Ongoing Emergence: A Core Concept in Epigenetic Robotics

We propose ongoing emergence as a core concept in epigenetic robotics. Ongoing emergence refers to the continuous development and integration of new skills and is exhibited when six criteria are satisfied: (1) continuous skill acquisition, (2) incorporation of new skills with existing skills, (3) autonomous development of values and goals, (4) bootstrapping of initial skills, (5) stability of skills, and (6) reproducibility. In this paper we: (a) provide a conceptual synthesis of ongoing emergence based on previous theorizing, (b) review current research in epigenetic robotics in light of ongoing emergence, (c) provide prototypical examples of ongoing emergence from infant development, and (d) outline computational issues relevant to creating robots exhibiting ongoing emergence

Emerging Linguistic Functions in Early Infancy

This paper presents results from experimental studies on early language acquisition in infants and attempts to interpret the experimental results within the framework of the Ecological Theory of Language Acquisition (ETLA) recently proposed by (Lacerda et al., 2004a). From this perspective, the infant’s first steps in the acquisition of the ambient language are seen as a consequence of the infant’s general capacity to represent sensory input and the infant’s interaction with other actors in its immediate ecological environment. On the basis of available experimental evidence, it will be argued that ETLA offers a productive alternative to traditional descriptive views of the language acquisition process by presenting an operative model of how early linguistic function may emerge through interaction

Change blindness: eradication of gestalt strategies

Arrays of eight, texture-defined rectangles were used as stimuli in a one-shot change blindness (CB) task where there was a 50% chance that one rectangle would change orientation between two successive presentations separated by an interval. CB was eliminated by cueing the target rectangle in the first stimulus, reduced by cueing in the interval and unaffected by cueing in the second presentation. This supports the idea that a representation was formed that persisted through the interval before being 'overwritten' by the second presentation (Landman et al, 2003 Vision Research 43149–164]. Another possibility is that participants used some kind of grouping or Gestalt strategy. To test this we changed the spatial position of the rectangles in the second presentation by shifting them along imaginary spokes (by ±1 degree) emanating from the central fixation point. There was no significant difference seen in performance between this and the standard task [F(1,4)=2.565, p=0.185]. This may suggest two things: (i) Gestalt grouping is not used as a strategy in these tasks, and (ii) it gives further weight to the argument that objects may be stored and retrieved from a pre-attentional store during this task

Visual System Development in People with One Eye: Behaviour and Structural Neural Correlates

Postnatal monocular deprivation from the surgical removal (enucleation) of one eye in humans results in intact spatial form vision, although its consequences on motion perception development are less clear. Changes in brain structure following early monocular enucleation have either been assessed in species whose visual system is quite different from humans, or in enucleated monkeys and humans following short-term survival. In this dissertation, I sought to determine the long-term effects of enucleation on visual system development by examining behavioural visual abilities and visual system morphology in adults who have had one eye enucleated early in life due to retinoblastoma. In Chapter II, I conducted a series of speed and luminance contrast discrimination tasks not yet implemented in this group. Early monocular enucleation results in impaired speed discrimination but intact contrast perception compared to binocular and monocular viewing controls. These findings suggest differential effects of enucleation on the development of spatial form vision and motion perception. In Chapters III and IV, I obtained high-resolution structural magnetic resonance images to assess the morphological development of subcortical (Chapter III) and cortical (Chapter IV) structures in the visual pathway. Early monocular enucleation resulted in decreased optic chiasm width and volume, optic tract diameters, and lateral geniculate nuclei (LGN) volumes compared with binocularly intact controls. Surprisingly, however, optic tract diameter and LGN volume decreases were less severe contralateral to the remaining eye. Early monocular enucleation also resulted in increased grey matter surface area of visual and non-visual cortices compared with binocularly intact controls. Consistent with the LGN asymmetry, increased surface area of the primary visual cortex was restricted to the hemisphere contralateral to the remaining eye. Surprisingly, however, these increases were found for those with right- but not left-eye enucleation, suggesting different developmental time periods for each hemisphere. Possible mechanisms of altered development following early monocular enucleation include: 1) recruitment of deafferented cells by the remaining eye, 2) retention of deafferented cells due to feedback from visual cortex, and 3) a disruption in synaptic pruning. These data highlight the importance of receiving normal levels of binocular visual input during infancy for typical visual development

Visual Cortex

The neurosciences have experienced tremendous and wonderful progress in many areas, and the spectrum encompassing the neurosciences is expansive. Suffice it to mention a few classical fields: electrophysiology, genetics, physics, computer sciences, and more recently, social and marketing neurosciences. Of course, this large growth resulted in the production of many books. Perhaps the visual system and the visual cortex were in the vanguard because most animals do not produce their own light and offer thus the invaluable advantage of allowing investigators to conduct experiments in full control of the stimulus. In addition, the fascinating evolution of scientific techniques, the immense productivity of recent research, and the ensuing literature make it virtually impossible to publish in a single volume all worthwhile work accomplished throughout the scientific world. The days when a single individual, as Diderot, could undertake the production of an encyclopedia are gone forever. Indeed most approaches to studying the nervous system are valid and neuroscientists produce an almost astronomical number of interesting data accompanied by extremely worthy hypotheses which in turn generate new ventures in search of brain functions. Yet, it is fully justified to make an encore and to publish a book dedicated to visual cortex and beyond. Many reasons validate a book assembling chapters written by active researchers. Each has the opportunity to bind together data and explore original ideas whose fate will not fall into the hands of uncompromising reviewers of traditional journals. This book focuses on the cerebral cortex with a large emphasis on vision. Yet it offers the reader diverse approaches employed to investigate the brain, for instance, computer simulation, cellular responses, or rivalry between various targets and goal directed actions. This volume thus covers a large spectrum of research even though it is impossible to include all topics in the extremely diverse field of neurosciences

Spatial Displays and Spatial Instruments

The conference proceedings topics are divided into two main areas: (1) issues of spatial and picture perception raised by graphical electronic displays of spatial information; and (2) design questions raised by the practical experience of designers actually defining new spatial instruments for use in new aircraft and spacecraft. Each topic is considered from both a theoretical and an applied direction. Emphasis is placed on discussion of phenomena and determination of design principles