Lowe R., Montebelli A., Ieropoulos I., Greenman J., Melhuish C. & Ziemke T. (2010) Grounding motivation in energy autonomy: A study of artificial metabolism constrained robot dynamics. In: Fellermann H., Dörr M., Hanczyc M., Laursen L., Maurer S., Merkle D., Monnard P.-A., Sty K. & & Rasmussen S. (eds.) Artificial life XII. MIT Press, Cambridge MA: 725–732. https://cepa.info/2408
Lowe R., Montebelli A., Ieropoulos I., Greenman J., Melhuish C. & Ziemke T.
(
2010)
Grounding motivation in energy autonomy: A study of artificial metabolism constrained robot dynamics.
In: Fellermann H., Dörr M., Hanczyc M., Laursen L., Maurer S., Merkle D., Monnard P.-A., Sty K. & & Rasmussen S. (eds.) Artificial life XII. MIT Press, Cambridge MA: 725–732.
Fulltext at https://cepa.info/2408
We present an evolutionary robotics investigation into the metabolism constrained homeostatic dynamics of a simulated robot. Unlike existing research that has focused on either energy or motivation autonomy the robot described here is considered in terms of energy-motivation autonomy. This stipulation is made according to a requirement of autonomous systems to spatiotemporally integrate environmental and physiological sensed information. In our experiment, the latter is generated by a simulated artificial metabolism (a microbial fuel cell batch) and its integration with the former is determined by an E-GasNet-active vision interface. The investigation centres on robot performance in a three-dimensional simulator on a stereotyped two-resource problem. Motivationlike states emerge according to periodic dynamics identifiable for two viable sensorimotor strategies. Robot adaptivity is found to be sensitive to experimenter-manipulated deviations from evolved metabolic constraints. Deviations detrimentally affect the viability of cognitive (anticipatory) capacities even where constraints are significantly lessened. These results support the hypothesis that grounding motivationally autonomous robots is critical to adaptivity and cognition.
Montebelli A. (2012) Modeling the role of energy management in embodied cognition. Doctoral dissertation No. 1455, University of Linköping / University of Skövde, Sweden . https://cepa.info/471
Montebelli A.
(
2012)
Modeling the role of energy management in embodied cognition.
Doctoral dissertation No. 1455, University of Linköping / University of Skövde, Sweden .
Fulltext at https://cepa.info/471
This thesis advocates a perspective on embodiment that emphasizes the role of non-neural bodily dynamics in the constitution of cognitive processes in both natural and artificial systems. In the first part, it critically examines the theoretical positions - including cybernetic, autopoietic and enactive approaches - that have influenced current theories and the author’s own position. The second part presents the author’s experimental work, based on the computer simulation of simple robotic agents engaged in energy-related tasks. Proto-metabolic dynamics, modeled on the basis of actual microbial fuel cells for energy generation, constitute the foundations of a powerful motivational engine. Following a history of adaptation, proto-metabolic states bias the robot towards specific behaviors, viably attuned to the current context, and facilitate swift re-adaptation to novel tasks. Proto-metabolic dynamics put the situated nature of the sensorimotor interaction within a perspective that is functional for the maintenance of the robot’s overall viability.