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author Robert McIntyre <rlm@mit.edu>
date Wed, 29 May 2013 17:17:40 -0400
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1 Dear Professor Winston,
3 I've finished the first part of my project, building a
4 framework for virtual sensate creatures; I would like your
5 help evaluating what I've done so far, and deciding what to
6 do next.
8 For the work I've done so far, I compiled the results into
9 short articles that explain how I implemented each sense,
10 with videos that show each sense in action. Please look
11 through the articles, in particular the video showcase, and
12 tell me what you think.
14 Video Showcase : http://aurellem.org/cortex/org/cover.html
16 Introduction:
17 http://aurellem.org/cortex/html/intro.html
18 http://aurellem.org/cortex/html/sense.html
20 Physical Bodies : http://aurellem.org/cortex/html/body.html
21 Vision : http://aurellem.org/cortex/html/vision.html
22 Hearing : http://aurellem.org/cortex/html/hearing.html
23 Touch : http://aurellem.org/cortex/html/touch.html
24 Proprioception : http://aurellem.org/cortex/html/proprioception.html
25 Muscles : http://aurellem.org/cortex/html/movement.html
26 Full Demonstration : http://aurellem.org/cortex/html/integration.html
28 I think this work could be a fruitful foundation for a
29 Master's thesis, so in particular, I'd like critiques,
30 suggestions, and project ideas. For example, here are some
31 projects I think would be worthy, in increasing order of
32 complexity:
34 * Create a self-powered joint that can determine its
35 range of motion and joint type (hinge, cone,
36 point-to-point, etc.) by making exploratory muscle
37 movements and observing their effect.
39 * Develop an agent that writes and debugs low-level
40 motor control programs to achieve simple goals like
41 "look at the light" or "extend all of your
42 fingers". These simple "calisthenic" programs could
43 then be combined to form more elaborate procedures of
44 motion, which in turn could be the basic instinctive
45 reflexes in the "spinal cord" of some more advanced
46 creature. (like Sussman's HACKER program but in a
47 richer world)
49 * Program a group of creatures that cooperate with each
50 other. Because the creatures would be simulated, I
51 could investigate computationally complex rules of
52 behavior which still, from the group's point of view,
53 would happen in "real time". Interactions could be as
54 simple as cellular organisms communicating via
55 flashing lights, or as complex as humanoids completing
56 social tasks, etc.
58 * Simulated Imagination -- this would involve a creature
59 with an effector which creates an entire new
60 sub-simulation where the creature has direct control
61 over placement/creation of objects via simulated
62 telekinesis. The creature observes this sub-world
63 through it's normal senses and uses its observations
64 to make predictions about its top level world.
66 * Integrate the simulated world with Genesis, so that
67 Genesis could use the simulated world to answer
68 questions about a proposed physical scenario. For
69 example "You stack two blocks together, then hit the
70 bottom block with your hand. Does the top block
71 move?". This project is complicated and very large in
72 scope, but it could be narrowed to focus on a single
73 key aspect. For example, one key aspect of turning a
74 scenario into a simulation is knowing when you're
75 constructing "typical" or "atypical" examples of the
76 scenario. So, a narrower project might simply learn
77 about the edge cases of different scenarios (e.g. "A
78 block stacked on top of another block is usually
79 stable, provided the bottom block is large enough, and
80 is not moving, and is level, etc."). With this
81 knowledge, this kind of program could aid Genesis not
82 only in answering common-sense questions, but in
83 refining them: "A block is stacked on top of another
84 block. Is it stable?"; "Usually, but do you know if
85 the bottom block is slanted?", etc.
87 These are some ideas, but I think you can come up with
88 better ones. I can't wait to hear your critiques and
89 suggestions.
91 Finally, regarding next year at MIT, can I be considered for
92 the position of TA for 6.034 or 6.xxx? Also, do you want me
93 to return to MIT at the beginning of Fall or at the
94 beginning of Summer?
96 Sincerely,
97 --Robert McIntyre