Creativity and Autonomy in Swarm Intelligence Systems

This work introduces two swarm intelligence algorithms -- one mimicking the behaviour of one species of ants (\emph{Leptothorax acervorum}) foraging (a `Stochastic Diffusion Search', SDS) and the other algorithm mimicking the behaviour of birds flocking (a `Particle Swarm Optimiser', PSO) -- and outlines a novel integration strategy exploiting the local search properties of the PSO with global SDS behaviour. The resulting hybrid algorithm is used to sketch novel drawings of an input image, exploliting an artistic tension between the local behaviour of the `birds flocking' - as they seek to follow the input sketch - and the global behaviour of the `ants foraging' - as they seek to encourage the flock to explore novel regions of the canvas. The paper concludes by exploring the putative `creativity' of this hybrid swarm system in the philosophical light of the `rhizome' and Deleuze's well known `Orchid and Wasp' metaphor

A Consensus-Based Grouping Algorithm for Multi-agent Cooperative Task Allocation with Complex Requirements

Este artículo repasa los usos del llamado paradigma hexaemeral (el relato de la creación del mundo contenido en el primer capítulo del Génesis) en la poesía de Lope, dejando aparte los ejemplos contenidos en su prosa doctrinal y en su teatro, donde el motivo tiene una dilatada presencia en sus autos sacramentales. La escasez de ejemplos en su poesía lírica se explica en parte por la específica materia sacra y catequética del motivo. This paper shows the use of the hexaemeral paradigm (the story of the creation of the world contained in the first chapter of the book of Genesis) in the poetry of Lope, not including other examples from his doctrinal prose and theater, where the topic has an extensive presence, especially in his sacramental plays. The scarcity of cases in Lope’s lyric poetry is partly explained by the specific sacred and catechetical content of the motif

A consensus-based grouping algorithm for multi-agent cooperative task allocation with complex requirements

This paper looks at consensus algorithms for agent cooperation with unmanned aerial vehicles. The foundation is the consensus-based bundle algorithm, which is extended to allow multi-agent tasks requiring agents to cooperate in completing individual tasks. Inspiration is taken from the cognitive behaviours of eusocial animals for cooperation and improved assignments. Using the behaviours observed in bees and ants inspires decentralised algorithms for groups of agents to adapt to changing task demand. Further extensions are provided to improve task complexity handling by the agents with added equipment requirements and task dependencies. We address the problems of handling these challenges and improve the efficiency of the algorithm for these requirements, whilst decreasing the communication cost with a new data structure. The proposed algorithm converges to a conflict-free, feasible solution of which previous algorithms are unable to account for. Furthermore, the algorithm takes into account heterogeneous agents, deadlocking and a method to store assignments for a dynamical environment. Simulation results demonstrate reduced data usage and communication time to come to a consensus on multi-agent tasks. © 2014 The Author(s)

Intelligence without Representation: A Historical Perspective

This paper reflects on a seminal work in the history of AI and representation: Rodney Brooks’ 1991 paper Intelligence without Representation. Brooks advocated the removal of explicit representations and engineered environments from the domain of his robotic intelligence experimentation, in favour of an evolutionary-inspired approach using layers of reactive behaviour that operated independently of each other. Brooks criticised the current progress in AI research and believed that removing complex representation from AI would help address problematic areas in modelling the mind. His belief was that we should develop artificial intelligence by being guided by evolutionary development of our own intelligence, and that his approach mirrored how our own intelligence functions. Thus the field of behaviour-based robotics emerged. This paper offers a historical analysis of Brooks’ behaviour-based robotics approach and its impact in artificial intelligence and cognitive theory at the time, as well as in modern-day approaches to AI

Da emergência da sonoridade às sonoridades emergentes: mediação tecnológica, emergentismo e a criação sonora com suporte computacional

Apresentamos uma visão panorâmica e crí­tica de como o uso computador enquanto artefato de criação musical pode retroagir sobre os próprios modelos composicionais mediados por este. De maneira similar às mudanças de paradigma que o uso de dispositivos de gravação trouxe à criação musical, emergindo disto a sonoridade como um aspecto central do discurso sonoro, o uso de computadores tem potencializado novos campos de ação criativa não orientados à determinação das estruturas da obra em si, mas à criação de condições ambientais favoráveis ao surgimento de estruturas como um aspecto emergente da própria interação entre as partes do sistema. A partir da discussão de distintos modelos composicionais, trataremos como a criação com suporte computacional tem sido explorada como aporte à emergência de novas estruturas

Task allocation and consensus with groups of cooperating Unmanned Aerial Vehicles

The applications for Unmanned Aerial Vehicles are numerous and cover a range of areas from military applications, scientific projects to commercial activities, but many of these applications require substantial human involvement. This work focuses on the problems and limitations in cooperative Unmanned Aircraft Systems to provide increasing realism for cooperative algorithms. The Consensus Based Bundle Algorithm is extended to remove single agent limits on the task allocation and consensus algorithm. Without this limitation the Consensus Based Grouping Algorithm is proposed that allows the allocation and consensus of multiple agents onto a single task. Solving these problems further increases the usability of cooperative Unmanned Aerial Vehicles groups and reduces the need for human involvement. Additional requirements are taken into consideration including equipment requirements of tasks and creating a specific order for task completion. The Consensus Based Grouping Algorithm provides a conflict free feasible solution to the multi-agent task assignment problem that provides a reasonable assignment without the limitations of previous algorithms. Further to this the new algorithm reduces the amount of communication required for consensus and provides a robust and dynamic data structure for a realistic application. Finally this thesis provides a biologically inspired improvement to the Consensus Based Grouping Algorithm that improves the algorithms performance and solves some of the difficulties it encountered with larger cooperative requirements

Children's ability to generate novel actions

Social learning has given us insight into how children learn actions from others across different domains (e.g., actions on objects, pretend play, and tool use). However, little research exists to confirm whether young children can generate their own novel actions. Three different settings were chosen to offer a varied investigation of children’s ability to generate novel actions: generating multiple actions with novel objects; generating iconic gestures in order to communicate; and generating pretend actions using object substitution. Generating multiple actions with novel objects: The Unusual Box test was developed to investigate children’s ability to generate multiple actions with novel objects (Chapter 2). The Unusual Box test involves children playing with a wooden box that contains many different features (e.g., rings, stairs, strings), and five novel objects. The number of different actions performed on the box and with the objects (i.e., fluency) was used as a measure of their individual learning. Positive correlations between the fluency scores of 24 3- and 4-year-olds on the Unusual Box test and two existing measures of divergent thinking were found. Divergent thinking relates to the ability to think of multiple answers based on one premise. Furthermore, a large range of fluency scores indicated individual differences in children’s ability to generate multiple actions with novel objects. In addition, 16 2-year-olds were assessed on the Unusual Box test, twice two weeks apart, to investigate test-retest reliability and the possibility that the Unusual Box test could be used with children younger than 3 years. A strong positive correlation between the scores on the two assessments showed high test-retest reliability, while individual differences in fluency scores and the absence of a floor effect indicated that the Unusual Box test was usable in children from 2 years of age. Generating iconic gestures in order to communicate: Children’s ability to generate iconic gestures in order to communicate was assessed using a game to request stickers from an experimenter (N = 20, Chapter 3). In order to get a sticker children had to communicate to the experimenter which out of two objects they wanted (only one object had a sticker attached to it). Children’s use of speech or pointing was ineffective; therefore only generating an iconic gesture was sufficient to retrieve the sticker. Children generated a correct iconic gesture on 71% of the trials. These findings indicate that children generate their own iconic gestures in order to communicate; and that they understand the representational nature of iconic gestures, and use this in their own generation of iconic gestures. Generating pretend actions using object substitution: In order to determine whether children are able to generate their own object substitution actions and understand the representational nature of these actions, 45 3- and 4-year-olds were familiarized with the goal of a task through modelling actions. Children distinguished between the intentions of an experimenter to pretend, or try and perform a correct action. Children mainly imitated the pretend actions, while correcting the trying actions. Next, children were presented with objects for which they had to generate their own object substitution actions without being shown a model. When children had previously been shown pretend actions, children generated their own object substitution actions. This indicates that children generate their own object substitution actions, and that they understand the representational nature of these actions. An additional study with 34 3-year-olds, revealed no significant correlations between divergent thinking, inhibitory control, or children’s object substitution in a free play setting, and children’s ability to generate object substitution actions in the experimental setting