[GRASS-ABM] Which language to ABM with GRASS

[Michael Barton]

Hi Chris,

It was partly due to my research projects that this list got started.  
But it's been very low traffic so far. I'm hoping to encourage more  
people to think about and work to create better links between ABM and  
GIS.

My team is creating a modeling laboratory for agropastoral landuse and  
landscape dynamics, linking DEVS-based ABM (it is in Java) and GRASS.  
We have prototype version running now and hope to have a more finished  
product by June. Our focus is on the Mediterranean, but our laboratory  
can be adapted for other areas. You can take a look at our web site at  
<http://medland.asu.edu>.

The GRASS side of the modeling laboratory is already posted in the  
GRASS Addons SVN under Landyn. We just uploaded a new version that  
uses the new r.watershed module as well as r.terraflow. This version  
is scripted in BASH, but we are nearing completion of a new version in  
Python. I've copied some of the grad students working on this project.

Bill Griffin, one of my colleagues here in the Center for Social  
Dynamics and Complexity <http://csdc.asu.edu>, writes ABMs in Python.  
He's not an archaeologist, but I don't hold that against him ;-). If  
you are interested, I can put you in touch.

Archaeologist Mark Altaweel, a member of the RePast dev team, is  
working on a GRASS plugin for RePast. I've copied him here in case  
you'd like to get in touch.

I've also been in touch with the developer of the NetLogo GIS  
extension about the possibility of links with GRASS. He thought they  
might be quite doable. Unfortunately, he finished his PhD and was  
moving on to another university.

So there is a lot of potential for ABM-GRASS integration, but the  
field remains wide open. Welcome.

Michael Barton
______________________________
C. Michael Barton, Professor of Anthropology
Director of Graduate Studies
School of Human Evolution & Social Change
Center for Social Dynamics & Complexity
Arizona State University
Tempe, AZ  85287-2402
USA

voice: 480-965-6262; fax: 480-965-7671
www: http://www.public.asu.edu/~cmbarton

On Feb 10, 2009, at 10:45 PM, chris carleton wrote:

> Hi All,
>
> I just joined this list and wish that I knew about it earlier. I'm a  
> grad student in archaeology and my research involves GIS, ABM, and  
> analytical mathematical models. I have, for a while now, been  
> considering trying to create ABMs that use a GIS - like GRASS - in  
> order to simulate environments for agents. Is there anything anyone  
> can suggest in the way of reading or other media that will help to  
> get me started on the specifics dealing with integrating GRASS and  
> ABMs? Is anyone on this list making use of Python and C instead of a  
> Java based language for their simulations? I would prefer to use C  
> or Python, which is why I'm asking. The kind of modeling I want to  
> do would require that the simulation be able to access raster maps  
> and affect changes to those maps as part of the output for analysis.  
> Any help or general advice is greatly appreciated - this message, I  
> suppose, is as much an introduction for myself as anything else  
> so.... "Hello GRASS-ABM World".
>
> Chris
>
> So many new options, so little time. Windows Live Messenger.  
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