1. Non-Routine Problem Solving Cognitive Science Seminar—Spring 2003 Stan Franklin

2. PRECONSCIOUS PERCEPTION PERCEPT TO PRECONSCIOUS BUFFER LOCAL ASSOCIATIONS COMPETITION FOR CONSCIOUSNESS CONSCIOUS BROADCAST RECRUITMENT OF RESOURCES SETTING GOAL CONTEXT HIERARCHY ACTION CHOSEN ACTION TAKEN Cognitive Cycle

3. Cognitive Cycle Processing • Hypothesis— Like IDA’s, human cognitive processing is via a continuing sequence of Cognitive Cycles • Duration— Each cognitive cycle takes roughly 200 ms with steps 1 through 5 occupying about 80 ms. • Overlapping—Several cycles may have parts running simultaneously in parallel • Seriality— Consciousness maintains serial order and the illusion of continuity • Start— Cycle may start with action selection instead of perception

4. Coalitions and Consciousness • Coalition manager • Spotlight manager • Broadcast mechanism

5. Drive to Acknowledge A Behavior Stream Activation from drive Send an acknowledgement Compose an acknowledgment Find an email address Find and move a template From the Sidelines Activation from the environment, external or internal

6. Broadcast Behavior net templates Behavior Net in Action Behavior net Working Memory Stands Side lines Playing field

7. Associative Memory Working memory Job List Outgoing Message Playing Field Stands “Consciousness” in Action Focus

8. Non-Routine Problem • Occurs when some responding behavior codlets have no behavior stream template to instantiate • How does IDA recognize when this has occurred? • How will she handle such a situation?

9. Failed Expectation • Registered as surprise • Specific—Flip the switch; light doesn’t come on • General—A knock at the door: it’s the Pope • Failed expectation leads to non-routine problem • Often • Not always—misidentification of a person

10. Expectation Codelets • Particular kind of attention codelet • Activated when any behavior is selected • Watches results of the execution of its behavior • May take several cognitive cycles • Attempts to bring results to consciousness • Unexpected results produce • More activation • Greater probability of becoming conscious • Helps maintain internal todo list

11. Responding Behavior Codelets • Behavior codelets respond to “conscious” broadcast • If they know what to do • If their add list contains some part of a failed expectation • Possibly several different behavior streams instantiated • These compete for execution of their behaviors • With each other • With previously existing behavior streams • Behavior streams decay with disuse

12. Non-Routine Problem Solving Behavior Stream • Responding behavior codelets may not know what to do • Behavior stream for non-routine problem solving instantiated • Implements an iterative, partial-planning algorithm • Each iteration utilizes one cognitive cycle

13. GOAL Operators Planner … … START … … Operators

14. Planner Implementation • START—Initial conditions—current state of the environment • GOAL—unfulfilled expectations • Operators—responding behavior codelets (first approximation)

15. Planning Behavior Stream • Behavior to set up START, GOAL & first Operators • Expectation codelet triggers next iteration • Behavior sets in place next round of operators • Planning is by backward chaining until START is reached • Completed plan is saved as a behavior stream template • Learning has occurred

16. Web and Email Addresses • Stan Franklin • franklin@memphis.edu • www.cs.memphis.edu/~franklin • “Conscious” Software Research Group • www.cs.memphis.edu/~csrg