EMMANOUIL HOURDAKIS
Computational Vision and Robotics Laboratory,
Institute of Computer Science,
Foundation for Research and Technology – Hellas (FORTH),
Heraklion, Crete, Greece
+3 6948143877
ehourdak@ics.forth.gr
EDUCATION
University of Crete, Heraklion, GR
Ph.D. in Computer Science
2006-2012
Areas
of Concentration: Cognitive neuroscience, Computational
modeling,
Brain-inspired
cognition,
Motor
control,
Imitation,
Observational learning, Sensorimotor representations.
Thesis: “Modeling the Cortical Underpinnings of Observational Learning
in Human and Monkey Primates”
University of Plymouth, Devon, UK
M.Sc in Artificial Intelligence
Areas of Concentration: Artificial Intelligence, Cognitive systems, Human computer interaction, Intelligent music synthesis, Epigenetic Robotics
2006
Thesis: “Language Acquisition in Epigenetic Robotics” – awarded Honors
Awards: Passed “with Distinction”
University of Plymouth, Devon, UK
B.Sc Honors in Computer Science
2005
Areas of Concentration: Artificial Intelligence, Cognitive systems, Hardware
engineering,
Databases,
Internet
Programming for business systems
systems,
Project
management,
Thesis: “Direct3D Graphics Engine, Simulator Design” - awarded Honors
Awards: Passed “with Distinction”
SCHOLARSHIPS
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Manasaki Honorary Scholarship, University of Crete
2012
Research Scholarship, Foundation for Research and Technology,
Computational Vision and Robotics Laboratory
2007 – 2012
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Research Scholarship, University of Plymouth
2005 – 2006
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Participation Scholarship, University of Bologna
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2005
AWARDS
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Awarded the best student paper award by the International Neural Network
Society (INNS) for the paper (Hourdakis and Trahanias, 2011), entitled “Improving
the classification performance of liquid state mach ines based on the separation
property”, International Conference on Engineering Applications of Neural Networks,
EANN11.
ACADEMIC / PROFFESIONAL POSITIONS
Foundation for Research and Technology - Hellas (FORTH), Heraklion, GR
Member of the Computational Vision and Robotics
2006 - Present
Laboratory (CVRL)
Research on cognitive behaviors and brain modeling, including the
development of two computational models of the cortical processes of
observational learning in Macaque and Human primates, work partially
funded by the EU project “Mathesis”.
University of Crete, Heraklion, GR
2006-2012
Member of the Computer Science Department (CSD)
Coaching activities concerned with collaborating on curriculum
development, meeting with students upon request and carrying out
tutorial sessions.
University of Plymouth, Plymouth, UK
2004 - 2006
As member of the Adaptive Behavior and Cognition
laboratory (ABC)
Research on language acquisition in epigenetic robotics, including
methods for modeling the processes that underpin the symbol grounding
problem in the human brain.
University of Plymouth, Plymouth, UK
As member of the Institute of Art and Technology (i-Dat)
Develop methods for automatic music composition, using genetic
algorithms, including software that can synthesize music based on the
activity of an online chat community.
2005
PROJECT INVOLVEMENT
Foundation for Research and Technology - Hellas (FORTH), Heraklion, GR
2006-2010
EU Funded Project MATHESIS
Major involvement in research and development during the EU funded
project MATHESIS; the project was oriented towards modeling the
cortical functions of motor control and observational learning in robotic
agents.
ICT FP6 Call - EKMATHESIS
Major involvement in writing the I.P. proposal E KMATHESIS for the ICT
FP6 call; proposal was not accepted, but was invited to the hearings.
Project was focused on modeling the cortical underpinnings of
observational learning in Macaque primates.
2009
ICT FP7 Call – COGENT
Major involvement in writing the I.P. proposals COGENT for the ICT FP7
call; Project was focused on computational modeling of the cognitive
mechanisms of socialization, including empathy, observational learning
and pain in Macaque primates.
2008
PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES
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Member of the program committee for the Nature and Biologically Inspired
Computing conference, for two consecutive years (NaBic11, NaBic12).
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Periodic reviewer for the computer science journal Neural Networks .
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Periodic reviewer
for computational modeling conferences ( International Joint
Conference on Artificial Neural Networks IJCNN, International Congress on
Evolutionary Computation CEC, International Conference on Robotics Automation
ICRA ).
SCIENTIFIC PUBLICATIONS
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Liquid State Machines and the Separation Property, Invited Journal submission ,
Journal of Neurocomputing, in press.
Observational learning based on the overlapping cortical activations in humans,
Journal of Adaptive Behavior, in press .
Hourdakis E., Savaki E., Trahanias P. (2011), “Computational modeling of c ortical
pathways involved in action execution and action observation” , Journal of
Neurocomputing, 74:7, pp. 1135-1155.
Hourdakis E., Trahanias P. (2011), “Computational modeling of online reaching” ,
European Conference on Artificial Life (ECAL11), France
Hourdakis E., Trahanias P. (2011), “Observational learning based on models of
overlapping pathways”, International Conference of Artificial Neural Networks
(ICANN11), pp. 48-55, Finland
Hourdakis E., Trahanias P. (2011), “Improving the classification perfor mance of liquid
state machines based on the separation property”, Engineering Applications of Neural
Networks (EANN11) and Artificial Intelligence Applications and Innovations (AIAI11) ,
Joint Conference, Corfu. Awarded with the best student paper award
Hourdakis E., Trahanias P. (2011), “Computational modeling of observational
learning”,
2 nd
International
Conference
on
Morphological
Computation
(MorphComp11), Italy
Hourdakis E., Trahanias P. (2008), “A framework for automating the construction of
computational models”, Congress on Evolutionary Computation (CEC09), Norway
Hourdakis E., Maniadakis M., Trahanias P. (2007), “A biologically inspired approach
for the control of the hand”, Congress on Evolutionary Computation (CEC08),
Singapore
Maniadakis M., Hourdakis E., Trahanias, P. (2007), “Modeling overlapping action
execution/observation brain pathways”, International Joint Conference on Neural
Networks (IJCNN08), Atlanta
Cangelosi A., Tikhanoff V., Fernando J., Hourdakis E., (2007) “Integrating Language
and Cognition: A Cognitive Robotics Approach”, Computational Intelligence Magazine
Hourdakis E., Cangelosi A., & Tikhanoff V. (2006), “Language acquisition and symbol
grounding transfer with neural networks and cognitive robots”, International Joint
Conference on Neural Networks, Vancouver
Hourdakis E., Cangelosi A. (2005), “Language acquisition in Epigenetic Robotics”, in
Advances in Networks, Computing and Communications, pp. 250-253
Hourdakis E., Cangelosi A. (2005), “The acquisition of language in epigenet ic robots”,
Guest speaker at the 21st Annual Workshop of the European Society for the Study of
Cognitive Systems, London, 2005
OTHER EDUCATION
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Lecture Series on Computer Science, “Robots intelligently interacting
with people”, Crete, Greece, Institute of Computer Science, Onassis
2006
Summer school on “Neural Networks and Cognitive Systems”, Bologna,
Italy, University of Bologna, Psychology Department
2005
Foundation
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LANGUAGES
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Greek
– native language
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English
– speak fluently and read/write with high proficiency
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German
– speak, read, and write with basic competence
OTHER ACTIVITIES
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Advanced Piano degree, 8 years of studies in music history and harmony.
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Intermediate guitar and harmonica player
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Supervisor for the 1 st Certificate and Proficiency exams of the HellenicAmerican union since 2006.
PRESS
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Research Website
http://www.ics.forth.gr/~ehourdak
Naftemporiki (Greek Newspaper) – Interview on interacting robots.
2008
New Scientist (U.S.A. Press) – “Virtual bots teach each other using word
play”, Article by Tom Simonite, on 02 August, 2006.
2006
http://www.naftemporiki.gr/video/video.asp?id=8398
BBC (British Press) – “Interview on Talking Robots”, aired on 31 August,
2006.
2006
Participated in the public event organized by the General Secretariat for
Research and Technology, Zappeion, Athens, Greece.
2008
Public demonstrations for the robotic systems Hoap3 and TURBO , that took
place in the Institute of Computer Science
2010