on the newly developed framework MADS (Multi-Agent Diffusion Simulation), designed for simulating the diffusion of innovations. Created for but not limited to the simulation of the diffusion of emergent technologies, MADS is both close to the diffusion theory and, by using a distributed agent infrastructure, performs data management and streamlines the simulation process. After presenting the framework, we show how it was applied to the simulation of the diffusion of fuel cell vehicles. Unlike the traditional simulation methods usually employed in this case, real consumer preferences are included and a sensitivity analysis is performed.