@inproceedings {9998, title = {Expression of Grounded Affect: How Much Emotion Can Arousal Convey?}, booktitle = {Proc. 21st Towards Autonomous Robotic Systems Conference (TAROS2020)}, series = {Lecture Notes in Computer Science}, volume = {12228}, year = {2020}, note = {Download (the complete proceedings are available from the link on this page)}, month = {09/2020}, pages = {234{\textendash}248}, publisher = {Springer}, organization = {Springer}, address = {Nottingham, UK}, abstract = {In this paper we consider how non-humanoid robots can communicate their affective state via bodily forms of communication (kinesics), and the extent to which this influences how humans respond to them. We propose a simple model of grounded affect and kinesic expression before presenting the qualitative findings of an exploratory study (N=9), during which participants were interviewed after watching expressive and non-expressive hexapod robots perform different {\textquoteleft}scenes{\textquoteright}. A summary of these interviews is presented and a number of emerging themes are identified and discussed. Whilst our findings suggest that the expressive robot did not evoke significantly greater empathy or altruistic intent in humans than the control robot, the expressive robot stimulated greater desire for interaction and was also more likely to be attributed with emotion.}, doi = {10.1007/978-3-030-63486-5_26}, url = {https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-030-63486-5_26}, author = {Hickton, Luke and Lewis, Matthew and Lola Ca{\~n}amero}, editor = {Abdelkhilick Mohammad and Xin Dong and Matteo Russo} } @inproceedings {9998, title = {Modelling the Social Buffering Hypothesis in an Artificial Life Environment}, booktitle = {Proceedings of the Artificial Life Conference 2020 (ALIFE 2020)}, year = {2020}, note = {Download (Open Access)}, month = {07/2020}, pages = {393{\textendash}401}, publisher = {MIT Press}, organization = {MIT Press}, address = {Montreal, Canada}, abstract = {In social species, individuals who form social bonds have been found to live longer, healthier lives. One hypothesised reason for this effect is that social support, mediated by oxytocin, "buffers" responses to stress in a number of ways, and is considered an important process of adaptation that facilitates long-term wellbeing in changing, stressful conditions. Using an artificial life model, we have investigated the role of one hypothesised stress-reducing effect of social support on the survival and social interactions of agents in a small society. We have investigated this effect using different types of social bonds and bond partner combinations across environmentally-challenging conditions. Our results have found that stress reduction through social support benefits the survival of agents with social bonds, and that this effect often extends to the wider society. We have also found that this effect is significantly affected by environmental and social contexts. Our findings suggest that these "social buffering" effects may not be universal, but dependent upon the degree of environmental challenges, the quality of affective relationships and the wider social context.}, doi = {10.1162/isal_a_00302}, url = {https://www.mitpressjournals.org/doi/abs/10.1162/isal_a_00302}, author = {Imran Khan and Lewis, Matthew and Lola Ca{\~n}amero}, editor = {Josh Bongard and Juniper Lovato and Laurent Hebert-Dufr{\'e}sne and Radhakrishna Dasari and Lisa Soros} } @article {2016, title = {Towards Long-Term Social Child-Robot Interaction: Using Multi-Activity Switching to Engage Young Users}, journal = {Journal of Human-Robot Interaction}, volume = {5}, year = {2016}, note = {Download (Open Access)}, pages = {32{\textendash}67}, abstract = {Social robots have the potential to provide support in a number of practical domains, such as learning and behaviour change. This potential is particularly relevant for children, who have proven receptive to interactions with social robots. To reach learning and therapeutic goals, a number of issues need to be investigated, notably the design of an effective child-robot interaction (cHRI) to ensure the child remains engaged in the relationship and that educational goals are met. Typically, current cHRI research experiments focus on a single type of interaction activity (e.g. a game). However, these can suffer from a lack of adaptation to the child, or from an increasingly repetitive nature of the activity and interaction. In this paper, we motivate and propose a practicable solution to this issue: an adaptive robot able to switch between multiple activities within single interactions. We describe a system that embodies this idea, and present a case study in which diabetic children collaboratively learn with the robot about various aspects of managing their condition. We demonstrate the ability of our system to induce a varied interaction and show the potential of this approach both as an educational tool and as a research method for long-term cHRI.}, issn = {2163-0364}, doi = {10.5898/JHRI.5.1.Coninx}, url = {https://dl.acm.org/doi/abs/10.5898/JHRI.5.1.Coninx}, author = {Coninx, Alexandre and Paul E. Baxter and Oleari, Elettra and Bellini, Sara and Bierman, Bert and Henkemans, Olivier Blanson and Lola Ca{\~n}amero and Cosi, Piero and Valentin Enescu and Espinoza, Raquel Ros and Antoine Hiolle and Remi Humbert and Kiefer, Bernd and Kruijff-Korbayov{\'a}, Ivana and Looije, Rosmarijn and Mosconi, Marco and Mark A. Neerincx and Giulio Paci and Patsis, Georgios and Pozzi, Clara and Sacchitelli, Francesca and Hichem Sahli and Alberto Sanna and Sommavilla, Giacomo and Tesser, Fabio and Yiannis Demiris and Tony Belpaeme} } @inproceedings {2015, title = {Let{\textquoteright}s Be Friends: Perception of a Social Robotic Companion for children with T1DM}, booktitle = {Proc. New Friends 2015}, year = {2015}, note = {Download full proceedings (PDF)}, month = {10/2015}, pages = {32{\textendash}33}, address = {Almere, The Netherlands}, abstract = {We describe the social characteristics of a robot developed to support children with Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus (T1DM) in the process of education and care. We evaluated the perception of the robot at a summer camp where diabetic children aged 10-14 experienced the robot in group interactions. Children in the intervention condition additionally interacted with it also individually, in one-to-one sessions featuring several game-like activities. These children perceived the robot significantly more as a friend than those in the control group. They also readily engaged with it in dialogues about their habits related to healthy lifestyle as well as personal experiences concerning diabetes. This indicates that the one-on-one interactions added a special quality to the relationship of the children with the robot.}, url = {https://mheerink.home.xs4all.nl/pdf/ProceedingsNF2015-3.pdf}, author = {Kruijff-Korbayov{\'a}, Ivana and Oleari, Elettra and Pozzi, Clara and Sacchitelli, Francesca and Bagherzadhalimi, Anahita and Bellini, Sara and Kiefer, Bernd and Racioppa, Stefania and Coninx, Alexandre and Paul E. Baxter and Bierman, Bert and Henkemans, Olivier Blanson and Mark A. Neerincx and Rosemarijn Looije and Yiannis Demiris and Espinoza, Raquel Ros and Mosconi, Marco and Cosi, Piero and Remi Humbert and Lola Ca{\~n}amero and Hichem Sahli and Joachim de Greeff and James Kennedy and Robin Read and Lewis, Matthew and Antoine Hiolle and Giulio Paci and Sommavilla, Giacomo and Tesser, Fabio and Athanasopoulos, Georgios and Patsis, Georgios and Verhelst, Werner and Alberto Sanna and Tony Belpaeme} } @article {2013, title = {Interpretation of Emotional Body Language Displayed by a Humanoid Robot: A Case Study with Children}, journal = {International Journal of Social Robotics}, volume = {5}, year = {2013}, note = {Download}, pages = {325{\textendash}334}, abstract = {The work reported in this paper focuses on giving humanoid robots the capacity to express emotions with their body. Previous results show that adults are able to interpret different key poses displayed by a humanoid robot and also that changing the head position affects the expressiveness of the key poses in a consistent way. Moving the head down leads to decreased arousal (the level of energy) and valence (positive or negative emotion) whereas moving the head up produces an increase along these dimensions. Hence, changing the head position during an interaction should send intuitive signals. The study reported in this paper tested children{\textquoteright}s ability to recognize the emotional body language displayed by a humanoid robot. The results suggest that body postures and head position can be used to convey emotions during child-robot interaction.}, keywords = {emotion, emotional body language, perception, Social robotics}, issn = {1875-4791}, doi = {10.1007/s12369-013-0193-z}, url = {https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12369-013-0193-z}, author = {Aryel Beck and Lola Ca{\~n}amero and Antoine Hiolle and Luisa Damiano and Cosi, Piero and Tesser, Fabio and Sommavilla, Giacomo} } @article {2012, title = {Eliciting Caregiving Behavior in Dyadic Human-robot Attachment-like Interactions}, journal = {ACM Transactions on Interactive Intelligent Systems}, volume = {2}, year = {2012}, note = {Download (Open Access)}, pages = {3:1{\textendash}3:24}, publisher = {ACM}, address = {New York, NY}, abstract = {We present here the design and applications of an arousal-based model controlling the behavior of a Sony AIBO robot during the exploration of a novel environment: a children{\textquoteright}s play mat. When the robot experiences too many new perceptions, the increase of arousal triggers calls for attention towards its human caregiver. The caregiver can choose to either calm the robot down by providing it with comfort, or to leave the robot coping with the situation on its own. When the arousal of the robot has decreased, the robot moves on to further explore the play mat. We gathered results from two experiments using this arousal-driven control architecture. In the first setting, we show that such a robotic architecture allows the human caregiver to influence greatly the learning outcomes of the exploration episode, with some similarities to a primary caregiver during early childhood. In a second experiment, we tested how human adults behaved in a similar setup with two different robots: one {\textquotedblleft}needy{\textquotedblright}, often demanding attention, and one more independent, requesting far less care or assistance. Our results show that human adults recognise each profile of the robot for what they have been designed, and behave accordingly to what would be expected, caring more for the needy robot than for the other. Additionally, the subjects exhibited a preference and more positive affect whilst interacting and rating the robot we designed as needy. This experiment leads us to the conclusion that our architecture and setup succeeded in eliciting positive and caregiving behavior from adults of different age groups and technological background. Finally, the consistency and reactivity of the robot during this dyadic interaction appeared crucial for the enjoyment and engagement of the human partner.}, issn = {2160-6455}, doi = {10.1145/2133366.2133369}, url = {https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/2133366.2133369}, author = {Antoine Hiolle and Lola Ca{\~n}amero and Davila-Ross, Marina and Kim A. Bard} } @article {2012, title = {The Frontier of Synthetic Knowledge: Toward a Constructivist Science}, journal = {World Futures}, volume = {68}, year = {2012}, note = {Download}, pages = {171{\textendash}177}, publisher = {Taylor \& Francis}, abstract = {This article focuses on the frontier between the technological domain of production of artefacts and the naturalistic domain of the sciences of life and cognition. It shows that, since the 1940s, this frontier has become the place of production of an innovative kind of scientific knowledge{\textemdash}{\textquotedblleft}synthetic knowledge.{\textquotedblright} The article describes the methodology and the main characteristics of synthetic knowledge, and formulates a hypothesis on its epistemological genealogy. Accordingly, it characterizes synthetic knowledge as one of the most advanced expressions of a heterodox tradition of research which, since the 1930s, has been promoting the development of a {\textquotedblleft}non-representationalist{\textquotedblright}{\textemdash}{\textquotedblleft}constructivist{\textquotedblright}{\textemdash}science.}, doi = {10.1080/02604027.2012.668409}, url = {https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/02604027.2012.668409}, author = {Luisa Damiano and Lola Ca{\~n}amero} } @article {2012, title = {Multimodal Child-Robot Interaction: Building Social Bonds}, journal = {Journal of Human-Robot Interaction}, volume = {1}, year = {2012}, note = {Download (Open Access)}, pages = {33{\textendash}53}, abstract = {For robots to interact effectively with human users they must be capable of coordinated, timely behavior in response to social context. The Adaptive Strategies for Sustainable Long-Term Social Interaction (ALIZ-E) project focuses on the design of long-term, adaptive social interaction between robots and child users in real-world settings. In this paper, we report on the iterative approach taken to scientific and technical developments toward this goal: advancing individual technical competencies and integrating them to form an autonomous robotic system for evaluation {\textquotedblleft}in the wild.{\textquotedblright} The first evaluation iterations have shown the potential of this methodology in terms of adaptation of the robot to the interactant and the resulting influences on engagement. This sets the foundation for an ongoing research program that seeks to develop technologies for social robot companions.}, doi = {10.5898/JHRI.1.2.Belpaeme}, url = {https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.5555/3109688.3109691}, author = {Tony Belpaeme and Paul E. Baxter and Robin Read and Rachel Wood and Cuay{\'a}huitl, Heriberto and Kiefer, Bernd and Racioppa, Stefania and Kruijff-Korbayov{\'a}, Ivana and Athanasopoulos, Georgios and Valentin Enescu and Rosemarijn Looije and Mark A. Neerincx and Yiannis Demiris and Raquel Ros-Espinoza and Aryel Beck and Lola Ca{\~n}amero and Lewis, Matthew and Baroni, Ilaria and Nalin, Marco and Cosi, Piero and Giulio Paci and Tesser, Fabio and Sommavilla, Giacomo and Remi Humbert} } @inproceedings {2011, title = {Children Interpretation of Emotional Body Language Displayed by a Robot}, booktitle = {Proc. 3rd International Conference on Social Robotics (ICSR 2011)}, year = {2011}, note = {Download}, pages = {62{\textendash}70}, publisher = {Springer}, organization = {Springer}, address = {Amsterdam, The Netherlands}, abstract = {Previous results show that adults are able to interpret different key poses displayed by the robot and also that changing the head position affects the expressiveness of the key poses in a consistent way. Moving the head down leads to decreased arousal (the level of energy), valence (positive or negative) and stance (approaching or avoiding) whereas moving the head up produces an increase along these dimensions [1]. Hence, changing the head position during an interaction should send intuitive signals which could be used during an interaction. The ALIZ-E target group are children between the age of 8 and 11. Existing results suggest that they would be able to interpret human emotional body language [2, 3]. Based on these results, an experiment was conducted to test whether the results of [1] can be applied to children. If yes body postures and head position could be used to convey emotions during an interaction.}, isbn = {978-3-642-25504-5}, doi = {10.1007/978-3-642-25504-5_7}, url = {https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007\%2F978-3-642-25504-5_7}, author = {Aryel Beck and Lola Ca{\~n}amero and Luisa Damiano and Sommavilla, Giacomo and Tesser, Fabio and Cosi, Piero} } @inproceedings {2011, title = {Grounding Synthetic Knowledge: An Epistemological Framework and Criteria of Relevance for the Scientific Exploration of Life, Affect and Social Cognition}, booktitle = {Advances In Artificial Life, ECAL 2011 (Proc. 11th European Conference on Artificial Life)}, year = {2011}, note = {Download (PDF)}, pages = {200{\textendash}207}, publisher = {MIT Press}, organization = {MIT Press}, address = {Paris, France}, abstract = {In what ways can artificial life contribute to the scientific exploration of cognitive, affective and social processes? In what sense can synthetic models be relevant for the advancement of behavioral and cognitive sciences? This article addresses these questions by way of a case study {\textemdash} an interdisciplinary cooperation between developmental robotics and developmental psychology in the exploration of attachment bonds. Its main aim is to show how the synthetic study of cognition, as well as the synthetic study of life, can find in autopoietic cognitive biology more than a theory useful to inspire the synthetic modelling of the processes under inquiry. We argue that autopoiesis offers, not only to artificial life, but also to the behavioural and social sciences, an epistemological framework able to generate general criteria of relevance for synthetic models of living and cognitive processes. By {\textquotedblleft}criteria of relevance{\textquotedblright} we mean criteria (a) valuable for the three main branches of artificial life (soft, hard, and wet) and (b) useful for determining the significance of the models each branch produces for the scientific exploration of life and cognition. On the basis of these criteria and their application to the case study presented, this article defines a range of different ways that synthetic, and particularly autopoiesis-based models, can be relevant to the inquiries of biological, behavioural and cognitive sciences.}, isbn = {978-0-262-29714-1}, url = {https://mitpress-request.mit.edu/sites/default/files/titles/alife/0262297140chap33.pdf}, author = {Luisa Damiano and Antoine Hiolle and Lola Ca{\~n}amero}, editor = {Tom Lenaerts and Mario Giacobini and Hugues Bersini and Paul Bourgine and Marco Dorigo and Ren{\'e} Doursat} } @inproceedings {2011, title = {Long-Term Human-Robot Interaction with Young Users}, booktitle = {Proc. ACM/IEEE Human-Robot Interaction conference (HRI-2011) (Robots with Children Workshop)}, year = {2011}, note = {Downlaod}, address = {Lausanne, Switzerland}, abstract = {Artificial companion agents have the potential to combine novel means for effective health communication with young patients support and entertainment. However, the theory and practice of long-term child-robot interaction is currently an underdeveloped area of research. This paper introduces an approach that integrates multiple functional aspects necessary to implement temporally extended human-robot interaction in the setting of a paediatric ward. We present our methodology for the implementation of a companion robot which will be used to support young patients in hospital as they learn to manage a lifelong metabolic disorder (diabetes). The robot will interact with patients over an extended period of time. The necessary functional aspects are identified and introduced, and a review of the technical challenges involved is presented.}, url = {https://www.researchgate.net/publication/228470784_Long-term_human-robot_interaction_with_young_users}, author = {Paul E. Baxter and Tony Belpaeme and Lola Ca{\~n}amero and Cosi, Piero and Yiannis Demiris and Valentin Enescu and Antoine Hiolle and Kruijff-Korbayov{\'a}, Ivana and Rosemarijn Looije and Nalin, Marco and Mark A. Neerincx and Hichem Sahli and Giocomo Sommavilla and Tesser, Fabio and Rachel Wood} } @inproceedings {2010, title = {Constructing Emotions: Epistemological Groundings and Applications in Robotics for a Synthetic Approach to Emotions}, booktitle = {International Symposium on AI-Inspired Biology}, year = {2010}, note = {Download (PDF)}, pages = {20{\textendash}28}, publisher = {The Society for the Study of Artificial Intelligence and the Simulation of Behaviour}, organization = {The Society for the Study of Artificial Intelligence and the Simulation of Behaviour}, address = {De Montford University, Leicester, UK}, abstract = {Can the sciences of the artificial positively contribute to the scientific exploration of life and cognition? Can they actually improve the scientific knowledge of natural living and cognitive processes, from biological metabolism to reproduction, from conceptual mapping of the environment to logic reasoning, language, or even emotional expression? To these kinds of questions our article aims to answer in the affirmative. Its main object is the scientific emergent methodology often called the {\textquotedblleft}synthetic approach{\textquotedblright}, which promotes the programmatic production of embodied and situated models of living and cognitive systems in order to explore aspects of life and cognition not accessible in natural systems and scenarios. The first part of this article presents and discusses the synthetic approach, and proposes an epistemological framework which promises to warrant genuine transmission of knowledge from the sciences of the artificial to the sciences of the natural. The second part of this article looks at the research applying the synthetic approach to the psychological study of emotional development. It shows how robotics, through the synthetic methodology, can develop a particular perspective on emotions, coherent with current psychological theories of emotional development and fitting well with the recent {\textquotedblleft}cognitive extension{\textquotedblright} approach proposed by cognitive sciences and philosophy of mind.}, isbn = {1902956923}, url = {http://www.cs.bham.ac.uk/research/projects/cogaff/aiib/Symposium_6/Papers/Damiano.pdf}, author = {Luisa Damiano and Lola Ca{\~n}amero}, editor = {Jackie Chappell and Susannah Thorpe and Nick Hawes and Aaron Sloman} } @inproceedings {2010, title = {Emotion in Decisions of Life and Death {\textendash} Its Role in Brain-Body-Environment Interactions for Predator and Prey}, booktitle = {Artificial Life XII: Proc. of the 12th International Conference on the Synthesis and Simulation of Living Systems}, year = {2010}, note = {Download (Open Access)}, month = {08/2010}, pages = {812{\textendash}822}, publisher = {MIT Press}, organization = {MIT Press}, address = {Odense, Denmark}, abstract = {Taking inspiration from the biological world, in our work we are attempting to create and examine artificial predator-prey relationships using two LEGO robots. We do so to explore the possible adaptive value of emotion-like states for action selection in this context. However, we also aim to study and consider these concepts together at different levels of abstraction. For example, in terms of individual agents{\textquoteright} brain-body-environment interactions, as well as the (emergent) predator-prey relationships resulting from these. Here, we discuss some of the background concepts and motivations driving the design of our implementation and experiments. First, we explain why we think the predator-prey relationship is so interesting. Narrowing our focus to emotion-based architectures, this is followed by a review of existing literature, comparing different types and highlighting the novel aspects of our own. We conclude with our proposed contributions to the literature and thus, ultimately, the design and creation of artificial life.}, url = {https://mitpress-request.mit.edu/sites/default/files/titles/alife/0262290758chap141.pdf}, author = {O{\textquoteright}Bryne, Claire and Lola Ca{\~n}amero}, editor = {Harold Fellermann and Mark D{\"o}rr and Martin M Hanczy and Lone Ladegaard Laursen and Sarah Maurer and Daniel Merkle and Pierre-Alain Monnard and Kasper St{\o}y and Steen Rasmussen} } @inproceedings {2010, title = {Evolution of Bistable Dynamics in Spiking Neural Controllers for Agents Performing Olfactory Attraction and Aversion}, booktitle = {Proc. 19th Annual Computational Neuroscience Meeting (CNS*2010)}, volume = {11(Suppl 1)}, year = {2010}, month = {07/2010}, pages = {92}, publisher = {BioMed Central Ltd.}, organization = {BioMed Central Ltd.}, address = {San Antonio, TX}, issn = {1471-2202}, doi = {10.1186/1471-2202-11-S1-P92}, url = {http://bmcneurosci.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1471-2202-11-S1-P92}, author = {Oros, Nicolas and Volker Steuber and Davey, Neil and Lola Ca{\~n}amero and Roderick G Adams} } @inproceedings {2009, title = {Evolution of Bilateral Symmetry in Agents Controlled by Spiking Neural Networks}, booktitle = {Proc. 2009 IEEE Symposium on Artificial Life (ALIFE 2009)}, year = {2009}, month = {03/2009}, pages = {116{\textendash}123}, publisher = {IEEE Press}, organization = {IEEE Press}, address = {Nashville, TN}, abstract = {We present in this paper three novel developmental models allowing information to be encoded in space and time, using spiking neurons placed on a 2D substrate. In two of these models, we introduce neural development that can use bilateral symmetry. We show that these models can create neural controllers for agents evolved to perform chemotaxis. Neural bilateral symmetry can be evolved and be beneficial for an agent. This work is the first, as far as we know, to present developmental models where spiking neurons are generated in space and where bilateral symmetry can be evolved and proved to be beneficial in this context.}, isbn = {978-1-4244-2763-5}, issn = {2160-6374}, doi = {10.1109/ALIFE.2009.4937702}, url = {http://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/4937702/}, author = {Oros, Nicolas and Volker Steuber and Davey, Neil and Lola Ca{\~n}amero and Roderick G Adams} } @inproceedings {2009, title = {The role of lateral inhibition in the sensory processing in a simulated spiking neural controller for a robot}, booktitle = {Proc. 2009 IEEE Symposium on Artificial Life (ALIFE 2009)}, year = {2009}, month = {03/2009}, pages = {179{\textendash}183}, publisher = {IEEE}, organization = {IEEE}, address = {Nashville, TN}, abstract = {Visual adaptation is the process that allows animals to be able to see over a wide range of light levels. This is achieved partially by lateral inhibition in the retina which compensates for low/high light levels. Neural controllers which cause robots to turn away from or towards light tend to work in a limited range of light conditions. In real environments, the light conditions can vary greatly reducing the effectiveness of the robot. Our solution for a simple Braitenberg vehicle is to add a single inhibitory neuron which laterally inhibits the output to the robot motors. This solution has additionally reduced the computational complexity of our simple neuron allowing for a greater number of neurons to be simulated with a fixed set of resources.}, isbn = {978-1-4244-2763-5}, issn = {2160-6374}, doi = {10.1109/ALIFE.2009.4937710}, url = {http://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/4937710/}, author = {David Bowes and Roderick G Adams and Lola Ca{\~n}amero and Volker Steuber and Davey, Neil} } @inproceedings {2009, title = {Should I worry about my stressed pregnant robot?}, booktitle = {Proc. 9th International Conference on Epigenetic Robotics: Modeling Cognitive Development in Robotic Systems (EpiRob 2009)}, series = {Lund University Cognitive Studies}, volume = {146}, year = {2009}, month = {11/2009}, pages = {203{\textendash}204}, publisher = {Lund University}, organization = {Lund University}, address = {Venice, Italy}, isbn = {978-91-977-380-7-1}, issn = {1101-8453}, url = {http://www.lucs.lu.se/LUCS/146/epirob09.pdf}, author = {David Bowes and Lola Ca{\~n}amero and Roderick G Adams and Volker Steuber and Davey, Neil}, editor = {Lola Ca{\~n}amero and Pierre-Yves Oudeyer and Christian Balkenius} } @inproceedings {2008, title = {Adaptive Olfactory Encoding in Agents Controlled by Spiking Neural Networks}, booktitle = {From Animals to Animats 10: Proc. 10th International Conference on Simulation of Adaptive Behavior (SAB 2008)}, series = {Lecture Notes in Computer Science (LNCS)}, volume = { 5040}, year = {2008}, month = {07/2008}, pages = {148{\textendash}158}, publisher = {Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg}, organization = {Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg}, address = {Osaka, Japan}, abstract = {We created a neural architecture that can use two different types of information encoding strategies depending on the environment. The goal of this research was to create a simulated agent that could react to two different overlapping chemicals having varying concentrations. The neural network controls the agent by encoding its sensory information as temporal coincidences in a low concentration environment, and as firing rates at high concentration. With such an architecture, we could study synchronization of firing in a simple manner and see its effect on the agent{\textquoteright}s behaviour.}, isbn = {978-3-540-69134-1}, doi = {10.1007/978-3-540-69134-1_15}, url = {http://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-540-69134-1_15}, author = {Oros, Nicolas and Volker Steuber and Davey, Neil and Lola Ca{\~n}amero and Roderick G Adams}, editor = {Asada, Minoru and Hallam, John C T and Jean-Arcady Meyer and Tani, Jun} } @inproceedings {2008, title = {Optimal Noise in Spiking Neural Networks for the Detection of Chemicals by Simulated Agents}, booktitle = {Artificial Life XI: Proceedings of the Eleventh International Conference on the Simulation and Synthesis of Living Systems}, year = {2008}, month = {08/2008}, pages = {443{\textendash}449}, publisher = {MIT Press}, organization = {MIT Press}, address = {Winchester, UK}, abstract = {We created a spiking neural controller for an agent that could use two different types of information encoding strategies depending on the level of chemical concentration present in the environment. The first goal of this research was to create a simulated agent that could react and stay within a region where there were two different overlapping chemicals having uniform concentrations. The agent was controlled by a spiking neural network that encoded sensory information using temporal coincidence of incoming spikes when the level of chemical concentration was low, and as firing rates at high level of concentration. With this architecture, we could study synchronization of firing in a simple manner and see its effect on the agent{\textquoteright}s behaviour. The next experiment we did was to use a more realistic model by having an environment composed of concentration gradients and by adding input current noise to all neurons. We used a realistic model of diffusive noise and showed that it could improve the agent{\textquoteright}s behaviour if used within a certain range. Therefore, an agent with neuronal noise was better able to stay within the chemical concentration than an agent without.}, isbn = {978-0-262-75017-2}, url = {https://mitpress-request.mit.edu/sites/default/files/titles/alife/0262287196chap58.pdf}, author = {Oros, Nicolas and Volker Steuber and Davey, Neil and Lola Ca{\~n}amero and Roderick G Adams}, editor = {Seth Bullock and Jason Noble and Richard A. Watson and Mark A Bedau} } @inproceedings {2008, title = {Optimal Receptor Response Functions for the Detection of Pheromones by Agents Driven by Spiking Neural Networks}, booktitle = {Proc. 9th European Meeting on Cybernetics and Systems Research, Vol. II}, year = {2008}, month = {03/2008}, pages = {427{\textendash}432}, publisher = {Austrian Society for Cybernetic Studies}, organization = {Austrian Society for Cybernetic Studies}, address = {Vienna, Austria}, abstract = {The goal of the work presented here is to find a model of a spiking sensory neuron that could cope with small variations in the concentration of simulated chemicals and also the whole range of concentrations. By using a biologically plausible sigmoid function in our model to map chemical concentration to current, we could produce agents able to detect the whole range of concentration of chemicals (pheromones) present in the environment as well as small variations of them. The sensory neurons used in our model are able to encode the stimulus intensity into appropriate firing rates.}, isbn = {978-3-85206-175-7}, url = {http://www.cogsci.uci.edu/~noros/mypapers/OROS_2008_EMCSR.pdf}, author = {Oros, Nicolas and Volker Steuber and Davey, Neil and Lola Ca{\~n}amero and Roderick G Adams}, editor = {Trappl, R} } @inproceedings {2008, title = {Receptor Response and Soma Leakiness in a Simulated Spiking Neural Controller for a Robot}, booktitle = {Proc. 4th International Workshop on Artificial Neural Networks and Intelligent Information Processing (ANNIIP 2008)}, year = {2008}, month = {05/2008}, pages = {100{\textendash}106}, publisher = {INSTICC (Inst. Syst. Technologies Information Control and Communication)}, organization = {INSTICC (Inst. Syst. Technologies Information Control and Communication)}, address = {Funchal, Madeira, Portugal}, abstract = {This paper investigates different models of leakiness for the soma of a simulated spiking neural controller for a robot exhibiting negative photo-taxis. It also investigates two models of receptor response to stimulus levels. The results show that exponential decay of ions across the soma and of a receptor response function where intensity is proportional to intensity is the best combination for dark seeking behaviour.}, isbn = {978-989-8111-33-3}, url = {https://uhra.herts.ac.uk/handle/2299/6832}, author = {David Bowes and Roderick G Adams and Lola Ca{\~n}amero and Volker Steuber and Davey, Neil}, editor = {Madani, K} } @inproceedings {2007, title = {Biasing Neural Networks Towards Exploration or Exploitation Using Neuromodulation}, booktitle = {Proc. 17th International Conference on Artificial Neural Networks (ICANN 2007), Part II}, series = {LNCS}, volume = {4669}, year = {2007}, month = {09/2007}, pages = {889{\textendash}898}, publisher = {Springer Berlin Heidelberg}, organization = {Springer Berlin Heidelberg}, address = {Porto, Portugal}, abstract = {Taking neuromodulation as a mechanism underlying emotions, this paper investigates how such a mechanism can bias an artificial neural network towards exploration of new courses of action, as seems to be the case in positive emotions, or exploitation of known possibilities, as in negative emotions such as predatory fear. We use neural networks of spiking leaky integrate-and-fire neurons acting as minimal disturbance systems, and test them with continuous actions. The networks have to balance the activations of all their output neurons concurrently. We have found that having the middle layer modulate the output layer helps balance the activations of the output neurons. A second discovery is that when the network is modulated in this way, it performs better at tasks requiring the exploitation of actions that are found to be rewarding. This is complementary to previous findings where having the input layer modulate the middle layer biases the network towards exploration of alternative actions. We conclude that a network can be biased towards either exploration of exploitation depending on which layers are being modulated.}, isbn = {978-3-540-74695-9}, doi = {10.1007/978-3-540-74695-9_91}, url = {https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-540-74695-9_91}, author = {Parussel, Karla and Lola Ca{\~n}amero}, editor = {de S{\'a}, Joaquim Marques and Alexandre, Lu{\'\i}s A. and Duch, W{\l}odzis{\l}aw and Mandic, Danilo} } @inproceedings {2005, title = {Using Visual Velocity Detection to Achieve Synchronization in Imitation}, booktitle = {Proc. 3rd Int. Symposium on Imitation in Animals and Artifacts}, year = {2005}, pages = {26{\textendash}29}, publisher = {AISB}, organization = {AISB}, address = {Hatfield, UK}, abstract = {Synchronization and coordination are important mechanisms involved in imitation and social interaction. In this paper, we study different methods to improve the reactivity of agents to changes in their environment in different coordination tasks. In a robot synchronization task, we compare the differences between using only position detection or velocity detection. We first test an existing position detection approach, and then we compare the results with those obtained using a novel method that takes advantage of visual detection of velocity. We test and discuss the applicability of these two methods in several coordination scenarios, to conclude by seeing how to combine the advantages of both methods.}, isbn = {1-902956-42-5}, url = {https://www.aisb.org.uk/publications/proceedings/aisb2005/3_Imitation_Final.pdf}, author = {Arnaud J Blanchard and Lola Ca{\~n}amero}, editor = {Demiris, Y} } @article {2004, title = {Intelligenza artificiale in medicina: progetto di una piattaforma mobile inserita in un ambiente intelligente per l{\textquoteright}assistenza ai disabili e agli anziani}, journal = {Recenti Progressi in Medicina}, volume = {95}, year = {2004}, pages = {190{\textendash}195}, publisher = {Pensiero scientifico}, abstract = {Viene presentato un progetto basato sull{\textquoteright}integrazione di nuove tecnologie e di Intelligenza artificiale per sviluppare uno strumento {\textendash} e-tool {\textendash} indirizzato alle persone disabili ed agli anziani. Una piattaforma mobile inserita all{\textquoteright}interno di ambienti intelligenti (strutture di assistenza o abitazioni), controllata e gestita attraverso un{\textquoteright}architettura multilivello, viene proposta come supporto sia per i pazienti che per i caregiver al fine di aumentare l{\textquoteright}autonomia nella vita quotidiana. A project based on the integration of new technologies and artificial intelligence to develop a device {\textendash} e-tool {\textendash} for disabled patients and elderly people is presented. A mobile platform in intelligent environments (skilled-care facilities and home-care), controlled and managed by a multi-level architecture, is proposed to support patients and caregivers to increase self-dependency in activities of daily living.}, issn = {0034-1193}, doi = {10.1701/39.314}, author = {Cort{\'e}s, Ulises and Annicchiarico, Roberta and Campana, Fabio and V{\'a}zquez-Salceda, Javier and Urdiales, Cristina and Lola Ca{\~n}amero and Maite L{\'o}pez and Miquel S{\`a}nchez-Marr{\`e} and Di Vincenzo, Sarah and Carlo Caltagirone} } @inproceedings {2004, title = {Strategies in the Evolution of Affect Related Displays and Recognition}, booktitle = {The Logic Of Artificial Life: Abstracting and Synthesizing the Principles of Living Systems; Proc. 6th German Workshop on Artificial Life 2004}, year = {2004}, publisher = {IOS Press}, organization = {IOS Press}, address = {Bamberg, Germany}, abstract = {A more realistic alternative to the game theoretic approach to measuring the behavioural success of animal display can be represented by affect related expression and perception The current paper investigates the ways in which agents can use evolved affect related displays to manipulate the behaviour of affect perceiving rival agents to their survival advantage. }, author = {Robert Lowe and Lola Ca{\~n}amero and Nehaniv, Chrystopher L and Daniel Polani}, editor = {Harald Schaub and Frank Detje and Ulrike Br{\"u}ggermann} } @inproceedings {2003, title = {Analyzing the Performance of "Winner-Take-All" and "Voting-Based" Action Selection Policies within the Two-Resource Problem}, booktitle = {Advances in Artificial Life: 7th European Conference, ECAL 2003}, series = {Lecture Notes in Artificial Intelligence}, volume = {2801}, year = {2003}, note = {Download}, month = {09/2003}, pages = {733{\textendash}742}, publisher = {Springer}, organization = {Springer}, address = {Dortmund, Germany}, abstract = {The problem of action selection for an autonomous creature implies resolving conflicts between competing behavioral alternatives. These conflicts can be resolved either via competition, following a {\textquotedblleft}winner-take-all{\textquotedblright} approach, or via cooperation in a {\textquotedblleft}voting-based{\textquotedblright} approach. In this paper we present two robotic architectures implementing these approaches, and report on experiments we have performed to compare their underlying optimization policies. We have framed this study within the context of the {\textquotedblleft}two-resource problem,{\textquotedblright} as it provides a widely used standard that favors systematic experimentation, analysis, and comparison of results.}, isbn = {978-3-540-20057-4}, doi = {10.1007/978-3-540-39432-7_79}, url = {https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007\%2F978-3-540-39432-7_79}, author = {Avila-Garc{\'\i}a, Orlando and Lola Ca{\~n}amero and Ren{\'e} te Boekhorst}, editor = {Banzhaf, Wolfgang and Christaller, Thomas and Dittrich, Peter and Kim, Jan T and Ziegler, Jens} } @inbook {2003, title = {e-Tools: The use of Assistive Technologies to enhance disabled and senior citizens{\textquoteright} autonomy}, booktitle = {e-Health: Application of Computing Science in Medicine and Health Care}, year = {2003}, pages = {119{\textendash}132}, publisher = {Instituto Polit{\'e}cnico National Press}, organization = {Instituto Polit{\'e}cnico National Press}, abstract = {In this paper we present our preliminary ideas about the integration of several technologies to build specific e-tools for the disabled and for the new generation of senior citizens. {\textquoteleft}e-Tools{\textquoteright} stands for Embedded Tools, as we aim to embed intelligent assistive devices in homes and other facilities, creating ambient intelligence environments to give support to patients and caregivers. In particular, we aim to explore the benefits of the concept of situated intelligence to build intelligent artefacts that will enhance the autonomy of the target group during their daily life. We present here a multi-level architecture and our preliminary research on navigation schemes for a robotic wheelchair.}, author = {Cort{\'e}s, Ulises and Annicchiarico, Roberta and V{\'a}zquez-Salceda, Javier and Urdiales, Cristina and Lola Ca{\~n}amero and Maite L{\'o}pez and Miquel S{\`a}nchez-Marr{\`e} and Carlo Caltagirone}, editor = {I Rudom{\'\i}n and J V{\'a}zquez-Salceda and J L D{\'\i}az de Le{\'o}n Santiago} } @inproceedings {2003, title = {Motivation-driven learning of object affordances: First experiments using a simulated khepera robot}, booktitle = {Proc. 5th International Conference in Cognitive Modelling (ICCM{\textquoteright}03)}, year = {2003}, pages = {57{\textendash}62}, address = {Bamberg, Germany}, author = {Cos-Aguilera, Ignasi and Lola Ca{\~n}amero and Gillian M Hayes}, editor = {Detjer, Frank and D{\"o}rner, Dietrich and Harald Schaub} } @inproceedings {2003, title = {Optimization Criteria Underlying "Winner-Take-All" and "Voting-Based" Action Selection Policies}, booktitle = {Towards Intelligent Mobile Robots, TIMR{\textquoteright}03: 4th British Conference on Mobile Robotics}, year = {2003}, address = {University of the West of England, Bristol}, author = {Avila-Garc{\'\i}a, Orlando and Lola Ca{\~n}amero and Ren{\'e} te Boekhorst and Davey, Neil}, editor = {U Nehmzow and C Melhuish} } @inproceedings {2002, title = {Meaningful Information, Sensor Evolution, and the Temporal Horizon of Embodied Organisms}, booktitle = {Artificial Life VIII: Proceedings of the Eighth International Conference on Artificial Life}, year = {2002}, pages = {345{\textendash}349}, publisher = {MIT Press}, organization = {MIT Press}, address = {Sydney, Australia}, abstract = {We survey and outline how an agent-centered, information-theoretic approach to meaningful information extending classical Shannon information theory by means of utility measures relevant for the goals of particular agents can be applied to sensor evolution for real and constructed organisms. Furthermore, we discuss the relationship of this approach to the programme of freeing artificial life and robotic systems from reactivity, by describing useful types of information with broader temporal horizon, for signaling, communication, affective grounding, two-process learning, individual learning, imitation and social learning, and episodic experiential information (memories, narrative, and culturally transmitted information).}, isbn = {9780262692816}, author = {Nehaniv, Chrystopher L and Daniel Polani and Kerstin Dautenhahn and Ren{\'e} te Boekhorst and Lola Ca{\~n}amero}, editor = {Russell Standish and Mark A Bedau and Hussein A Abbass} } @inbook {2002, title = {Playing the emotion game with Feelix: What can a LEGO robot tell us about emotion?}, booktitle = {Socially Intelligent Agents: Creating Relationships with Computers and Robots}, year = {2002}, pages = {69{\textendash}76}, publisher = {Kluwer Academic Publishers}, organization = {Kluwer Academic Publishers}, chapter = {8}, abstract = {This chapter reports the motivations and choices underlying the design of Feelix, a simple humanoid LEGO robot that displays different emotions through facial expression in response to physical contact. It concludes by discussing what this simple technology can tell us about emotional expression and interaction.}, author = {Ca{\~n}amero, Lola D}, editor = {Kerstin Dautenhahn and Alan H Bond and Lola Ca{\~n}amero and Bruce Edmonds} } @inbook {2002, title = {Socially Intelligent Agents: Creating Relationships with Computers and Robots}, booktitle = {Socially Intelligent Agents: Creating Relationships with Computers and Robots}, year = {2002}, pages = {1{\textendash}20}, publisher = {Kluwer Academic Publishers}, organization = {Kluwer Academic Publishers}, chapter = {1}, abstract = {This introduction explains the motivation to edit this book and provides an overview of the chapters included in this book. Main themes and common threads that can be found across different chapters are identified that might help the reader in navigating the book. }, isbn = {978-0-306-47373-9}, author = {Kerstin Dautenhahn and Alan H Bond and Lola Ca{\~n}amero and Bruce Edmonds}, editor = {Kerstin Dautenhahn and Alan H Bond and Lola Ca{\~n}amero and Bruce Edmonds} } @book {2002, title = {Socially Intelligent Agents: Creating Relationships with Computers and Robots}, year = {2002}, publisher = {Kluwer Academic Publishers}, organization = {Kluwer Academic Publishers}, isbn = {978-0-306-47373-9}, editor = {Kerstin Dautenhahn and Alan H Bond and Lola Ca{\~n}amero and Bruce Edmonds} } @inbook {2000, title = {Emotionally Grounded Social Interaction}, booktitle = {Human Cognition and Social Agent Technology}, series = {Advances in Consciousness Research}, number = {19}, year = {2000}, pages = {137{\textendash}162}, publisher = {John Benjamins Publishing Co.}, organization = {John Benjamins Publishing Co.}, chapter = {6}, author = {D Ca{\~n}amero and Walter Van de Velde}, editor = {Kerstin Dautenhahn} } @inproceedings {2000, title = {How Does It Feel? Emotional Interaction with a Humanoid LEGO Robot}, booktitle = {Socially Intelligent Agents: The Human in the Loop. Papers from the AAAI 2000 Fall Symposium}, year = {2000}, pages = {23{\textendash}28}, publisher = {AAAI Press}, organization = {AAAI Press}, address = {North Falmouth, Massachusetts}, abstract = {We report work on a LEGO robot capable of displaying several emotional expressions in response to physical contact. Our motivation has been to explore believable emotional exchanges to achieve plausible interaction with a simple robot. We have worked toward this goal in two ways. First, acknowledging the importance of physical manipulation in children{\textquoteright}s interactions, interaction with the robot is through tactile stimulation; the various kinds of stimulation that can elicit the robot{\textquoteright}s emotions are grounded in a model of emotion activation based on different stimulation patterns. Second, emotional states need to be clearly conveyed. We have drawn inspiration from theories of human basic emotions with associated universal facial expressions, which we have implemented in a caricaturized face. We have conducted experiments on children and adults to assess the recognizability of these expressions, and observed how people spontaneously interacting with Feelix respond to its emotional displays.}, isbn = {978-1-57735-127-6}, url = {http://www.aaai.org/Papers/Symposia/Fall/2000/FS-00-04/FS00-04-006.pdf}, author = {Ca{\~n}amero, Lola D and Fredslund, Jakob}, editor = {Kerstin Dautenhahn} } @inbook {1999, title = {Emotions pour les agents situ{\'e}s}, booktitle = {Intelligence Artificielle Situ{\'e}e}, year = {1999}, publisher = {Herm{\`e}s science publications}, organization = {Herm{\`e}s science publications}, address = {Paris}, abstract = {Contrairement {\`a} l{\textquoteright}intelligence artificielle (IA) symbolique, l{\textquoteright}IA situ{\'e}e, qui adopte une vision plus large de l{\textquoteright}intelligence "compl{\`e}te" qui ne la d{\'e}tache pas de sa r{\'e}alisation corporelle et qui s{\textquoteright}int{\'e}resse {\`a} son r{\^o}le adaptatif, ouvre naturellement la porte {\`a} l{\textquoteright}{\'e}tude des r{\^o}les des {\'e}motions d{\textquoteright}un point de vue {\'e}volutif et {\`a} leur int{\'e}gration dans les agents autonomes ou animats comme des m{\'e}canismes favorisant l{\textquoteright}adaptation. Cet article examine les raisons pour lesquelles il semble int{\'e}ressant de doter d{\textquoteright}{\'e}motions les agents situ{\'e}s, en {\'e}tablissant un lien avec les {\'e}motions naturelles, ainsi que les diff{\'e}rentes approches envisageables permettant de mod{\'e}liser les {\'e}motions dans le cadre de l{\textquoteright}IA situ{\'e}e, et les diff{\'e}rents probl{\`e}mes qui en d{\'e}coulent. The notion of intelligence underlying symbolic Artificial Intelligence (AI) is tightly coupled to the idea of rationality. On the contrary, situated AI, with a wider view of intelligence that focuses on its embodiment and its adaptive value, allows to study emotional phenomena in animats from the point of view of evolution, and to investigate their adaptive roles. This paper examines the main reasons why it seems interesting to endow animats with emotions, establishing a parallel with natural emotions. It also considers the main approches that can be used to model emotions within situated AI, and the problems they pose. }, isbn = {978-274620076-0}, author = {D Ca{\~n}amero}, editor = {Alexis Drogoul and Jean-Arcady Meyer} } @inbook {1999, title = {Situated Learning in Autonomous Agents}, booktitle = {Learning Sites: Social and Technological Contexts for Learning}, year = {1999}, pages = {236{\textendash}248}, publisher = {Elsevier}, organization = {Elsevier}, chapter = {18}, isbn = {978-0080433509}, author = {Bart de Boer and D Ca{\~n}amero}, editor = {Joan Bliss and Roger S{\"a}lj{\"o} and Paul Light} } @inproceedings {1997, title = {Socially Emotional: Using Emotions to Ground Social Interaction}, booktitle = {Socially Intelligent Agents. Papers from the 1997 AAAI Fall Symposium}, year = {1997}, pages = {10{\textendash}15}, publisher = {The AAAI Press}, organization = {The AAAI Press}, author = {D Ca{\~n}amero and Walter Van de Velde}, editor = {Kerstin Dautenhahn} }