Cognitive Computing

1
Cognitive Computing

• Consciousness and Computation
• Advanced topics in Cognitive Computation
• Lent term assignments
• Mark Bishop

2
Consciousness and Computations

• Formative (30)
• Prove that the machine NORMA_STACK is no more
  powerful than the universal machine NORMA by
  designing two MACROs to implement
• (a) XPOP which removes the top value from the
  STACK and places it into the X register(b) PUSH
  (X) which places the contents of the X register
  on to the top of the STACK
• and submit a short (no more than 1-page) report
  detailing their operation.
• Summative (70)
• A 3000 word researched essay, An introduction to
  Wiedermann and Leeuwens Autopoietic Automata
  (AA) theory (submitted by 5pm, Friday 22nd
  March, 2013).
• It is anticipated that at minimum - student
  essays will address
• (a) the Turing model of computation
• (b) the Interaction model of computation
• (c) what is an AA?
• (d) what is the relation of AAs to other models
  of computation (e.g. Turing machines, Interaction
  machines etc.)
• (e) what is the computational power of an AA
• (f) the implications if any of AA (and more
  generally the interactive model) for cognitive
  science.

3
References

• Amongst other sources students are recommended to
  consult
• Jan van Leeuwen Jiri Wiedermann (2001) Beyond
  the Turing Limit Evolving Interactive Systems.
  In Leszek Pacholski Peter Ruzicka, editors
  SOFSEM 2001 Theory and Practice of Informatics,
  28th Conference on Current Trends in Theory and
  Practice of Informatics Piestany, Slovak
  Republic, November 24 - December 1, 2001,
  Proceedings, Lecture Notes in Computer Science
  2234. Springer, pp. 90109. Available at
  http//link.springer.de/link/service/series/0558/b
  ibs/2234/22340090.htm.
• Jan van Leeuwen Jiri Wiedermann (2001) The
  Turing machine paradigm in contemporary
  computing. In B. Enquist W. Schmidt, editors
  Mathematics Unlimited 2001 and Beyond.
  Springer-Verlag, p. 1139-1155.
• Peter Verbaan, Jan van Leeuwen Jiri Wiedermann
  (2004) Complexity of Evolving Interactive
  Systems. In Juhani Karhumaki, Hermann A. Maurer,
  Gheorghe Paun Grzegorz Rozenberg, editors
  Theory Is Forever, Essays Dedicated to Arto
  Salomaa on the Occasion of His 70th Birthday,
  Lecture Notes in Computer Science 3113. Springer,
  pp. 268281. Available at http//springerlink.met
  apress.com/openurl.asp?genrearticleampissn0302
  -9743ampvolume3113ampspage268.
• Jiri Wiedermann (2007) Autopoietic automata
  Complexity issues in offspring-producing evolving
  processes. Theor. Comput. Sci. 383(2-3), pp.
  260269.

4
Advanced topics in Cognitive Computation

• Formative (30)
• Two summary and two background seminars on
  chapter(s) from Aleksander, I. Morton, H.,
  (2012), Aristotles Laptop the discovery of our
  informational mind, World Scientific.
• Summative (70)
• (a) A mini (500) word review Aristotles
  Laptop the discovery of our informational mind,
  World Scientific (the best short review to be
  submitted for publication in AISBQ magazine).
• (b) A more in-depth (2000 word) researched
  review of the work as a whole (the best in depth
  review to be submitted for publication in
  Cognitive Computation journal)
• Both reviews to be submitted by 5pm, Friday 22nd
  March, 2013 at a minimum both reviews should
  discuss (a) what is the core thesis of the text
  and (b) is this thesis convincing. The second
  (extended) review should also (a) identify and
  outline the relationship of the text to other key
  works in the field and (b) offer at least some
  critical analysis of the ideas.

5
Seminar lists

• C2/Week 2 Stephen summary Emily background
• C3/Week 3 Asei summary Monica background
• C4/Week 4 Monica summary Asei background
• C5/Week 5 Emily summary Stephen background
• READING WEEK
• C6/Week 7 Anna summary Emily background
• C7/Week 8 Monica summary Asei background
• C8/Week 9 Emily summary Monica background
• C9/Week 10 Asei Summary Stephen background
• C10/Week 11 Stephen summary Anna REVIEW

6
Research project and Dissertation

• The research project is a substantial software
  implementation in the broad area of Cognitive
  Computing.
• The project aims to allow students to put into
  practice some of the newly acquired cognitive
  computing techniques on either a technical
  implementation - for example the use of AI or
  Neural Networks in a computer game - or an
  experimental investigation of some cognitive
  phenomena (e.g. change blindness).
• Selection of an appropriate research project is
  one aspect of the assessment process.

7
Requirements

• Students implement a Cognitive Computing project
  and dissertation, which should include a suitable
  literature search of the research area,
  emphasising the methodological aspects of the
  work.
• Students should select their project during terms
  one and two, by liaising with potential research
  supervisors (check out faculty web pages for
  research interests) and submit a project form
  (indicating project supervisors) by the end of
  term two (the form is provided in the course
  handbook).
• This is a formal requirement for progression if
  the project form has not been submitted, then the
  student will not be allowed to progress to
  dissertation.

8
Length etc.

• During the third term students should make
  arrangements to meet with their project
  supervisor on at least four occasions twice at
  the start of the project (to introduce the
  project confirm key project questions and
  strategy etc) and twice towards the end of term
  three (to confirm the thesis outline demonstrate
  any project work and/or highlight key
  experimental findings review answers to research
  questions demonstrate an appropriate academic
  writing writing style etc).
• The course is primarily assessed via a
  substantial 15-20,000 word dissertation together
  with an appropriate software implementation
  and/or series of experiments.
• Research only projects can be considered in
  exceptional circumstances.
• The dissertation must be completed by the end of
  the third term (20rd September 2013).