1.1 --- a/winston-intro.txt	Sun Jun 17 00:09:57 2012 -0500
     1.2 +++ b/winston-intro.txt	Thu Jul 19 11:12:26 2012 -0500
     1.3 @@ -1,13 +1,15 @@
     1.4  Dear Professor Winston,
     1.5  
     1.6 -I've finished the first part of my project, building a framework for
     1.7 -virtual sensate creatures; I would like your help evaluating what I've
     1.8 -done so far, and deciding what to do next.
     1.9 +I've finished the first part of my project, building a
    1.10 +framework for virtual sensate creatures; I would like your
    1.11 +help evaluating what I've done so far, and deciding what to
    1.12 +do next.
    1.13  
    1.14 -For the work I've done so far, I compiled the results into short
    1.15 -articles that explain how I implemented each sense, with videos that
    1.16 -show each sense in action. Please look through the articles, in
    1.17 -particular the video showcase, and tell me what you think.
    1.18 +For the work I've done so far, I compiled the results into
    1.19 +short articles that explain how I implemented each sense,
    1.20 +with videos that show each sense in action. Please look
    1.21 +through the articles, in particular the video showcase, and
    1.22 +tell me what you think.
    1.23  
    1.24  Video Showcase : http://aurellem.org/cortex/org/cover.html
    1.25  
    1.26 @@ -19,66 +21,77 @@
    1.27  Vision  : http://aurellem.org/cortex/html/vision.html
    1.28  Hearing : http://aurellem.org/cortex/html/hearing.html
    1.29  Touch   : http://aurellem.org/cortex/html/touch.html
    1.30 -Proprioception     : http://aurellem.org/cortex/html/proprioception.html
    1.31 +Proprioception : http://aurellem.org/cortex/html/proprioception.html
    1.32  Muscles            : http://aurellem.org/cortex/html/movement.html
    1.33  Full Demonstration : http://aurellem.org/cortex/html/integration.html
    1.34  
    1.35 -I think this work could be a fruitful foundation for a Master's
    1.36 -thesis, so in particular, I'd like critiques, suggestions, and project
    1.37 -ideas. For example, here are some projects I think would be worthy, in
    1.38 -increasing order of complexity:
    1.39 +I think this work could be a fruitful foundation for a
    1.40 +Master's thesis, so in particular, I'd like critiques,
    1.41 +suggestions, and project ideas. For example, here are some
    1.42 +projects I think would be worthy, in increasing order of
    1.43 +complexity:
    1.44  
    1.45 -    * Create a self-powered joint that can determine its range of
    1.46 -      motion and joint type (hinge, cone, point-to-point, etc.) by
    1.47 -      making exploratory muscle movements and observing their effect.
    1.48 +    * Create a self-powered joint that can determine its
    1.49 +      range of motion and joint type (hinge, cone,
    1.50 +      point-to-point, etc.) by making exploratory muscle
    1.51 +      movements and observing their effect.
    1.52  
    1.53 -    * Develop an agent that writes and debugs low-level motor control
    1.54 -      programs to achieve simple goals like "look at the light" or
    1.55 -      "extend all of your fingers". These simple "calisthenic"
    1.56 -      programs could then be combined to form more elaborate
    1.57 -      procedures of motion, which in turn could be the basic
    1.58 -      instinctive reflexes in the "spinal cord" of some more advanced
    1.59 -      creature. (like Sussman's HACKER program but in a richer world)
    1.60 +    * Develop an agent that writes and debugs low-level
    1.61 +      motor control programs to achieve simple goals like
    1.62 +      "look at the light" or "extend all of your
    1.63 +      fingers". These simple "calisthenic" programs could
    1.64 +      then be combined to form more elaborate procedures of
    1.65 +      motion, which in turn could be the basic instinctive
    1.66 +      reflexes in the "spinal cord" of some more advanced
    1.67 +      creature. (like Sussman's HACKER program but in a
    1.68 +      richer world)
    1.69  
    1.70      * Program a group of creatures that cooperate with each
    1.71 -      other. Because the creatures would be simulated, I could
    1.72 -      investigate computationally complex rules of behavior which
    1.73 -      still, from the group's point of view, would happen in "real
    1.74 -      time". Interactions could be as simple as cellular organisms
    1.75 -      communicating via flashing lights, or as complex as humanoids
    1.76 -      completing social tasks, etc.
    1.77 +      other. Because the creatures would be simulated, I
    1.78 +      could investigate computationally complex rules of
    1.79 +      behavior which still, from the group's point of view,
    1.80 +      would happen in "real time". Interactions could be as
    1.81 +      simple as cellular organisms communicating via
    1.82 +      flashing lights, or as complex as humanoids completing
    1.83 +      social tasks, etc.
    1.84  
    1.85 -    * Simulated Imagination -- this would involve a creature with an
    1.86 -      effector which creates an entire new sub-simulation where the
    1.87 -      creature has direct control over placement/creation of objects
    1.88 -      via simulated telekinesis. The creature observes this sub-world
    1.89 -      through it's normal senses and uses its observations to make
    1.90 -      predictions about its top level world.
    1.91 +    * Simulated Imagination -- this would involve a creature
    1.92 +      with an effector which creates an entire new
    1.93 +      sub-simulation where the creature has direct control
    1.94 +      over placement/creation of objects via simulated
    1.95 +      telekinesis. The creature observes this sub-world
    1.96 +      through it's normal senses and uses its observations
    1.97 +      to make predictions about its top level world.
    1.98  
    1.99 -    * Integrate the simulated world with Genesis, so that Genesis
   1.100 -      could use the simulated world to answer questions about a
   1.101 -      proposed physical scenario. For example "You stack two blocks
   1.102 -      together, then hit the bottom block with your hand. Does the top
   1.103 -      block move?". This project is complicated and very large in
   1.104 -      scope, but it could be narrowed to focus on a single key
   1.105 -      aspect. For example, one key aspect of turning a scenario into a
   1.106 -      simulation is knowing when you're constructing "typical" or
   1.107 -      "atypical" examples of the scenario. So, a narrower project
   1.108 -      might simply learn about the edge cases of different scenarios
   1.109 -      (e.g. "A block stacked on top of another block is usually
   1.110 -      stable, provided the bottom block is large enough, and is not
   1.111 -      moving, and is level, etc."). With this knowledge, this kind of
   1.112 -      program could aid Genesis not only in answering common-sense
   1.113 -      questions, but in refining them: "A block is stacked on top of
   1.114 -      another block. Is it stable?"; "Usually, but do you know if the
   1.115 -      bottom block is slanted?", etc.
   1.116 +    * Integrate the simulated world with Genesis, so that
   1.117 +      Genesis could use the simulated world to answer
   1.118 +      questions about a proposed physical scenario. For
   1.119 +      example "You stack two blocks together, then hit the
   1.120 +      bottom block with your hand. Does the top block
   1.121 +      move?". This project is complicated and very large in
   1.122 +      scope, but it could be narrowed to focus on a single
   1.123 +      key aspect. For example, one key aspect of turning a
   1.124 +      scenario into a simulation is knowing when you're
   1.125 +      constructing "typical" or "atypical" examples of the
   1.126 +      scenario. So, a narrower project might simply learn
   1.127 +      about the edge cases of different scenarios (e.g. "A
   1.128 +      block stacked on top of another block is usually
   1.129 +      stable, provided the bottom block is large enough, and
   1.130 +      is not moving, and is level, etc."). With this
   1.131 +      knowledge, this kind of program could aid Genesis not
   1.132 +      only in answering common-sense questions, but in
   1.133 +      refining them: "A block is stacked on top of another
   1.134 +      block. Is it stable?"; "Usually, but do you know if
   1.135 +      the bottom block is slanted?", etc.
   1.136  
   1.137 -These are some ideas, but I think you can come up with better ones. I
   1.138 -can't wait to hear your critiques and suggestions.
   1.139 +These are some ideas, but I think you can come up with
   1.140 +better ones. I can't wait to hear your critiques and
   1.141 +suggestions.
   1.142  
   1.143 -Finally, regarding next year at MIT, can I be considered for the
   1.144 -position of TA for 6.034 or 6.xxx? Also, do you want me to return to
   1.145 -MIT at the beginning of Fall or at the beginning of Summer?
   1.146 +Finally, regarding next year at MIT, can I be considered for
   1.147 +the position of TA for 6.034 or 6.xxx? Also, do you want me
   1.148 +to return to MIT at the beginning of Fall or at the
   1.149 +beginning of Summer?
   1.150  
   1.151  Sincerely, 
   1.152  --Robert McIntyre