Predictive Coding Theories of Cortical Function

Predictive coding is a unifying framework for understanding perception, action and neocortical organization. In predictive coding, different areas of the neocortex implement a hierarchical generative model of the world that is learned from sensory inputs. Cortical circuits are hypothesized to perform Bayesian inference based on this generative model. Specifically, the Rao-Ballard hierarchical predictive coding model assumes that the top-down feedback connections from higher to lower order cortical areas convey predictions of lower-level activities. The bottom-up, feedforward connections in turn convey the errors between top-down predictions and actual activities. These errors are used to correct current estimates of the state of the world and generate new predictions. Through the objective of minimizing prediction errors, predictive coding provides a functional explanation for a wide range of neural responses and many aspects of brain organization

Planning and acting in uncertain environments using probabilistic inference

Abstract — An important problem in robotics is planning and selecting actions for goal-directed behavior in noisy uncertain environments. The problem is typically addressed within the framework of partially observable Markov decision processes (POMDPs). Although efficient algorithms exist for learning policies for MDPs, these algorithms do not generalize easily to POMDPs. In this paper, we propose a framework for planning and action selection based on probabilistic inference in graphical models. Unlike previous approaches based on MAP inference, our approach utilizes the most probable explanation (MPE) of variables in a graphical model, allowing tractable and efficient inference of actions. It generalizes easily to complex partially observable environments. Furthermore, it allows rewards and costs to be incorporated in a straightforward manner as part of the inference process. We investigate the application of our approach to the problem of robot navigation by testing it on a suite of well-known POMDP benchmarks. Our results demonstrate that the proposed method can beat or match the performance of recently proposed specialized POMDP solvers. I