The implications of embodiment for behavior and cognition: animal and robotic case studies

In this paper, we will argue that if we want to understand the function of the brain (or the control in the case of robots), we must understand how the brain is embedded into the physical system, and how the organism interacts with the real world. While embodiment has often been used in its trivial meaning, i.e. 'intelligence requires a body', the concept has deeper and more important implications, concerned with the relation between physical and information (neural, control) processes. A number of case studies are presented to illustrate the concept. These involve animals and robots and are concentrated around locomotion, grasping, and visual perception. A theoretical scheme that can be used to embed the diverse case studies will be presented. Finally, we will establish a link between the low-level sensory-motor processes and cognition. We will present an embodied view on categorization, and propose the concepts of 'body schema' and 'forward models' as a natural extension of the embodied approach toward first representations.Comment: Book chapter in W. Tschacher & C. Bergomi, ed., 'The Implications of Embodiment: Cognition and Communication', Exeter: Imprint Academic, pp. 31-5

Robots as Powerful Allies for the Study of Embodied Cognition from the Bottom Up

A large body of compelling evidence has been accumulated demonstrating that embodiment – the agent’s physical setup, including its shape, materials, sensors and actuators – is constitutive for any form of cognition and as a consequence, models of cognition need to be embodied. In contrast to methods from empirical sciences to study cognition, robots can be freely manipulated and virtually all key variables of their embodiment and control programs can be systematically varied. As such, they provide an extremely powerful tool of investigation. We present a robotic bottom-up or developmental approach, focusing on three stages: (a) low-level behaviors like walking and reflexes, (b) learning regularities in sensorimotor spaces, and (c) human-like cognition. We also show that robotic based research is not only a productive path to deepening our understanding of cognition, but that robots can strongly benefit from human-like cognition in order to become more autonomous, robust, resilient, and safe

Exploiting short-term memory in soft body dynamics as a computational resource

Soft materials are not only highly deformable but they also possess rich and diverse body dynamics. Soft body dynamics exhibit a variety of properties, including nonlinearity, elasticity, and potentially infinitely many degrees of freedom. Here we demonstrate that such soft body dynamics can be employed to conduct certain types of computation. Using body dynamics generated from a soft silicone arm, we show that they can be exploited to emulate functions that require memory and to embed robust closed-loop control into the arm. Our results suggest that soft body dynamics have a short-term memory and can serve as a computational resource. This finding paves the way toward exploiting passive body dynamics for control of a large class of underactuated systems.Comment: 22 pages, 11 figures; email address correcte

Výzkum a vývoj počítačové podpory pro údržbu, montáže a další pomocné a obslužné práce

This dissertation thesis deals with the rising importance of computer (software) support for auxiliary and service processes in production companies, such as maintenance, assembly, and further activities. This thesis focuses on a solution of how to practically apply sophisticated systems and computer support concepts. Further, it emphasises its effect on the company’s economics, on logistics, and on the rising requirement on the discipline of collecting and using reliable and correct data. The data can be used for rationalising various activities in production companies. The data can also be applied during maintenance activities. This dissertation thesis deals with the usage of maintenance data for a hydraulic press in a Czech production company. The distribution of data by the company’s ERP system has the task to decrease financial and time requirements of machine maintenance. The following rationalisation proposal for maintenance activities is to be the basis for a detailed approach in the course of the dissertation thesis. The approach should streamline the maintenance and allow for the harmonisation of main working and auxiliary maintenance operations. The subject of the analysis is a production company with lot production; the production process of the company exhibits instabilities on certain machines. The main tools are to implement the TPM concept, to standardise the maintenance activities, and to further economically evaluate the effectiveness of the proposal.Doktorské disertační práce řeší stoupající důležitost počítačové (softwarové) podpory pro pomocné a obslužné procesy ve výrobních podnicích, jako jsou údržbářské, montážní a další práce. Tato práce se koncentrují na řešení jak prakticky použít sofistikované systémy a koncepty počítačové podpory. Dále je zdůrazněn efekt na ekonomiku podniku, na logistiku a na zvyšující se nároky v disciplíně sbírání a použití kvalitních dat. Data mohou být použitá na racionalizaci různých aktivit ve výrobních společnostech. Uplatnění mohou tato data najít i v údržbářských aktivitách. Práce se zabývá používáním dat údržbářských aktivit pro hydraulický lis v české výrobní společnosti. Distribuce dat pomocí firemního ERP systému má záměr snižovat finanční a časové nároky údržby v podniku. Vyvozený návrh racionalizace údržbářských aktivit má sloužit jako základ pro důkladné řešení v průběhu disertační práce. Návrh má zefektivňovat údržbu a umožnit sladěný průběh hlavních pracovních a pomocných údržbářských úkonů. Předmětem analýzy je výrobní společnost s dávkovou výrobou s nestabilitami výroby na některých určitých strojích. Hlavními nástroji jsou zavedení koncepce TPM, standardizace údržbářských aktivit a následné ekonomické hodnocení efektivity návrhu.345 - Katedra mechanické technologievyhově

Interacting with the real world: design principles for intelligent systems

The last two decades in the field of artificial intelligence have clearly shown that true intelligence always requires the interaction of an agent with a real physical and social environment. The concept of embodiment that has been introduced to designate the modern approach to designing intelligence has far-reaching implications. Rather than studying computation alone, we must consider the interplay between morphology, materials, brain (control), and the environment. A number of case studies are presented, and it is demonstrated how artificial evolution and morphogenesis can be used to systematically investigate this interplay. Taking these ideas into account requires entirely novel ways of thinking, and often leads to surprising result

Simulating development in a real robot: on the concurrent increase of sensory, motor, and neural complexity

We present a quantitative investigation on the effects of a discrete developmental progression on the acquisition of a foveation behavior by a robotic hand-arm-eyes system. Development is simulated by (a) increasing the resolution of visual and tactile systems, (b) freezing and freeing mechanical degrees of freedom, and (c) adding neuronal units to the neural control architecture. Our experimental results show that a system starting with a low-resolution sensory system, a low precision motor system, and a low complexity neural structure, learns faster that a system which is more complex at the beginning

Opinions and Outlooks on Morphological Computation

Morphological Computation is based on the observation that biological systems seem to carry out relevant computations with their morphology (physical body) in order to successfully interact with their environments. This can be observed in a whole range of systems and at many different scales. It has been studied in animals – e.g., while running, the functionality of coping with impact and slight unevenness in the ground is "delivered" by the shape of the legs and the damped elasticity of the muscle-tendon system – and plants, but it has also been observed at the cellular and even at the molecular level – as seen, for example, in spontaneous self-assembly. The concept of morphological computation has served as an inspirational resource to build bio-inspired robots, design novel approaches for support systems in health care, implement computation with natural systems, but also in art and architecture. As a consequence, the field is highly interdisciplinary, which is also nicely reflected in the wide range of authors that are featured in this e-book. We have contributions from robotics, mechanical engineering, health, architecture, biology, philosophy, and others

Energy Savings Project for Detached House

Import 23/07/2015Diplomová práce se zabývá návrhem energetických úspor pro rodinný dům. Na začátku diplomové práce je nastíněn současný stav a jsou vyčísleny tepelné ztráty domu. Následuje krátké zhodnocení nynější situace, který tvoří základ pro následující kapitolu. Tato kapitola obsahuje návrh zlepšení situace, zabývající se snižováním tepelných ztrát, tedy izolováním domu a návrhem solárního systému. Pak následuje srovnání se současným stavem. Návrh je v závěru zhodnocen a to jak ze strany technologie, nákladů a přiměřenosti projektu. Na konci práce dojde ke krátkému shrnutí.This thesis deals with the energy savings project for a detached house. At the beginning of the thesis the current status is summarized. Even more, the heat losses of the house are calculated. This is followed by a brief assessment of the current situation as a preparation for the next chapter. This chapter contains a proposal for improving the situation, relating mainly to the reduction of losses by isolating the building and by proposing of a solar system. A comparison between with the actual state is done. The proposal is then evaluated critically, both from the technology and proportionality point of view, as well as by cost. At the end, there is a brief summary.361 - Katedra energetikyvelmi dobř