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Self-detection in robots: a method based on detecting temporal contingencies†

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  14 January 2011

Alexander Stoytchev
Alexander Stoytchev*
Affiliation:
Developmental Robotics Laboratory, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011-2274, USAhttp://www.ece.iastate.edu/~alexs/
*
*Corresponding author. E-mail: alexs@iastate.edu
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Summary

This paper addresses the problem of self-detection by a robot. The paper describes a methodology for autonomous learning of the characteristic delay between motor commands (efferent signals) and observed movements of visual stimuli (afferent signals). The robot estimates its own efferent-afferent delay from self-observation data gathered while performing motor babbling, i.e., random rhythmic movements similar to the primary circular reactions described by Piaget. After the efferent-afferent delay is estimated, the robot imprints on that delay and can later use it to successfully classify visual stimuli as either “self” or “other.” Results from robot experiments performed in environments with increasing degrees of difficulty are reported.

Keywords

Self-detectionSelf/other discriminationDevelopmental roboticsBehavior-based roboticsAutonomous robotics
Type
Article
Information
Robotica , Volume 29 , Special Issue 1: Robotic Self-X Systems , January 2011 , pp. 1 - 21
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2011

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Footnotes

†

This paper is based on Chapter V of the author's PhD dissertation from Georgia Tech. This material has not been previously published.

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