Decentralized Data and Information Systems: Theory and Practice

This special issue is devoted to papers that have emerged from the ALADDIN (Autonomous Learning Agents for Decentralized Data and Information Networks) project (http://www.aladdinproject.org/). ALADDIN is concerned with developing techniques, methods and architectures for modelling, designing and building decentralized systems that can bring together information from a variety of heterogeneous sources in order to take informed actions in a timely manner. To do this, we have taken a total systems view on information and knowledge fusion and considered the feedback that exists between sensing, decision making and acting in such systems. Moreover, we have tackled these objectives in environments in which: control is distributed; uncertainty, ambiguity, imprecision and bias are endemic; multiple stakeholders with different aims and objectives are present; and resources are limited and continually vary during the systems operation.