Autonomous Cooperating Processes for the Improvement of Food Quality

In most cases, logistical planning tasks are a complex problem that is difficult to solve because of dynamic influences that cannot be foreseen. The concept of autonomous cooperating processes is an approach whereby the logistical objects themselves solve those tasks. Each object in the transport chain (freight, means of transport, warehouse...) is represented by a separate independent software unit (a so-called agent). These agents can interact and negotiate with each other. Each agent looks for a partial solution that is beneficial to the local object. In our approach, we put a focus on freight agents that observe the conditions during the process of transportation. Based on the evaluation of temperature measurement data, which are derived from a wireless sensor network inside the cargo hold, the remaining days of acceptable quality are predicted. In the case of an interruption of the cold chain, the agents can send warning messages to the freight owner or even make decisions on their own (e.g. a change to the planned route) to optimize the quality of the freight items on their arrival.