Unsupervised Learning of Reflexive and Action-Based Affordances to Model Adaptive Navigational Behavior

Here we introduce a cognitive model capable to model a variety of behavioral domains and apply it to a navigational task. We used place cells as sensory representation, such that the cells’ place fields divided the environment into discrete states. The robot learns knowledge of the environment by memorizing the sensory outcome of its motor actions. This is composed of a central process, learning the probability of state-to-state transitions by motor actions and a distal processing routine, learning the extent to which these state-to-state transitions are caused by sensory-driven reflex behavior (obstacle avoidance). Navigational decision making integrates central and distal learned environmental knowledge to select an action that leads to a goal state. Differentiating distal and central processing increases the behavioral accuracy of the selected actions and the ability of behavioral adaptation to a changed environment. We propose that the system can canonically be expanded to model other behaviors, using alternative definitions of states and actions. The emphasis of this paper is to test this general cognitive model on a robot in a real-world environment

Involving Motor Capabilities in the Formation of Sensory Space Representations

A goal of sensory coding is to capture features of sensory input that are behaviorally relevant. Therefore, a generic principle of sensory coding should take into account the motor capabilities of an agent. Up to now, unsupervised learning of sensory representations with respect to generic coding principles has been limited to passively received sensory input. Here we propose an algorithm that reorganizes an agent's representation of sensory space by maximizing the predictability of sensory state transitions given a motor action. We applied the algorithm to the sensory spaces of a number of simple, simulated agents with different motor parameters, moving in two-dimensional mazes. We find that the optimization algorithm generates compact, isotropic representations of space, comparable to hippocampal place fields. As expected, the size and spatial distribution of these place fields-like representations adapt to the motor parameters of the agent as well as to its environment. The representations prove to be well suited as a basis for path planning and navigation. They not only possess a high degree of state-transition predictability, but also are temporally stable. We conclude that the coding principle of predictability is a promising candidate for understanding place field formation as the result of sensorimotor reorganization

The business model evaluation tool for smart cities: application to SmartSantander use cases

New technologies open up the door to multiple business models applied to public services in smart cities. However, there is not a commonly adopted methodology for evaluating business models in smart cities that can help both practitioners and researchers to choose the best option. This paper addresses this gap introducing the Business Model Evaluation Tool for Smart Cities. This methodology is a simple, organized, flexible and the transparent system that facilitates the work of the evaluators of potential business models. It is useful to compare two or more business models and take strategic decisions promptly. The method is part of a previous process of content analysis and it is based on the widely utilized Business Model Canvas. The evaluation method has been assessed by 11 experts and, subsequently it has been validated applying it to the case studies of Santander’s waste management and street lighting systems, which take advantage of innovative technologies commonly used in smart cities.We thank to the European Commission’s H2020 Program, Organicity, GA-645198, for partially funding the research work carried out in this paper

Involving behavior in the formation of sensory representations

Neurons are sensitive to specific aspects of natural stimuli, which are according to different statistical criteria an optimal representation of the natural sensory input. Since these representations are purely sensory, it is still an open question whether they are suited to generate meaningful behavior. Here we introduce an optimization scheme that applies a statistical criterion to an agent s sensory input while taking its motor behavior into account. We first introduce a general cognitive model, and second develop an optimization scheme that increases the predictability of the sensory outcome of the agent s motor actions and apply this to a navigational paradigm.In the cognitive model, place cells divide the environment into discrete states, similar to hippocampal place cells. The agents learned the sensory outcome of its action by the state-to-state transition probabilities and the extent to which these motor actions are caused by sensory-driven reflexive behavior (obstacle avoidance). Navigational decision making integrates both learned components to derive the actions that are most likely to lead to a navigational goal. Next we introduced an optimization process that modified the state distributions to increase the predictability of the sensory outcome of the agent s actions.The cognitive model successfully performs the navigational task, and the differentiation between transitions and reflexive processing increases both behavioral accuracy, as well as behavioral adaptation to changes in the environment. Further, the optimized sensory states are similar to place fields found in behaving animals. The spatial distribution of states depends on the agent s motor capabilities as well as on the environment. We proofed the generality of predictability as a coding principle by comparing it to the existing ones. Our results suggest that the agent s motor apparatus can play a profound role in the formation of place fields and thus in higher sensory representations

Espaços livres urbanos : praças públicas centrais de Maringá

This research aims to analyze the origins and socio-cultural characteristics of the main central squares of the Maringá City, considering the dependence and complementarity between public and private spaces and their importance to users. Aims to characterize the influence of these squares, wheter for living, recreation, circulation and meetings with nature , both for cooperation with the improvement in environmental quality and for the constant change in the morphological structure and social spaces that they produce in the downtown.To that the public squares act as urban spaces of permanence, it‟s desirable that they present physical and ambient quality. The increasing specialization of the space inside of the city, the displacement of the forms of entertainment for closed enclosures, the growth of the use of vehicles and the conditions of the actual urban life show alterations in the forms of appropriation of the public squares. To understand the functioning of the central squares it is necessary to study the relation between uses, functions and physicist-ambient aspects of these with neighborhood and its paper in the city. To understand the phenomenon of appropriation of the central public squares offices we carry through two distinct stages: the revision of literature and the field research. In the literature revision, we argue the following subjects: urban centers, free spaces and central public squares. The field research was carried through in five squares located in the Maringá city. The adopted methodology was the Study of Case, in which they had used the following procedures: documentary analysis, observation of the physicist-ambient performance of the square and the behavior of the user, through the techniques of interview in the place. The application of these methods assisted in the agreement of the phenomenon of appropriation of the central public squares, therefore, beyond demonstrating the current situation that the squares if find, it allowed to identify the opinion of who if it appropriates or not of these spaces. Thus, from the systematization of the gotten dates are presented common parameters with basis of the analyses of the joined situations that aim at a qualification of the squares and a bigger appropriation on the part of the inhabitants of each city where they meet.A presente pesquisa visa analisar as origens temporais e sócio-culturais das principais praças centrais da cidade de Maringá - PR, considerando a dependência e complementaridade entre os espaços livres públicos e a importância destas para os usuários. Tem por finalidade caracterizar a influência destas praças, sejam elas para convivência, recreação, circulação e encontros, tanto para a cooperação com a melhora na qualidade ambiental quanto para a constante mudança na estrutura morfológica e social que estes espaços produzem na cidade em questão. Para que as praças públicas tenham sua função exercida como espaços urbanos de permanência, é desejável que apresentem qualidade física e ambiental. A crescente especialização do espaço dentro da cidade, o deslocamento das formas de entretenimento para recintos fechados, o crescimento do uso de veículos e as condições da vida urbana atual mostram alterações nas formas de apropriação das praças públicas. Para compreender o funcionamento das praças centrais é necessário estudar a relação entre usos, funções e aspectos físicoambientais destas com o entorno imediato e seu papel na cidade. Para entender o fenômeno de apropriação das praças públicas centrais realizamos duas etapas distintas: a revisão de literatura e a pesquisa de campo. Na revisão de literatura, discutimos os seguintes temas: centros urbanos, espaços livres e praças públicas centrais. A pesquisa de campo foi realizada em 5 praças localizadas na de Maringá. A metodologia adotada foi o Estudo de Caso, no qual se utilizaram os seguintes procedimentos: análise documental, observação do desempenho físico-ambiental da praça e do comportamento do usuário, através das técnicas de entrevista e observação in loco. A aplicação destes métodos auxiliou no entendimento do fenômeno de apropriação das praças públicas centrais, pois, além de demonstrar a situação atual que as praças se encontram, permitiu identificar a opinião de quem se apropria ou não desses espaços. Assim, a partir da sistematização dos dados obtidos são apresentados parâmetros comuns com base nas análises das situações encontradas que visam uma qualificação das praças e uma maior apropriação por parte dos habitantes de cada cidade onde elas se encontram

Influence of the weighting factor β (equation [1]) on the predictability and decorrelation values of the optimized macrostate.

<p>The black line represents the mean predictability (A) and decorrelation values (B) over all optimization runs for the corresponding β values. The grey regions represent the area within ± one standard deviation around the mean values.</p

The influence of motor parameters on the average Ψ of optimized macrostate configurations.

<p>The influence of motor parameters on the average Ψ of optimized macrostate configurations.</p

Correlation between the optimized macrostate configurations.

<p>The correlation matrix showing the topographical similarity between optimized macrostate configurations with different underlying action parameters. This matrix is based on the circular maze type, but is similar to those for the other mazes.</p