Logic, self-awareness and self-improvement: The metacognitive loop and the problem of brittleness

This essay describes a general approach to building perturbation-tolerant autonomous systems, based on the conviction that artificial agents should be able notice when something is amiss, assess the anomaly, and guide a solution into place. We call this basic strategy of self-guided learning the metacognitive loop; it involves the system monitoring, reasoning about, and, when necessary, altering its own decision-making components. In this essay, we (a) argue that equipping agents with a metacognitive loop can help to overcome the brittleness problem, (b) detail the metacognitive loop and its relation to our ongoing work on time-sensitive commonsense reasoning, (c) describe specific, implemented systems whose perturbation tolerance was improved by adding a metacognitive loop, and (d) outline both short-term and long-term research agendas

The roots of self-awareness

In this paper we provide an account of the structural underpinnings of self-awareness. We offer both an abstract, logical account-by way of suggestions for how to build a genuinely self-referring artificial agent-and a biological account, via a discussion of the role of somatoception in supporting and structuring self-awareness more generally. Central to the account is a discussion of the necessary motivational properties of self-representing mental tokens, in light of which we offer a novel definition of self-representation. We also discuss the role of such tokens in organizing self-specifying information, which leads to a naturalized restatement of the guarantee that introspective awareness is immune to error due to mis-identification of the subject

Open-Loop Neurofeedback Audiovisual Stimulation: A Pilot Study of Its Potential for Sleep Induction in Older Adults

This pilot study tested the efficacy of a 30-min audio-visual stimulation (AVS) program for the treatment of chronic insomnia in older adults. Chronic insomnia has been conceptualized as entailing increased cortical high frequency EEG activity at sleep onset and during NREM sleep. We hypothesized that an AVS program gradually descending from 8 to 1 Hz would potentially reduce the excessive cortical activation that is thought to contribute to difficulties with initiating and maintaining sleep. Accordingly, we conducted an intervention study of AVS using a pre-post design. Eight older adults (88 ± 8.7 years) complaining of chronic insomnia self-administered a 30-min AVS program nightly at bedtime for one month. Sleep was assessed at baseline and throughout the 4-week intervention. After using AVS for 4 weeks, significant improvement was reported in insomnia symptoms (ISI, p = 0.002) and sleep quality (PSQI, p = 0.004); with moderate to large effect sizes (Partial Eta2: 0.20-0.55)(Cohen\u27s d: 0.7-2.3). The training effect (self-reported sleep improvement) was observed at the end of week one and persisted through the 1-month intervention. The results from this pilot study suggest that further exploration of AVS as a treatment for insomnia is warranted

What experts deny, novices must understand

We consider the problem of representing the denial of default information. We show that such denials are important parts of commonsense reasoning. Moreover, their representation is not a simple matter of negating traditional representations of default information. We have found a solution by separating default information into use and trend portions. This approach may also afford a more compact way to represent defaults in general. (Also cross-referenced as UMIACS-TR-94-64

Comparative effectiveness of cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia: a systematic review

BACKGROUND: Insomnia is common in primary care, can persist after co-morbid conditions are treated, and may require long-term medication treatment. A potential alternative to medications is cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I). METHODS: In accordance with PRISMA guidelines, we systematically reviewed MEDLINE, EMBASE, the Cochrane Central Register, and PsycINFO for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing CBT-I to any prescription or non-prescription medication in patients with primary or comorbid insomnia. Trials had to report quantitative sleep outcomes (e.g. sleep latency) in order to be included in the analysis. Extracted results included quantitative sleep outcomes, as well as psychological outcomes and adverse effects when available. Evidence base quality was assessed using GRADE. RESULTS: Five studies met criteria for analysis. Low to moderate grade evidence suggests CBT-I has superior effectiveness to benzodiazepine and non-benzodiazepine drugs in the long term, while very low grade evidence suggests benzodiazepines are more effective in the short term. Very low grade evidence supports use of CBT-I to improve psychological outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: CBT-I is effective for treating insomnia when compared with medications, and its effects may be more durable than medications. Primary care providers should consider CBT-I as a first-line treatment option for insomnia

Presentations and this and that: logic in action

The tie between linguistic entities (e.g., words) and their meanings (e.g., objects in the world) is one that a reasoning agent had better know about and be able to alter when occasion demands. This has a number of important commonsense uses. The formal point, though, is that a new treatment is called for so that rational behavior via a logic can measure up to the constraint that it be able to change usage, employ new words, change meanings of old words, and so on. Here we do not offer a new logic per se; rather we borrow an existing one (step logic) and apply it to the specific issue of language change. (Also cross-referenced as UMIACS-TR-94-36

A Pilot Study of Audio-Visual Stimulation as a Self-Care Treatment for Insomnia in Adults with Insomnia and Chronic Pain

This pilot study tested the efficacy of an audio-visual stimulation (AVS) program for the promotion of sleep in individuals with chronic pain. Insomnia and chronic pain are common comorbid conditions and their relationship has been viewed as bidirectional. Recent studies suggest a relatively dominant role of sleep in this dyad. The premise of this pilot study was that AVS enhances low frequency while reducing high frequency brain activity resulting in decreased hyperarousal and improved sleep with potential consequent reduction in pain. We conducted a pilot intervention study of AVS using a pre-post design. Participants self-administered a 30-min AVS program nightly at bedtime for 1 month. Sleep and pain were assessed at baseline and at the conclusion of the 4-week intervention phase. Nine adults (mean age 33 ± 15.8 years; female, 89 %) completed the study. After using the AVS device for 4 weeks, significant improvement was seen in reported insomnia (ISI, p = 0.003), pain severity (BPI, p = 0.005), and pain interference with functioning (BPI, p = 0.001). Large effect sizes (Partial η2 0.20-0.94) (Cohen\u27s d 0.44-1.45) were observed. The results of this pilot study suggest that the AVS program may be efficacious in decreasing both insomnia and pain symptoms. In order to better assess the efficacy of AVS for sleep promotion and possible pain reduction, more definitive randomized controlled trials will be needed. These should include appropriate sample sizes, objective measures of sleep and pain, and longitudinal follow-up