US-German Collaboration: Strategy Change in Cognitive Biological and Technical Systems

战略改变的能力，即在维持总体目标的同时改变行动选择和行动计划的能力，是认知系统的一种基本能力，但仍鲜为人知。突然的转变在神经生理学和认知实验数据中得到了很好的记录，但时空神经动力学的基本理论的应用还没有完成。目前的学习生理学和理论框架主要关注增量学习(例如强化学习)。这个项目的目的是更好地理解复杂神经系统中突然的、大规模的状态转变的性质和功能作用，作为认知策略改变的基础。我们利用我们对一种特定的啮齿动物学习模型的实验和理论理解来模拟瞬时策略变化的神经机制。研究人员将开发神经计算原理的算法公式，并将其应用于自动车辆控制的工程实例中。这个跨学科的项目是基于团队成员在最优化理论以及理论和实验神经科学方面的互补和协同专业知识。这个项目源于我们对应对不断变化的环境中策略变化所表现出的快速生物和认知过程的深刻理解。这项关于人类和动物大脑决策的研究为开发健壮的决策支持系统提供了一个平台，这些系统以大脑的方式在动态变化的场景中运行。对大脑快速策略变化背后的机制进行详细分析，将使该研究团队和其他团队能够为各种人造系统配备洞察力认知的基本属性。这项工作通过创建认知工程系统的基础来满足重要的社会需求，这些系统支持对自然灾害和对手的网络安全威胁的紧急响应，以及在复杂操作条件下对自动驾驶车辆的优化控制。该奖项由美国国家科学基金会国际科学与工程办公室联合资助。德国教育和研究部(BMBF)正在资助一个配套项目。

The ability for strategy change, i.e., the change in action selection and action planning while an overarching goal is maintained is a fundamental, but still barely understood capability of cognitive systems. Sudden transitions are well documented in neurophysiological and cognitive experimental data, but application of the underlying theory of the spatio-temporal neurodynamics is yet to be done. Current physiological and theoretical frameworks of learning focus on incremental learning (as exemplified the reinforcement learning). This project aims at improved understanding of the nature and functional role of abrupt, large-scale state transitions in complex neuronal systems as the basis of cognitive strategy change. We exploit our experimental and theoretical understanding of a particular rodent learning model to simulate the neuronal mechanisms of instantaneous strategy change. The investigators will develop an algorithmic formulation of the neurocomputational principles, and apply it in the engineering example of autonomous vehicle control. This interdisciplinary project is based on the complementary and synergistic expertise of the team members in optimization theory and both theoretical and experimental neuroscience.This project arises from our deep understanding of the rapid biological and cognitive processes displayed by strategy changes in coping with changing environments. This research on decision making in human and animal brains provides a platform for developing robust decision support systems that operate in dynamically changing scenarios in the style of brains. Detailed analysis of the mechanisms underlying rapid strategy change in brains will allow both this research team and other groups to equip various man-made systems with the fundamental property of insightful cognition. This work addresses important societal needs by creating the foundations of cognitive engineering systems supporting emergency response to natural disasters and cyber security threats by adversaries, as well as optimized control of autonomous vehicles under complex operating conditions.This award is being co-funded by NSF's Office of International Science and Engineering. A companion project is being funded by the German Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF).