Artificial Motor Programs
Norman Badler, Brian Barsky, David Zeltzer · 1990
Mostanimalshavesignificantbehavioralexpertisebuiltinwithouthavingto explicitlylearnitallfromscratch.Thisexpertiseisaproductofevolutionofthe organism;itcanbeviewedasaverylong-termformoflearningwhichprovides astructuredsystemwithinwhichindividualsmightlearnmorespecializedskills orabilities.Thissuggestsonepossiblemechanismforanalogousrobotevolution bydescribingacarefullydesignedseriesofnetworks,eachonebeingastrict augmentationofthepreviousone,whichcontrolasix-leggedwalkingmachine capableofwalkingoverroughterrainandfollowingapersonpassivelysensedin theinfraredspectrum.Asthecompletelydecentralizednetworksareaugmented, therobot&s;sperformanceandbehaviorrepertoiredemonstrablyimprove.The rationaleforsuchdemonstrationsisthattheymayprovideahintastothe requirementsforautomaticallybuildingmassivenetworkstocarryoutcomplex sensory-motortasks.Theexperimentswithanactualrobotensurethatanessence ofrealityismaintainedandthatnocriticaldisablingproblemshavebeen ignored.