Title
Spiking neural controllers in multi-agent competitive systems for adaptive targeted motor learning
Abstract
The proposed work introduces a neural control strategy for guiding adaptation in spiking neural structures acting as nonlinear controllers in a group of bio-inspired robots which compete in reaching targets in a virtual environment. The neural structures embedded into each agent are inspired by a specific part of the insect brain, namely Central Complex, devoted to detect, learn and memorize visual features for targeted motor control. A reduced-order model of a spiking neuron is used as the basic building block for the neural controller. The control methodology employs bio-inspired, correlation based learning mechanisms like Spike timing dependent plasticity with the addition of a reward/punishment-based method experimentally found in insects. The reference signal for the overall multi-agent control system is imposed by a global reward, which guides motor learning to direct each agent towards specific visual targets. The neural controllers within the agents start from identical conditions: the learning strategy induces each robot to show anticipated targeting actions upon specific visual stimuli. The whole control structure also contributes to make the robots refractory or more sensitive to specific visual stimuli, showing distinct preferences in future choices. This leads to an environmentally induced, targeted motor control, even without a direct communication among the agents, giving robots, while running, the ability to perform adaptation in real-time. Experiments, carried out in a dynamic simulation environment, show the suitability of the proposed approach. Specific performance indexes, like Shannon׳s Entropy, are adopted to quantitatively analyze diversity and specialization within the group.
Year
DOI
Venue
2015
10.1016/j.jfranklin.2015.04.014
Journal of the Franklin Institute
Field
DocType
Volume
Virtual machine,Motor learning,Control theory,Motor control,Artificial intelligence,Spike-timing-dependent plasticity,Control system,Robot,Dynamic simulation,Visual perception,Mathematics
Journal
352
Issue
ISSN
Citations 
8
0016-0032
1
PageRank 
References 
Authors
0.39
13
3
Name
Order
Citations
PageRank
Alessandra Vitanza132.11
Luca Patané210417.31
Paolo Arena326147.43