Cognitive Robots and the Conscious Mind: A Review of the Global Workspace Theory

Abstract Purpose of Review The theory of consciousness is a subject that has kept scholars and researchers challenged for centuries. Even today it is not possible to define what consciousness is. This has led to the theorization of different models of consciousness. Starting from Baars' Global Workspace Theory, this paper examines the models of cognitive architectures that are inspired by it and that can represent a reference point in the field of robot consciousness. Recent Findings Global Workspace Theory has recently been ranked as the most promising theory in its field. However, this is not reflected in the mathematical models of cognitive architectures inspired by it: they are few, and most of them are a decade old, which is too long compared to the speed at which artificial intelligence techniques are improving. Indeed, recent publications propose simple mathematical models that are well designed for computer implementation. Summary In this paper, we introduce an overview of consciousness and robot consciousness, with some interesting insights from the literature. Then we focus on Baars' Global Workspace Theory, presenting it briefly. Finally, we report on the most interesting and promising models of cognitive architectures that implement it, describing their peculiarities

A follower-centric approach to leadership in the newsroom: The case of El País

This article analyses leadership in the newsroom of the Spanish newspaper El País as well as its impact on the craft of journalism more generally. Through 23 in-depth interviews, we try to elucidate how the newsroom constructs its leaders (in the newsroom, what does it mean to be a leader?), paying particular attention to the main skills considered to be necessary. According to our newsroom findings, not all heads of section or editors-in-chief are leaders, a fact that questions formal authority relations and proclaims expertise and know-how as discriminatory skills. This study emphasizes that the collective recognition of a leader is not an ultimate disposition, but can vary over time: consequently leaders who do not achieve the professional requirements of the newsroom can be denied the status, despite their expertise and experience. Our findings indicate that leaders at El País are those journalists (no matter what their positions) with strong capacities and skills (fundamentally experience, expertise and creativity) to manage form (relationships) and substance (contents) in the daily work of the newsroom. In short, journalists seen as leaders combine reiterated and strong qualities and merit, graphically reflected in the texts they have published for years in the newspaper

Cognitive Architectures for Serious Games

This dissertation summarises a research path aimed at fostering the use of Cognitive Architectures in Serious Games research field. Cognitive Architectures are an embodiment of scientific hypotheses and theories aimed at capturing the mechanisms of cognition that are considered consistent over time and independent of specific tasks or domains. The theoretical approaches provided by the research in computational cognitive modelling have been used to formalise a methodological framework to guide researchers and experts in the game-based education sector in designing, implementing, and evaluating Serious Games. The investigation of cognitive processes involved during the game experience represents the fundamental step of the pro- posed approach. Two different case studies are described to discuss the possible use of the suggested framework. In the first case study, the aim was to design a modified version of the Tetris game with the intention of making the game more effective in training the visual-spatial skill called mental rotation. In the second scenario, the frame- work was used as a basis for creating an innovative persuasive game. This case study provides an example of adopting cognitive architectures for implementing a non-player character with human-like behaviour developed using targeted cognitive theories

Online detection of interturn short-circuit fault in induction motor based on 5th harmonic current tracking using Vold-Kalman filter

In this paper we propose a strategy for real-time detection of interturn short-circuit faults (ISCF) on three-phase induction motor (IM) by using a Vold-Kalman filter (VKF) algorithm. ISCF produce a thermal stress into the stator winding due to large current that flows through the short-circuited turns. Therefore, incipient fault detection is required in order to avoid catastrophic failures such as phase to phase, or phase to ground faults. The strategy is based on an analytical IM model that includes a ISCF fault in any of the phase windings and considering the h-th harmonic in the voltage supply. Based on equivalent electrical circuits with harmonics in sequence components, we propose a strategy for detection of an ISCF on IM by tracking the 5th harmonic current component using a VKF algorithm. The proposed model is experimentally validated using a three-phase IM with modified stator windings to generate ISCF. Also, the IM is feeded by a programmable voltage source to synthesize distorted voltage supply with the 5th harmonic. The results demonstrated that the positive-sequence magnitude for the 5th harmonic current component is a good indicator of the fault severity once it exceeds a threshold limit value, even under load variations and unbalanced voltages

Introduction to the GaLA Conf 2019 Special Issue

It is a great pleasure for us to introduce this issue of the IJSG, which is dedicated to the Games and Learning Alliance Conference (GaLA Conf) that was held in Athens, November 27-29, 2019. Almost 70 participants converged in this beautiful, historic city in order to share knowledge and experiences related to serious games and gamification, their techniques and their application. A number of the best conference papers were selected, and the authors were invited to extend their paper with at least one-third new content, and to submit their paper to IJSG for a regular peer-review process. This issue contains three of the resulting articles, which gives an overview of the rich field of serious games.N/

Procesos de remoción en masa e implicaciones ambientales (partido de Tandil, provincia de Buenos Aires)

Los procesos de remoción en masa operan en la superficie terrestre por acción de la gravedad afectando rasgos naturales y artificiales del paisaje. Movilizan rocas, detritos y materiales producto de actividades humanas, con cantidades variables de hielo y/o agua. El uso del espacio en el partido va en aumento, ocupándose y generándose nuevas áreas susceptibles a dichos procesos, los que se desarrollan en contextos de diferente densidad poblacional. Los objetivos consisten en reconocer, caracterizar y analizar la distribución, recurrencia, probables mecanismos de producción y consecuencias ambientales. El estudio, se realizó con tareas de gabinete y campo. Involucraron la interpretación de fotos aéreas (escala 1:20.000, décadas de 1.960 y 1.980), imágenes satelitales (Google Earth, Bing, Here y ESRI), consulta de informes técnicos y periódicos de la ciudad de Tandil, datos meteorológicos del Servicio Meteorológico Nacional (= SMN) y aportados por residentes en áreas rurales, reconocimiento y caracterización en el terreno y consultas a vecinos en los sectores de producción de los procesos. Los resultados indican que estos procesos afectan componentes geológicos y geomorfológicos en contextos rurales y urbanos/suburbanos. En sectores no produjeron daños a las actividades humanas; otros, en conflicto con las mismas, generaron perjuicios principalmente, en el ámbito urbano/suburbano. Parte de los procesos es consecuencia directa de actividades humanas, impulsando movimientos que, en momentos previos existían. Dichos procesos y su recurrencia indican amenaza y, en otros casos, riesgo.Evento realizado junto con el VII Congreso Nacional de Geografía de Universidades PúblicasFacultad de Humanidades y Ciencias de la Educació

Mass movements recurrence (Tandil county, Buenos Aires province)

El objetivo del trabajo es analizar la recurrencia de movimientos en masa y los contextos morfológicos en los cuales se desarrolla, en sectores del partido de Tandil. El estudio fue realizado a partir de metodologías y técnicas de gabinete y de campo. Los resultados permiten establecer que la recurrencia de tales procesos se ha manifestado en componentes morfológicos naturales y producto de actividades humanas tales como frentes escapados en caminos y galerías subterráneas. En los últimos, los movimientos y su recurrencia fueron inducidos por dichas actividades, impulsando procesos inexistentes previos a la construcción y por consiguiente acelerando la tasa de producción de los mismos.The aim of this contribution is to analyze the recurrence of mass movements in the area of Tandil county, and the geomorphic contexts in which they occur. Both laboratory and field methods and techniques were used. The results suggest that the recurrence of such processes is determined by both natural geomorphic characteristics and human activities such as steep road cuts and underground galleries. The movements and their recurrence were conditioned by those activities, triggering processes in previously non-affected areas or accelerating their rates.Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Muse

Rock/soil falls and topples in a tourist area of the Southern Ranges of the Buenos Aires province

La presente contribución tiene como objeto el análisis de caídas y vuelcos de roca y suelo, en un sector de las Sierras Australes de la provincia de Buenos Aires, para establecer recomendaciones de seguridad para el uso turístico del territorio. Los trabajos de gabinete consistieron en reunir información sobre usos del territorio y mapear en un SIG los componentes geomorfológicos principales. En el terreno se caracterizaron evidencias de caídas/vuelcos, prestando especial atención a los indicadores morfológicos de edad relativa. Así, se reconoció el carácter recurrente de estos movimientos y se establecieron las zonas más susceptibles a la ocurrencia de los mismos.The aim of this contribution is the analysis of rock/soil falls and topples in a sector of the Southern Ranges of the Buenos Aires Province, to establish safety recommendations for tourist use. Office works consisted of gathering information about land uses and mapping the main geomorphological components in a GIS. On the field, evidences of falls/topples were characterized, focusing on relative age morphological indicators. Thus, the recurrent character of these movements was recognized and the most susceptible zones to their occurrence were established.Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Muse

Case-based learning. A formal approach to generate health case studies from electronic healthcare records

There is an increasing social pressure to train medical students with a level of competency sufficient to face clinical practice already at the end of their curriculum. The case-based learning (CBL) is an efficient teaching method to prepare students for clinical practice through the use of real or realistic clinical cases. In this regard, the Electronic Healthcare Record (EHR) could be a good source of real patient stories that can be transformed into educative cases. In this paper a formal approach to generate Health Case Studies from EHR is defined

Hydraulic Safety Evaluation and Dynamic Investigations of Baghetto Bridge in Italy

The present study deals with the structural safety evaluation of a 50-year-old river bridge, called Baghetto Bridge, located in north Italy on the Adda River. Generally speaking, hydraulic processes are the main cause of bridge failure. Scour and hydrodynamic loads have been largely studied by the hydraulic engineering community; however, in practice, integration with structural analysis is often missing. The aim of this research is to provide a multidisciplinary procedure based on hydraulic and dynamic investigations devoted to the structural verification and monitoring of river bridges with traditional mechanical bearings. The deck-river interaction is addressed, studying the influence of debris accumulation on the bridge and performing structural verification of the bearing supports. The actions exerted on the bridge deck by the river current were estimated following the recommendations of the Italian code and making some further assumptions. In addition, dynamic investigations and FE modelling were performed. The results show (1) a relatively fast procedure that can be applied by practitioners to perform structural verification of river bridges with traditional mechanical bearings, and (2) an investigation method to evaluate temperature-frequency correlation as a reference for future inspections