Cognitive ability: Challenge: How to recognize objects in a scene; where are the object’s boundaries? This problem is known as ‘image segmentation’ in the field of computer vision. It is one of the most difficult problems in computer vision. CS295/CS395/CSYS395Evolutionary Robotics

Cognitive ability: Challenge: How to recognize objects in a scene; where are the object’s boundaries? This problem is known as ‘image segmentation’ in the field of computer vision. Solution: Cog: interacts with the scene, rather than passively observing it. Q: What else can Cog infer about the objects it interacts with? CS295/CS395/CSYS395Evolutionary Robotics Early integration of vision and manipulation. G Metta, P Fitzpatrick Adaptive Behavior, 2003

CS295/CS395/CSYS395Evolutionary Robotics Cognitive ability: Kasparov vs. Deep Blue: Won its first game against world champion: Won its first match against world champion: Q: How does Deep Blue work?

Cognitive ability: Example: Another aspect of human cognition: free will. Most people believe that they have free will: “I decide in my mind that I want to do something, and then I do it.” Libet, B., Gleason, C. A., Write, E. W., and Pearl, D. K. (1983). Time of conscious intention to act in relation to onset of cerebral activity (readiness-potential): The unconscious initiation of a freely voluntary act. Brain, 106: Time (EEG) sensors record brain activity I decide to move my finger now. The finger moves. 0 msec200 msec (EMG) sensors record muscle activity CS295/CS395/CSYS395Evolutionary Robotics

Warning: Thinking about thinking is misleading; introspection is dangerous Example: Another aspect of human cognition: free will. Most people believe that they have free will: “I decide in my mind that I want to do something, and then I do it.”  Thinking about free will seems to imply that free will exists … but does it? Observation: Brain activity associated with the finger movement begins 300 msec before the subject experiences the conscious will to move the finger. Conclusion: If free will is unconscious, and our consciousness has no control over it, then it can’t be “free” will. Time (EEG) sensors record brain activity I decide to move my finger now. The finger moves. 0 msec200 msec-300 msec (EMG) sensors record muscle activity CS295/CS395/CSYS395Evolutionary Robotics

CS295/CS395/CSYS395Evolutionary Robotics Model Sense Move Embodied Planning Model Plan

CS295/CS395/CSYS395Evolutionary Robotics 1.Behaviors are arranged in parallel, not serial. 2. One behavior is always in control at any one time. 3. When stimuli are not present, higher levels subsume control of the robot.

(This does not count as a body  ) Why not? A body is a tool for affecting the world, and for being affected by it. Embodied cognition: the way you process information is affected by the fact that you have a body. Example: If you have a body that can move, and you can see, then moving will cause immediate feedback. Non-embodied technologies (such as computers) must wait for feedback from another computer (via packets) or a person (via an input device). Movement Distance grows less CS295/CS395/CSYS395Evolutionary Robotics

(Embodied cognition: the way you process information is affected by the fact that you have a body.) Situated cognition: the way you process information is affected by the fact that you are physically situated in the world. Example: Embedded devices Changes in sensor readings are often the result of physical processes: 1. they occur in real-time, 2. they are not under the control of the device or agent, 3. and they do not wait for a signal from the device to change. Specific example:A wireless sensor senses changes in light levels; light levels change regardless of whether the device records the data or not. A computer:Data within computer memory does not change, unless it is explicitly changed by the computer itself. CS295/CS395/CSYS395Evolutionary Robotics

Embodied and Situated cognition (Embodied cognition: the way you process information is affected by the fact that you have a body.) (Situated cognition: the way you process information is affected by the fact that you are physically situated in the world. A complete agent is an agent that is both situated and embodied. Complete agents have three important properties that distinguish them from other kinds of agents: 1.They are subject to the laws of physics (by being in the world). Q: Examples? 2. They generate sensory stimulation (through behavior). Q: Examples? 3. They affect the environment (through behavior). Q: Examples? CS295/CS395/CSYS395Evolutionary Robotics

Classification of technologies: CS295/CS395/CSYS395Evolutionary Robotics