Evolutionary Robotics: a new scientific tool for studying cognition

We survey developments in Artificial Neural Networks, in Behaviour-based Robotics and Evolutionary Algorithms that set the stage for Evolutionary Robotics in the 1990s. We examine the motivations for using ER as a scientific tool for studying minimal models of cognition, with the advantage of being capable of generating integrated sensorimotor systems with minimal (or controllable) prejudices. These systems must act as a whole in close coupling with their environments which is an essential aspect of real cognition that is often either bypassed or modelled poorly in other disciplines. We demonstrate with three example studies: homeostasis under visual inversion; the origins of learning; and the ontogenetic acquisition of entrainment

Understanding Large-Language Model (LLM)-powered Human-Robot Interaction

Large-language models (LLMs) hold significant promise in improving human-robot interaction, offering advanced conversational skills and versatility in managing diverse, open-ended user requests in various tasks and domains. Despite the potential to transform human-robot interaction, very little is known about the distinctive design requirements for utilizing LLMs in robots, which may differ from text and voice interaction and vary by task and context. To better understand these requirements, we conducted a user study (n = 32) comparing an LLM-powered social robot against text- and voice-based agents, analyzing task-based requirements in conversational tasks, including choose, generate, execute, and negotiate. Our findings show that LLM-powered robots elevate expectations for sophisticated non-verbal cues and excel in connection-building and deliberation, but fall short in logical communication and may induce anxiety. We provide design implications both for robots integrating LLMs and for fine-tuning LLMs for use with robots.Comment: 10 pages, 4 figures. Callie Y. Kim and Christine P. Lee contributed equally to the work. To be published in Proceedings of the 2024 ACM/IEEE International Conference on Human-Robot Interaction (HRI '24), March 11--14, 2024, Boulder, CO, US

Using Design Metaphors to Understand User Expectations of Socially Interactive Robot Embodiments

The physical design of a robot suggests expectations of that robot's functionality for human users and collaborators. When those expectations align with the true capabilities of the robot, interaction with the robot is enhanced. However, misalignment of those expectations can result in an unsatisfying interaction. This paper uses Mechanical Turk to evaluate user expectation through the use of design metaphors as applied to a wide range of robot embodiments. The first study (N=382) associates crowd-sourced design metaphors to different robot embodiments. The second study (N=803) assesses initial social expectations of robot embodiments. The final study (N=805) addresses the degree of abstraction of the design metaphors and the functional expectations projected on robot embodiments. Together, these results can guide robot designers toward aligning user expectations with true robot capabilities, facilitating positive human-robot interaction.Comment: 33 pages, 16 figures, 6 table

Pragmatic Evolutions of the Kantian a priori: From the Mental to the Bodily

In this article, I review textual evidence demonstrating that James and Dewey incorporated Kant’s ideas, even while criticizing him. I specifically argue that the pragmatic evolution of the Kantian a priori carried out by James and Dewey is a transition from the mental to the bodily. I further argue that the parallels between pragmatists and Kant, along with the transition from the mental to bodily, relate to scientific contexts in which all developed their outlooks. Though historically grounded, my ultimate goal is to show that pragmatism and by extension Kantianism mesh with and indeed contribute to cutting edge ideas in fields ranging from neuropathology to robotics and AI to cognitive science, whether in the form of Gibsonian theory or enactivism