EMT/BSSE: A Controller for Autonomous Systems Based on Principles of Vertebrate Neuromodulation

University Of California-Irvine, Irvine CA

Investigators

Abstract

EMT/BSSE: A Controller for Autonomous Systems Based on Principles of Vertebrate Neuromodulation Robots and autonomous systems require some level of supervision and tuning of parameters to fit a particular domain. However, biological organisms have the ability to respond quickly and appropriately in an ever-changing world. Because this adaptability is so critical for survival, all vertebrates have sub-cortical structures, which comprise the neuromodulatory systems. These systems regulate fundamental behaviors and set the organism?s internal and behavioral states. This research involves designing a controller for autonomous systems that is modeled after the vertebrate neuromodulatory system. This neurally inspired model enables robots to approach the behavioral complexity and flexibility associated with higher order animals, and would be a major improvement in the design of autonomous systems. Neuromodulators in the nervous system signal environmental changes to the nervous system that alter neuronal responses in such a way that the organism can respond quickly and accurately to these changes. There are separate neuromodulators that respond to threats, reward anticipation, novelty, and attentional effort. However, each of these neuromodulatory systems have a similar effect, that is, to cause an organism to be decisive when environmental conditions call for such actions, and allow an organism to be more exploratory when there are no pressing events. A design strategy, based on principles of the vertebrate neuromodulatory system, is used to control the behavior of autonomous robot systems. This research shows that such a system responds appropriately and adapts to environmental changes without human intervention. Moreover, this research shows that a controller, which is based on neuromodulation, can be extended to any system in which an agent is situated in a dynamic, unconstrained environment.