Charles River Analytics has developed a ground-breaking approach to Sensor Network Optimization using Multi-Agent Negotiation (SNOMAN), which rapidly and dynamically allocates radar sensors to missiles for missile defense. SNOMAN was developed for the Missile Defense Agency (MDA) as part of an effort determining how to use a variety of distributed sensors, including land-based and ship-based radar, to track incoming missiles.

SNOMAN uses Charles River’s Belief Network software, BNet.Builder™, a desktop application for rapidly creating Belief Networks, entering information, and getting results. Christopher Farnham, Senior Software Engineer at Charles River Analytics, explained, “BNet.Builder is used to write the utility calculations of agents buying and selling within our market. The utility calculations determine the price that an individual agent is willing to pay for a task or good within the market.”

Charles River’s BNet product suite includes BNet.Builder™ to rapidly create Belief Networks, enter information, and get results; and BNet.EngineKit™ to incorporate Belief Network Technology into applications.