Cognitive Behaviors Modeling Using UML Profile: Design and Experience

Abstract

To achieve model reuse in combat effectiveness simulation systems development, cognitive decision behaviors are usually implemented using a scripting language, which is separate from the programming language used to implement simulation models. Therefore, it is desirable to establish a much better grounding for cognitive behaviors modeling. In the context of domain specific modeling, metamodeling from scratch for designing such a scripting language poses some limitations, among which is the issue of integrating various models that are represented by various customized languages with different syntax and semantics, together with a large expenditure of designing, implementing, and maintaining these languages and their supporting resources. Instead, UML profile-based metamodeling is adopted, as a lightweight extension to capture the cognitive domain specific concepts, relationships, and constraints. Moreover, a unifying framework is proposed to guide the cognitive domain specific profiles design. Upon this framework, the development process is shown through constructing an anti-submarine tactical profile in combat effectiveness simulation systems domain and the feasibility of the domain specific language is illustrated with an armed escort scenario.

Keywords

• Computer languages
• DSL
• metamodeling
• UML profile