<p>This licentiate thesis argues that a key to understanding the embodiment of cognition is the “sharing” of neural mechanisms between sensorimotor processes and higher-level cognitive processes as described by simulation theories. Simulation theories explain higher-level cognition as (partial) simulations or emulations of sensorimotor processes through the re-activation of neural circuitry also active in bodily perception, action, and emotion. This thesis develops the notion that simulation mechanisms have a particular representational function, as off-line representations, which contributes to the representation debate in embodied cognitive science. Based on empirical evidence from neuroscience, psychology and other disciplines as well as a review of existing simulation theories, the thesis describes three main mechanisms of simulation theories: re-activation, binding, and prediction. The possibility of using situated and embodied artificial agents to further understand and validate simulation as a mechanism of (higher-level) cognition is addressed through analysis and comparison of existing models. The thesis also presents some directions for further research on modeling simulation as well as the notion of embodied simulation as off-line representation.</p> / Report code: LiU-Tek-Lic-2007:21.

This licentiate thesis argues that a key to understanding the embodiment of cognition is the “sharing” of neural mechanisms between sensorimotor processes and higher-level cognitive processes as described by simulation theories. Simulation theories explain higher-level cognition as (partial) simulations or emulations of sensorimotor processes through the re-activation of neural circuitry also active in bodily perception, action, and emotion. This thesis develops the notion that simulation mechanisms have a particular representational function, as off-line representations, which contributes to the representation debate in embodied cognitive science. Based on empirical evidence from neuroscience, psychology and other disciplines as well as a review of existing simulation theories, the thesis describes three main mechanisms of simulation theories: re-activation, binding, and prediction. The possibility of using situated and embodied artificial agents to further understand and validate simulation as a mechanism of (higher-level) cognition is addressed through analysis and comparison of existing models. The thesis also presents some directions for further research on modeling simulation as well as the notion of embodied simulation as off-line representation. / <p>Report code: LiU-Tek-Lic-2007:21.</p>

Heutige Roboter sind nur begrenzt in der Lage etwas zu erlernen, sich unerwarteten Umständen anzupassen oder auf diese zu reagieren. Als Antwort auf diese Fragen, develomental robotics setzt sich den Aufbau eines künstlichen Systems zum Ziel, das motorische und kognitive Fähigkeiten analog zur menschlichen Entwicklung durch Interaktion mit der Umgebung entwickeln kann. In dieser Arbeit wird ein ähnlich Ansatz verwendet, mit Hilfe dessen grundlegende Verhaltenskomponenten identifiziert werden sollen, die eine autonome Aneignung motorischer und kognitive Fähigkeiten durch die Roboter ermöglichen könnten. Diese Arbeit untersucht die sensomotorische Interaktion als Mittel zur Schaffung von Erfahrungen. Es werden Experimente zu explorative Verhaltensweisen zur Aneigung von Arbewegungen, der Werkzeugnutzung und von interaktiven Fähigkeiten vorgestellt. In diesem Rahmen wird auch die Entwicklung sozialer Fähigkeiten, insbesondere durch joint attention, behandelt. Dabei werden zwei Vorraussetzugen zu joint attention untersucht: Zeigegesten und Erkennung von visueller Salienz. Dabei wurde das Framework der interen Modelle für die Darstellung von sensomotorischen Erfahrungen angewendet. Insbesondere wurden inverse und Vorwärtsmodelle mit unterschiedlichen Konfigurationen am sensorischen und motorischen Daten, die vom Roboter durch exploratives Verhalten, durch Beobachtung menschliche Vorführern, oder durch kinästhetisches Lehren erzeugt wurden geschult. Die Entscheidung zu Gunsten dieses Framework wurde getroffen, da es in der Lage ist, sensomotorische Zyklen zu simulieren. Diese Arbeit untersucht, wie grundlegende kognitive Fähigkeiten in einen humanoiden Roboter unter Berücksichtigung sensorischer und motorischer Erfahrungen implementiert werden können. Insbesondere wurden interne Simulationsprozesse für die Implementierung von Kognitivenfahigkeiten wie die Aktionsauswahl, die Werkzeugnutzung, die Verhaltenserkennung und die Self-Other distinction, eingesetzt. / State-of-the-art robots are still not properly able to learn from, adapt to, react to unexpected circumstances, and to autonomously and safely operate in uncertain environments. Researchers in developmental robotics address these issues by building artificial systems capable of acquiring motor and cognitive capabilities by interacting with their environment, inspired by human development. This thesis adopts a similar approach in finding some of those basic behavioural components that may allow for the autonomous development of sensorimotor and social skills in robots. Here, sensorimotor interactions are investigated as a mean for the acquisition of experience. Experiments on exploration behaviours for the acquisition of arm movements, tool-use and interactive capabilities are presented. The development of social skills is also addressed, in particular of joint attention, the capability to share the focus of attention between individuals. Two prerequisites of joint attention are investigated: imperative pointing gestures and visual saliency detection. The established framework of the internal models is adopted for coding sensorimotor experience in robots. In particular, inverse and forward models are trained with different configurations of low-level sensory and motor data generated by the robot through exploration behaviours, or observed by human demonstrator, or acquired through kinaesthetic teaching. The internal models framework allows the generation of simulations of sensorimotor cycles. This thesis investigates also how basic cognitive skills can be implemented in a humanoid robot by allowing it to recreate the perceptual and motor experience gathered in past interactions with the external world. In particular, simulation processes are used as a basis for implementing cognitive skills such as action selection, tool-use, behaviour recognition and self-other distinction.