Jun Tani, RIKEN Brain Science Institue, Japan Title: Synthetic Brain Modeling Studies via Neuro-Robotics Experiments: From the Sensory-Motor Level to the Higher Order Cognition Level

Abstract: In this tutorial, I will cover wide ranges of topics related to embodied cognition by demonstrating various kinds of neuro-robotics experiments conducted in my group as well as in others. The special focus is to consider how the higher-order cognitive mechanisms can be self-organized via repeated experiences of sensory-motor level interactions of agents. More specifically, the topics will include:

1. formation of functional hierarchy for action generation via triangular interactions between prefrontal cortex (PFC), premotor (PM) and inferior parietal cortex (IPL);
2. association learning between linguistic and action modalities through "mirror" neurons;
3. achievement of executive control for rule-switching and meta-cognition of confidences for the rules assumed in PFC;
4. creations of motor imagery and novel actions;
5. immanent properties of "self-consciousness" in the neuro-phenomenological context.

I will address these topics and the related problems by providing interdisciplinary discussions among neuroscience, nonlinear dynamics, phenomenology and robotics. It will be a fun to see a lot of robotics experiment videos!!

Bio Sketch: Jun Tani received the B.S. degree in mechanical engineering from Waseda University, dual M.S. degree in electrical engineering and mechanical engineering from University of Michigan and Dr. Eng. from Sophia University. He started his research career in Sony Computer Science Laboratory in 1990. He has been appointed as a team leader in Lab. for Behavior and Dynamic Cognition, Brain Science Institute, RIKEN in Tokyo since 2000. He was also appointed as a visiting associate professor in Univ. of Tokyo from 1997 to 2002. He is interested in neuroscience, psychology, phenomenology, complex adaptive systems and robotics.