Combined Systems stands for Chaotic Open world Multi-agent Based Intelligently NEtworked Decision-support Systems. Combined Systems envisions future systems to consist of both human actors and artificial agents that work together to achieve their common goals in sometimes chaotic circumstances. The agents will support the humans, assist them in the process of collaborative decision making, or even take over decisions that will lead to the best global performance. Actors and agents are organized in a network with a specific configuration, not everyone is connected to everyone else. Together the system of actors and agents is considered to be a collaborative intelligent system.

The project selected the domain of crisis response in which multiple parties (police, firebrigade, health services, governemental agencies, etcetera) work together to contain the crisis. Collaboratively they aim to save lives, stabilize the cause of the incident, and conserve the surrounding infrastructure. The Combined Systems project aims to gather essential knowledge required for delivering innovative real-world solutions for crisis management. All phases of the crisis management process cycle are addressed: first making sense of what is going on through observation and orientation. Then, based on this, making decisions and taking actions.

The Combined Systems project has developed innovative building blocks that can be used in developing solutions for crisis management. In order to demonstrate the principles of these building blocks a challenging crisis management scenario was created. In this imaginary but realistic scenario a large-scale disaster takes place in the Rotterdam Harbor area.