Multi-sensory Integration in a Quantum-Like Robot Perception Model

Formalisms inspired by Quantum theory have been used in Cognitive Science for decades. Indeed, Quantum-Like (QL) approaches provide descriptive features that are inherently suitable for perception, cognition, and decision processing. A preliminary study on the feasibility of a QL robot perception model has been carried out for a robot with limited sensing capabilities. In this paper, we generalize such a model for multi-sensory inputs, creating a multidimensional world representation directly based on sensor readings. Given a 3-dimensional case study, we highlight how this model provides a compact and elegant representation, embodying features that are extremely useful for modeling uncertainty and decision. Moreover, the model enables to naturally define query operators to inspect any world state, which answers quantifies the robot's degree of belief on that state.Comment: Paper submitted to the 17th International Symposium on Experimental Robotics, Malta, Nov. 9-12, 202

A Preliminary Study for a Quantum-like Robot Perception Model

Formalisms based on quantum theory have been used in Cognitive Science for decades due to their descriptive features. A quantum-like (QL) approach provides descriptive features such as state superposition and probabilistic interference behavior. Moreover, quantum systems dynamics have been found isomorphic to cognitive or biological systems dynamics. The objective of this paper is to study the feasibility of a QL perception model for a robot with limited sensing capabilities. We introduce a case study, we highlight its limitations, and we investigate and analyze actual robot behaviors through simulations, while actual implementations based on quantum devices encounter errors for unbalanced situations. In order to investigate QL models for robot behavior, and to study the advantages leveraged by QL approaches for robot knowledge representation and processing, we argue that it is preferable to proceed with simulation-oriented techniques rather than actual realizations on quantum backends.Comment: Paper submitted to 29th IEEE International Conference on Robot & Human Interactive Communication (RO-MAN), 2020, Naples, Ital

Investigations of luminance- and contrast-modulated binocular rivalry

Binocular rivalry can occur when incompatible stimuli are presented separately to the eyes. Since the invention of the stereoscope by Wheatstone in 1838, binocular rivalry has been intensively investigated with visual stimuli, which are differentiated from the background by variations in luminance, so-called luminance-modulated stimuli. However, it is also possible to perceive stimuli for which luminance of the target does not differ from that of the background but instead varies in contrast: so-called contrast-modulated (CM) stimuli. The main aim of this thesis is to investigate CM and noisy luminance-modulated (LM) stimuli under binocular rivalry conditions as the gained knowledge would enhance our understanding of both CM processing, as well as binocular rivalry. Perceptual change rates, proportions of exclusive visibility, mixed percepts (i.e. piecemeal and superimposition), as well as changes of these proportions across time and distributions of perceptual phases were calculated and compared between various CM and LM stimulus conditions. To compare those stimulus types with each other, the detection threshold was measured in one experiment to determine the visibility of each stimulus type, i.e. multiples above threshold. LM stimuli engage in significantly more exclusive visibility and trigger more alternation even when CM stimuli are of comparable visibility. Lower proportions of exclusive visibility and numbers of perceptual alternation for CM stimuli were due to greater proportions of superimposition. When comparably visible LM and CM stimuli compete with each other under binocular rivalry conditions, CM exclusive visibility predominates over LM exclusive visibility. Even if LM visibility is many times above CM visibility, LM stimuli never reach perceptual predominance. This result suggests that CM stimuli are processed unlike LM stimuli by neurones that receive initial binocular input. The results obtained were integrated into models concerning alternation dynamics and underlying processing sites for LM and CM stimuli