About MAIA

The MAIA meta-model (Modelling agents based on Institutional Analysis)
formalizes the IAD framework and extends it with other social theories and methods.
It provides a comprehensive set of concepts for developing agent-based
models. To validate the conceptual comprehensiveness of MAIA, we have developed
six case studies to date (e.g., the wood-fuel market, e-waste
recycling sector, manure-based bio-gas energy system). For more informtion please contact Amineh Ghorbani : a.ghorbani at tudelft.nl

 

The web-based application

To increase the usability of the MAIA meta-model and ensure that the concep- tualized models conform to the meta-model, we have developed a modelling environment. This modelling environment consists of two tools that are the interfaces for using MAIA: a web-tool and an Eclipse plugin. The MAIA web tool which can be opened in any web browser guides the conceptualization process by presenting tables and diagrams in the order they need to be filled in and automatically completing many other fields. Furthermore, the tool checks the input information for consistency and outputs the information provided by the user in a format that can be used to produce executable code.

Link to the web-tool.

E-core Plugin

It is also possible to make a MAIA-based model using an Eclipse plugin that we developed using E-core in the Eclipse Modelling Framework (EMF). The conceptualized model in Eclipse also has an XML specification which is produced in the same format at the MAIA web tool output. This plugin can also be used by non-programmers. However, the MAIA concepts are more formalized and restricted in the plugin tool than the web-based application. This gives less exibility in de ning concepts but results in a more complete automatic code generation.