Skip to main content

Towards an Imitation System for Learning Robots

  • Conference paper
Methods and Applications of Artificial Intelligence (SETN 2004)

Part of the book series: Lecture Notes in Computer Science ((LNAI,volume 3025))

Included in the following conference series:

Abstract

This paper proposes an imitation system for learning robots that attempts to model the functional role of pre-motor brain areas and in particular mirror neurons, i.e. neurons that are believed to form the fundamental basis for imitation in primates [27]. Mirror neurons were found in the macaque monkey brain and are active during both observation and manual execution of an interaction [24].

The mirror system (previous work) is concerned with the activation of structures in response to both the observation and the execution of interactions. Previous experiments show that observed interactions are represented, learnt, and in turn reproduced. These interactions however remain limited due to a rather crude modelling of neighbouring brain areas outwith the mirror system. The imitation system (current work) is an extension to the mirror system that brings neighbouring areas into play to exploit the learning capacity and diversity of the premotor cortex.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 39.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 54.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Preview

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

References

  1. Arbib, M.A., Billard, A., Iacoboni, M., Oztop, E.: Synthetic brain imaging: grasping, mirror neurons and imitation. Neural Networks 13(8–9), 975–997 (2000)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. Demiris, J., Hayes, G.M.: Active and passive routes to imitation. In: Dautenhahn, K., Nehaniv, C. (eds.) Proceedings of the AISB Symposium on Imitation in Animals and Artifacts, Edinburgh, UK, pp. 81–87 (1999)

    Google Scholar 

  3. Demiris, J., Matarić, M.J.: Perceptuo-motor primitives in imitation. In: Dautenhahn, K., Hayes, G. (eds.) Working Notes, Autonomous Agents 1998 Workshop on Agents in Interaction - Acquiring Competence Through Imitation, MN (1998)

    Google Scholar 

  4. di Pellegrino, G., Fadiga, L., Fogassi, L., Gallese, V., Rizzolatti, G.: Understanding motor events: a neurophysiological study. Exp. Br. Research 91(1), 176–180 (1992)

    Google Scholar 

  5. Fagg, H., Arbib, M.A.: Modeling parietal-premotor interactions in primate control of grasping. Neural Networks 11(7–8), 1277–1303 (1998)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. Fod, A., Matarić, M.J., Jenkins, O.C.: Automated derivation of primitives for movement classification. Autonomous Robots 12(1), 39–54 (2002)

    Article  MATH  Google Scholar 

  7. Fogassi, L., Gallese, V., di Pellegrino, G., Fadiga, L., Gentilucci, M., Luppino, G., Matelli, M., Pedotti, A., Rizzolatti, G.: Space coding by premotor cortex. Experimental Brain Research 89(3), 686–690 (1992)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. Gallese, V., Fadiga, L., Fogassi, L., Rizzolatti, G.: Action recognition in the premotor cortex. Brain 119(part 2), 593–609 (1996)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  9. Gentilucci, M., Fogassi, L., Luppino, G., Matelli, M., Camarda, R., Rizzolatti, G.: Functional organization of inferior area 6 in macaque monkey.1. Somatotopy and the control of proximal movements. Exp. Brain Research 71(3), 475–490 (1988)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. Gibson, J.J.: The Senses Considered as Perceptual Systems, MA (1966)

    Google Scholar 

  11. Graziano, M.S.A., Yap, G.S., Gross, C.G.: Coding of visual space by premotor neurons. Science 226(5187), 1054–1057 (1994)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. Maistros, G., Hayes, G.M.: An imitation mechanism for goal-directed actions. In: Nehmzow, U., Melhuish, C. (eds.) Proceedings of Towards Intelligent Mobile Robots (TIMR) 2001, Manchester University (2001)

    Google Scholar 

  13. Maistros, G., Marom, Y., Hayes, G.M.: Perception-action coupling via imitation and attention. In: AAAI Fall Symposium on Anchoring Symbols to Sensor Data in Single and Multiple Robot Systems (2001)

    Google Scholar 

  14. Marom, Y., Hayes, G.M.: Attention and social situatedness for skill acquisition. In: Balkenius, C., Zlatev, J., Kozima, H., Dautenhahn, K., Breazeal, C. (eds.) Proceedings of the First International Workshop on Epigenetic Robotics: Modeling Cognitive Development in Robotic Systems, pp. 105–114 (2001)

    Google Scholar 

  15. Marom, Y., Maistros, G., Hayes, G.: Experiments with a social learning model. Adaptive Behavior 9(3-4), 209–240 (2001)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  16. Marom, Y., Maistros, G., Hayes, G.M.: Towards a mirror system for the development of socially-mediated skills. In: Prince, C.G., Demiris, Y., Marom, Y., Kozima, H., Balkenius, C. (eds.) Proceedings of the Second International Workshop on Epigenetic Robotics: Modeling Cognitive Development in Robotic Systems (2002)

    Google Scholar 

  17. Marsland, S., Nehmzow, U., Shapiro, J.: Novelty detection in large environments. In: Nehmzow, U., Melhuish, C. (eds.) Proceedings of Towards Intelligent Mobile Robots (TIMR) 2001, Manchester University (2001)

    Google Scholar 

  18. Matarić, M.J.: Getting humanoids to move and imitate. IEEE Intelligent Systems 14(4), 18–24 (2000)

    Google Scholar 

  19. McMillan, S., Orin, D.E., McGhee, R.B.: Dynamechs: An object oriented software package for efficient dynamic simulation of underwater robotic vechicles. In: Yuh, J. (ed.) Underwater Vechicles: Design and Control, pp. 73–98 (1995)

    Google Scholar 

  20. Murata, L., Fadiga, L., Fogassi, V., Raos, V.: Object representation in the ventral premotor cortex (area F5) of the monkey. Journal of Neurophysiology 78(4), 2226–2230 (1997)

    Google Scholar 

  21. Oztop, E.: Modeling the Mirror: Grasp Learning and Action Recognition. PhD thesis, University of Southern California (2002)

    Google Scholar 

  22. Oztop, E., Arbib, M.A.: Schema design and implementation of the grasp-related mirror neuron system. Biological Cybernetics (2002) (in press)

    Google Scholar 

  23. Pomplun, M., Matarić, M.J.: Evaluation metrics and results of human arm movement imitation. In: Proceedings of the First IEEE-RAS International Conference on Humanoid Robotics, Humanoids-2000 (2000)

    Google Scholar 

  24. Rizzolatti, G., Carmada, R., Fogassi, L., Gentilucci, M., Luppino, G., Matelli, M.: Functional organization of inferior area 6 in macaque monkey.2. Area F5 and the control of distal movements. Experimental Brain Research 71(3), 491–507 (1988)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  25. Rizzolatti, G., Fadiga, L.: Grasping objects and grasping action meanings: the dual role of monkey rostroventral premotor cortex (area F5). In: Novartis Foundation Symposium, vol. 218, pp. 81–103 (1998); In book: Sensory Guidance of Movement

    Google Scholar 

  26. Rizzolatti, G., Fadiga, L., Gallese, V., Fogassi, L.: Premotor cortex and the recognition of motor actions. Cognitive Brain Research 3(2), 131–141 (1996)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  27. Rizzolatti, G., Fogassi, L., Gallese, V.: Cortical mechanisms subserving object grasping and action recognition: A new view on the cortical motor functions. In: Gazzaniga, M. (ed.) The New Cog. Neurosci., pp. 539–552. MIT Press, Cambridge (2000)

    Google Scholar 

  28. Sakata, H., Taira, M., Murata, A., Gallese, V., Tanaka, Y., Shikata, E., Kusnunoki, M.: Parietal visual neurons coding three-dimensional characteristics of objects and their relation to hand action. In: Their, P., Karnath, H.-O. (eds.) Parietal lobe contributions to orientation in 3D space, pp. 237–254. Springer, Heidelberg (1997)

    Google Scholar 

  29. Schaal, S.: Is imitation learning the route to humanoid robots? Trends in Cognitive Sciences 3(6), 233–242 (1999)

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2004 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

About this paper

Cite this paper

Maistros, G., Hayes, G. (2004). Towards an Imitation System for Learning Robots. In: Vouros, G.A., Panayiotopoulos, T. (eds) Methods and Applications of Artificial Intelligence. SETN 2004. Lecture Notes in Computer Science(), vol 3025. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-540-24674-9_26

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-540-24674-9_26

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-540-21937-8

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-540-24674-9

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

Publish with us

Policies and ethics