Place sequence learning for navigation

Abstract. A model of the hippocampus as a \cognitive map", inspired by the models of Burgess et al. (1994) and Jensen et al. (1996), is proposed. Simulations show that the resulting navigation behavior is as e-cient as the behavior exhibited by previous models. However, the architecture of the proposed model and the mechanisms governing the temporal characteristics of the neurons in the model are more realistic. In particular, the proposed model assigns distinct and speci c roles to the entorhinal cortex, the dentate gyrus and the hippocampal CA3 region. In essence, the dentate gyrus could act as a short-term memory that maintains the representation of a sequence of recently visited places. It could then force the corresponding CA3 place cells to re and to learn the spatial relationships between places through a Hebbian rule. This \topological representation " could then serve as a basis for predicting places ahead of the animal and drive \goal cells", i.e. cells that represent the direction to the goal, as proposed by Burgess et al.

Spatial exploration, map learning, and self-positioning with MonaLysa

This paper describes how the MonaLysa control architecture implements a route-following navigation strategy. Two procedures that allow map building and self-positioning are described, and experimental results are provided that demonstrate that such procedures are robust with respect to noise. This approach is compared to others with similar objectives, and directions for future work are outlined.

Le projet Psikharpax: objectifs et réalisations

National audienc

Evolution and development of control architectures in animats

This paper successively describes the works of Boers & Kuiper, Gruau, Cangelosi et al., Vaario, Dellaert & Beer, and Sims, which all evolve the developmental program of an arti�cial nervous system. The potentialities of these approaches for automatically devising a control architecture linking the perceptions and the actions of an animat are then discussed, together with their possible contributions to the fundamental issue of assessing the adaptive values of development, learning and evolution

Psikharpax. Vers la synthèse d'un rat artificiel

National audienceLe projet Psikharpax vise à implanter dans un robot certains des mécanismes adaptatifs et des structures nerveuses connus pour être impliqués dans la navigation et la sélection de l'action chez le rat réel. Ce robot sera capable de construire une carte cognitive de son environnement et d'enchaîner ses actions de façon adéquate, tout en économisant son énergie. Un système de vision biomimétique lui permettra de repérer et catégoriser en ligne les divers objets utiles à sa survie