Cog (project)
Encyclopedia
Cog was a project at the Humanoid Robotics Group of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology
. It was based on the hypothesis that human-level intelligence requires gaining experience from interacting with humans, like human infants do. This in turn requires many interactions with humans over a long period of time. Because Cog's behavior responds to what humans would consider appropriate and socially salient environmental stimuli
, the robot is expected to act more human. This behavior also provides the robot with a better context for deciphering and imitating
human behavior. This is intended to allow the robot to learn socially, as humans do.
As of 2003, all development of the project has ceased.
s can be understood in the book Philosophy in the Flesh by Mark Johnson
and George Lakoff
. They argue that the contents of human thoughts are to some degree dependent on the physical structure of our brain
s. By constructing artificial intelligence systems that have structural features similar to those of humans, we may be more likely to achieve human-like functionality.
Another motivation for building humanoid robotic systems is that a machine with a human-like form may have more human-like interactions with people. This could be particularly important for an artificial intelligence
device to learn from people in the way that human children learn through interactions within a social group.
television series episode "The Senses".
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
The Massachusetts Institute of Technology is a private research university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts. MIT has five schools and one college, containing a total of 32 academic departments, with a strong emphasis on scientific and technological education and research.Founded in 1861 in...
. It was based on the hypothesis that human-level intelligence requires gaining experience from interacting with humans, like human infants do. This in turn requires many interactions with humans over a long period of time. Because Cog's behavior responds to what humans would consider appropriate and socially salient environmental stimuli
Stimulation
Stimulation is the action of various agents on nerves, muscles, or a sensory end organ, by which activity is evoked; especially, the nervous impulse produced by various agents on nerves, or a sensory end organ, by which the part connected with the nerve is thrown into a state of activity.The word...
, the robot is expected to act more human. This behavior also provides the robot with a better context for deciphering and imitating
Imitation
Imitation is an advanced behavior whereby an individual observes and replicates another's. The word can be applied in many contexts, ranging from animal training to international politics.-Anthropology and social sciences:...
human behavior. This is intended to allow the robot to learn socially, as humans do.
As of 2003, all development of the project has ceased.
Purpose of the Cog Project
- To study theories of cognitive science and artificial intelligence (AI).
Goals of the Cog Project
- To design and fabricate a humanoid face for each robot that fosters suitable social contact between robots and humans.
- To create a robot which is capable of interacting with humans and objects in a human-like way.
- To develop a relatively general system by which Cog can learn causal relations between commands to its motors and input from its sensors (primarily vision and mechanical proprioception).
- To shift the robot aesthetic to a design language that utilizes strong curvilinear and organic forms through state of the art design processes and materials.
Current research and advancements to date
- Development of a human-like face for Cog (complete).
- Obtaining major degrees of motor freedom in trunk (complete), head (complete), arms (complete), legs, and a flexible spine.
- Sight (through video cameras that respond to movement; complete).
- Hearing, touch, vocalization system, and hands.
- Allowing Cog to learn how its own movements alter its sensory inputs.
- Forcing Cog to take energy efficiency into account during movements.
Justification
One motivation for making humanoid robotHumanoid robot
A humanoid robot or an anthropomorphic robot is a robot with its overall appearance, based on that of the human body, allowing interaction with made-for-human tools or environments. In general humanoid robots have a torso with a head, two arms and two legs, although some forms of humanoid robots...
s can be understood in the book Philosophy in the Flesh by Mark Johnson
Mark Johnson (professor)
Mark L. Johnson is Knight Professor of Liberal Arts and Sciences in the Department of Philosophy at the University of Oregon. He is well-known for contributions to embodied philosophy, cognitive science and cognitive linguistics, some of which he has coauthored with George Lakoff such as...
and George Lakoff
George Lakoff
George P. Lakoff is an American cognitive linguist and professor of linguistics at the University of California, Berkeley, where he has taught since 1972...
. They argue that the contents of human thoughts are to some degree dependent on the physical structure of our brain
Brain
The brain is the center of the nervous system in all vertebrate and most invertebrate animals—only a few primitive invertebrates such as sponges, jellyfish, sea squirts and starfishes do not have one. It is located in the head, usually close to primary sensory apparatus such as vision, hearing,...
s. By constructing artificial intelligence systems that have structural features similar to those of humans, we may be more likely to achieve human-like functionality.
Another motivation for building humanoid robotic systems is that a machine with a human-like form may have more human-like interactions with people. This could be particularly important for an artificial intelligence
Artificial intelligence
Artificial intelligence is the intelligence of machines and the branch of computer science that aims to create it. AI textbooks define the field as "the study and design of intelligent agents" where an intelligent agent is a system that perceives its environment and takes actions that maximize its...
device to learn from people in the way that human children learn through interactions within a social group.
Media appearances
Cog appeared in the UnderstandingUnderstanding (TV series)
Understanding was a documentary television series that aired from 1994 to 2002 on TLC. The program covered various things understood from a scientific perspective and was narrated by Jane Curtin and Peter Coyote. It originally aired on TLC and is currently being shown on the Science Channel...
television series episode "The Senses".