INTENSS · INformation-Theoretic analysis of Embodied and Situated Systems
Horizon 2020 — Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions
- Duration
- 2018-10-01 → 2020-12-30
- EU contribution
- €168,277
- Participants
- 1
- Scheme
- MSCA-IF-EF-ST
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Results in brief
INformation-Theoretic analysis of Embodied and Situated Systems
The embodied and situated perspective on cognition claims that biological or artificial intelligence is grounded in perception and action. This view contrasts with the traditional computational view of the mind, which conceives the mind as an abstract machine detached from the environment. This alternative position stresses the importance of the interaction with the surrounding world to ground concepts and develop to develop cognitive skills. A major limit addressed in this project is the lack of appropriate mathematical tools to analyse experimental data. In fact, a corollary of a theory stressing the primary importance of the agent-environment interaction is the dynamical nature of cognition. Therefore, traditional static metrics and measures may not suffice at providing evidence to explanatory models for certain cognitive phenomena. This project proposes and develops an analytical framework based on information-theoretic concepts and mathematical tools that may overcome such limitations. The focus is the study of human and robotic behaviour using kinematic data utilising as a case study the notion of multiple affordances, i.e. action possibilities offered by the environment to the cognitive agent. A crucial objective of the project consists of the development and refinement of the individual skills of the researchers. Specifically, the Fellow gained the necessary abilities to lead a psychological experiment and organise and lead research teams, extending his scientific network globally and locally.
Data: CORDIS, © European Union
Project objective
This proposal envisions a novel framework founded on information-theoretic concepts and mathematical tools for the analysis of embodied and situated systems, including synthetic models based on computer simulations, robotic platforms and biological organisms. The embodied cognition view stresses the importance of bodily interactions with the physical world for grounding concepts and structuring knowledge, underlining the importance of the continuous flow of perceptual information and motor actions. However, the analysis of such systems is still based on frequentist statistic or qualitative descriptions from a dynamical system perspective. The novelty of the proposed approach is the study of such systems from an ecological perspective, constructing a nonlinear and strictly quantitative methodology for behavioural and kinematic studies. The research plan proposes two main scientific innovations. Firstly, the experiments pioneer the application of information theory to human kinematic data to unveil nonlinear functional interactions among several body parts, thus mapping the information structures and causal relationships that characterise the sensorimotor flow. Secondly, the project aims at developing a robust methodology based on an algorithmic application of information-theoretic measures. The initial development of the algorithm is based on systems of coupled equations, defining aprioristically the relationships among variables. Subsequently, the algorithm is refined on neuro-robotics models, which provide a testbed for the validation and further development of the analytical framework by lesioning synapses or locking joints. Finally, the methodology is utilised on datasets recorded from participants to psychological experiments. Findings will be published in relevant scientific journals and the software will be available in an open source format. Moreover, the research program includes actions to reach the general public and the industrial sector.
Original text from CORDIS.
Participants
- CONSIGLIO NAZIONALE DELLE RICERCHE · RomaCoordinatorItaly
Links
Data: CORDIS, © European Union