Conscious Robots,
Self-Aware Robots & Automata:
Engineering Computational Models & Architectures
for Cognitive Robotics and Machine Consciousness
Dr. John-Thones Amenyo
jta@york.cuny.edu
Dept. Math & CS
November 2008
© 2008. John-Thones Amenyo. Conscious Robots & Self-Aware Robots. York College – CUNY
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Conscious Robots,
Self-Aware Robots & Automata
Talk Outline: Main Ideas
Who, Which:
Autonomous Robots; Mobile Robots; Autonomous Mobile
Robots; Intelligent Artifacts, Augmented Reality; Large-Scale, Distributed
Systems; Self-Aware Robots, Cognitive Robotics, Machine Consciousness
What:
Artifacts
Embed, Incorporate Consciousness + Self-Awareness in IT / ICT
Why: Meta-Autonomy in support of Survival / Teleological Goals
Where: Internal, Self-contained; “Creator-in-a-box”, Proxy-of-Designer
When: Run-time; Operational Life-cycle Support
How: Multi-scale, Multi-layer, Multi-level Computer Architecture (PMSCIO)
Models and Designs
© 2008. John-Thones Amenyo. Conscious Robots & Self-Aware Robots. York College – CUNY
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Conscious Robots,
Self-Aware Robots & Automata
Consciousness: SOCAR
Wakefulness, Wakeful/Awake State Occupancy. Graded / Fuzzy. (Arousal, Excitement). (Alternate States: Sleep;
Anaesthesia; Coma; Death; Development/Morphogenesis state)

(Alternate States: Unconscious, Sub-conscious; Hyper-conscious / Super-conscious / Ultra-conscious)
Attention; Attentional Control / Focus; Sequential Switching, Ordering, Scheduling
Ego; Self; Unity; Coherence; “Soliton”
Conscious Awareness; Sensation; Perception; Cognition, Concepts; Verbal / Linguistic Awareness, Conceptions
Inner Speech (Talking to Self, Thinking?); Silent Speech; Mental Visual Imagery
Subjective Awareness; Qualia; Phenomenal Awareness
Emotional Valuation (Feelings, Moods, Pains, Pleasures); Motivational Valuation (Urge, Drive, Impetus, Obsession)
Memory; Remembering; Recall; Learning; Imagination; Envisioning; What-if Scenarios; Deliberation; Expectations
Intention; Intentional Actions, Behaviors; Will; Self-Initiative; Reaction; Pro-action; Interaction; Transaction, Volition
Self Awareness + Self-Control; Emotional Expression; Motivational Expression
SOCAR – Separation Of Concerns, Aspects & Roles
© 2008. John-Thones Amenyo. Conscious Robots & Self-Aware Robots. York College – CUNY
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Conscious Robots,
Self-Aware Robots & Automata
Self-Awareness + Self-Control: SOCAR
Self-
Consciousness, Awareness, Monitoring; Evaluation; Assessment; Testing; Diagnosis;
Analysis; Prognosis, Identity; Identification; Individuation; Prediction; Forecasting; Learning;
Knowledge; Documenting; Archiving; Inspecting; (Introspection); Modeling; Simulation; Observation;
Cognition; Envisioning; Imagination; Intelligence (Espionage); Study; Reflection; Deliberation;
Self-
Reliance; Reliant; Responsible; Customizing; Devising; Managing; Initiating; Directing;
Protecting; Control; Regulating; Supporting; Restructuring; Programming; Re-programming;
Reviewing; Adaptive; Sufficiency; Redesign; Re-engineering; Updating; Upgrading; Modifying;
Repairing; Maintaining; Healing; Discipline; Censorship; Sponsorship; Motivating; Drive; Deployment;
Instruction; Optimizing; Preservation
Self-
Control, Generative; Regenerating; Evolving; Configuring; Re-configuring; Organizing
Implementing; Realizing; Intervention; Planning; Sustaining; Correcting; Recovery; Assembly,
Regulation
SOCAR – Separation Of Concerns, Aspects & Roles
© 2008. John-Thones Amenyo. Conscious Robots & Self-Aware Robots. York College – CUNY
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Conscious Robots,
Self-Aware Robots & Automata
Applications & Related Areas
Autonomous Robots; Mobile Robots; Autonomous Mobile Robots; Intelligent Artifacts,
Augmented Reality; Large-Scale, Distributed Systems; Humanoid Robots,
Anthropomorphic Robots; Embodied Intelligence; Embodied Cognition; Embodied
Emotions, Affect & Connation;
Automonic Computing (IBM); Conscientious Software (Sun Microsys); RecoveryOriented Programming; Fault-Tolerant Computing; Continuously Evolving IT/ICT
Natural Computation: Biol.-inspired; Bio-mimetic; Bio-imitation;
Computational Intelligence; Biocomputing; Artificial Immune Systems;
Immunocomputing
Computational Neuroscience, Neurocomputing; Biological Information Processing
Military, Defense, Security; Space & Planetary Exploration; Undersea, Seafloor
Exploration / Exploitation; Nuclear / Hazardous Waste Storage Management
© 2008. John-Thones Amenyo. Conscious Robots & Self-Aware Robots. York College – CUNY
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Conscious Robots,
Self-Aware Robots & Automata
Architectural Models & Theories: Meta-levels
M. Minsky:
External
Environment
Body
A-Brain
B-Brain
C-Brain
A. Sloman:
External
Environment
B. Baars:
Body
Reactive
Control
Deliberative
Control
MetaManagement
Consciousness: Global Workspace Theory. Blackboard
Architecture of a Collection of Specialized Processes (Agents)
© 2008. John-Thones Amenyo. Conscious Robots & Self-Aware Robots. York College – CUNY
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Conscious Robots,
Self-Aware Robots & Automata
Architectural Models & Theories: Meta-levels
M. Minsky:
External
Environment
Body
Instinctive
Learned
Deliberative
Reactive
Reactive
Thinking
Reflective
Thinking
Self-Reflective
Thinking
Self-Conscious
Reflection
© 2008. John-Thones Amenyo. Conscious Robots & Self-Aware Robots. York College – CUNY
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Conscious Robots,
Self-Aware Robots & Automata
Why:
Plausible Reasons for Evolution

A Perfect, Flawless, synchronically and diachronically well-adapted System does NOT need
Consciousness nor Self-Awareness. Only needed to cope with Uncertainty (plus Fear, Doubt, Change, Diversity,
Entropy)
 Uncertainty = Potential for Expectation Violations in System Lifecycle: Goals, Needs,
Requirements, Specifications, Design, Architecture; Coding; Implementation; Configuration;
Deployment; Operation; Management; Use; etc.
  Embed as Real-time, Run-time, Online Creator-in-a-Box, Internalized, Interiorized Designer’s
Proxy; GOD-in-a-Box. (G.O.D  Grappler / Generator Of Diversity)
 Stored Creator-Designer Proxy concept: Regard as extension of J. von Neumann’s concept of
Stored Program Control (Puppeteer-in-a-Box).
(Also regard as beyond Tele-operation, Remote Control)
Use Top-Down Inherited Attributes (c.f. Attribute Grammars) to Obviate Combinatorial Explosion in
dealing with Discrete Structures, (e.g., Kronecker products, or Cartesian, Cross, Tensor
products)
© 2008. John-Thones Amenyo. Conscious Robots & Self-Aware Robots. York College – CUNY
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Conscious Robots,
Self-Aware Robots & Automata
GOD-in-a-Box: Stored Creator-Designer Proxy Concept
External
Environment
Body
External
Environment
Body
Operator
Proxy
Cybernetics
Control
“Brain”
Creator-Designer Proxy
Mind
Unconscious
Consciousness
SelfAwareness
Self
© 2008. John-Thones Amenyo. Conscious Robots & Self-Aware Robots. York College – CUNY
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Conscious Robots,
Self-Aware Robots & Automata
Design Patterns: Diverse Organisms and Artifacts Can Evolve
External
Environment
External
Environment
External
Environment
Body
Body
Body
Cybernetics
Control
Cybernetics
Control
Mind
Unconscious
Consciousness
SelfAwareness
Self
Mind
Unconscious
Control
© 2008. John-Thones Amenyo. Conscious Robots & Self-Aware Robots. York College – CUNY
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Conscious Robots,
Self-Aware Robots & Automata
Energetics / Informatics Dimensions
Body
Cybernetics
Control
Mechanics
Kinematics
Kinetics
Dynamics
Synergetics
Mind /
Unconscious
Consciousness
+ Self
SelfAwareness
Cybernetics
Command
Unconscious
Communications
Sub-conscious
Content Manip.
Fringe-conscious
Coordination
Energetics
Informatics
Hard, Real,
Soft, Virtual, Overlay
Physical
Immaterial
Material
© 2008. John-Thones Amenyo. Conscious Robots & Self-Aware Robots. York College – CUNY
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Conscious Robots,
Self-Aware Robots & Automata
Run-time “Creator-in-a-Box” “Engineering -ilities” Goals
Performance, Productivity, Reliability, Availability, Dependability, Resilience,
Robustness, Fault-tolerance, Survivability, Integrity,
Autonomy,
Organizability, Complexity, Understandability
Upgradability, Maintainability, Evolvability, Mutability, Modifiability, Tunability,
Adaptability, Repairability, Serviceability
Functionality, Effectiveness, Adequacy, Capability, Ability,
Cost, Optimality, Efficiency, Accountability
Manageability, Transparency, Administrability, Controllability, Observability,
Diagnosability, Testability, Predictability, Operability
Quality, Assurance,
Coherence, Organizability, Assemblage, Designability, Buildability,
Constructability, Deployability, Scalability, Configurability, Embodiment
Safety, Security, Protection
© 2008. John-Thones Amenyo. Conscious Robots & Self-Aware Robots. York College – CUNY
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Conscious Robots,
Self-Aware Robots & Automata
Run-time “Creator-in-a-Box” Coping With Uncertainty
Prediction, Forecasting, Prognosis
Analysis, Diagnosis, Characterization, Classification
Learning, Understanding, Comprehension, Mastery
Modeling, (Virtual, Inner) Simulation
Evaluation, Valuation, Signification, Denotation, Annotation
Structuring
Ranking, Rating, Grading, Gradation, Sorting
Transformation, Variation, Extension Modification, Mutation, Change
Generalization, Abstraction, Scaling
Specialization, Customization, “Personalization”
Selection, Choice, Multiplexing
Modulation
Command, Control, Coordination, Regulation
Instruction, Teaching
© 2008. John-Thones Amenyo. Conscious Robots & Self-Aware Robots. York College – CUNY
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Conscious Robots,
Self-Aware Robots & Automata
Multi-Layer Architectural Model
Biological Systems
Survival / Goal Layer
Computational Layer
Physical / Material Layer
Engineered Artifacts
Goal Layer:
Survival, Animal Needs
Goal Layer:
Survival, Assigned Needs
Computational Layer
Sensation, Perception
Emotions, Motivations
Memory, Learning, Cognition
Behaviors, Actions, Mobility
Computational Layer
Computations, Calculations
Information Processing
Content Manipulation
Cybernetics, Control, Coord.
Physical / Material Layer
Physical / Material Layer
Register Transfer Level
Neuron networks, circuits
Digital Logic, Digital Electronics
Neuron, nerve cells
Neuron synapses, ion channels Electronics, Optics, Photonics
Materials, Electro-Magnetics
Bio-molecules, Bio-physics
© 2008. John-Thones Amenyo. Conscious Robots & Self-Aware Robots. York College – CUNY
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Conscious Robots,
Self-Aware Robots & Automata
Multi-Layer / Multi-Scale Architecture Model
Environment
Body
Control / “Brain”
Mind /
“Unconscious”
Consciousness
+ Self
SelfAwareness
Teleological
Teleological
Teleological
Teleological
Teleological
Teleological
Computational
Computational
Computational
Computational
Computational
Computational
Physical
Physical
Physical
Physical
Physical
Physical
Compare; ISO / OSI 7-layer & B-ISDN/ATM 7-layer x 3-plane data comm. protocol models
© 2008. John-Thones Amenyo. Conscious Robots & Self-Aware Robots. York College – CUNY
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Conscious Robots,
Self-Aware Robots & Automata
Skip-Level / “Fat” Augmented Architecture
External
Environment
Body
Consciousness
Mind
Unconscious
Cybernetics
Control
SelfAwareness
Self
B – Body Proxy
C – Control Proxy
M – Mind Proxy
External
Environment
Body
Control
B
C
Mind
B
C
M
© 2008. John-Thones Amenyo. Conscious Robots & Self-Aware Robots. York College – CUNY
Consciousness
/ Self
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Conscious Robots,
Self-Aware Robots & Automata
PMSCIO Functional Roles in Architecture
External
Environment
I
Body
O
P – Processing, Processor
I
C/S
I
C/S
O
O
Control
M – Memory, Storage
“Mind”
Unconscious
I
C/S*
O
Consciousness
+ Self
I
C/S
O
Self Awareness
S – Switching, Communications, Exchange
C – Control, Coordination
IO – Input / Output (Transducers)
C/S – (Shared Resource) Resource-Sharing Multi-access
Conflict Resolution; Fuzzy Mux; *Attentional Controls
I – Input (Sensors) / O – Output (Effectors)
© 2008. John-Thones Amenyo. Conscious Robots & Self-Aware Robots. York College – CUNY
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Conscious Robots,
Self-Aware Robots & Automata
PMSCIO Architecture2
E|M|m
E|M|m
IP
IP
E|M|m
External
Environment
I
O
Body
M – Motivational Proc.
m – Memory Proc.
E|M|m
C/S
E|M|m
E – Emotional Proc
E|M|m
E|M|m
E|M|m
IP
E|M|m
E|M|m
C/S
C/S
E|M|m
E|M|m
E|M|m
E|M|m
E|M|m
OP
OP
OP
E|M|m
E|M|m
Control
“Mind”/Unconscious
E|M|m
Consciousness + Self
© 2008. John-Thones Amenyo. Conscious Robots & Self-Aware Robots. York College – CUNY
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Conscious Robots,
Self-Aware Robots & Automata
PMSCIO:
Body also has Internal IO units
E|M|m
IP
E|M|m
External
Environment
I
O
I
E|M|m
C/S
Body
“Mind”/Unconscious etc
O
E|M|m
OP
E|M|m
Control / “Brain”
E|M|m
E – Emotional Proc
M – Motivational Proc.
m – Memory Proc.
© 2008. John-Thones Amenyo. Conscious Robots & Self-Aware Robots. York College – CUNY
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Conscious Robots,
Self-Aware Robots & Automata
PMSCIO:
Each Primary IO unit also has Aux I2/O2
E|M|m
IP
E|M|m
I
O2
External
Environment
I
C/S
Body
I2
O
E|M|m
“Mind”/Unconscious etc
O
E|M|m
OP
E|M|m
Control / “Brain”
E|M|m
E – Emotional Proc
M – Motivational Proc.
m – Memory Proc.
© 2008. John-Thones Amenyo. Conscious Robots & Self-Aware Robots. York College – CUNY
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Conscious Robots,
Self-Aware Robots & Automata
Each IP (or OP) has at least 4 post- (pre-) Transduction Stages
E|M|m
IP
Env / Body etc
E|M|m
E|M|m
E|M|m
E|M|m
Ip
IIp
IIIp
IVp
“Mind”/Unconscious etc
E|M|m
E|M|m
E|M|m
E|M|m
E|M|m
C/S
E – Emotional Proc
E|M|m
E|M|m
E|M|m
E|M|m
E|M|m
OP
Ip
IIp
IIIp
IVp
E|M|m
E|M|m
E|M|m
E|M|m
E|M|m
M – Motivational Proc.
m – Memory Proc.
Control / “Brain”
© 2008. John-Thones Amenyo. Conscious Robots & Self-Aware Robots. York College – CUNY
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Conscious Robots,
Self-Aware Robots & Automata
PMSCIO:
C/S: SOCAR: Communications + Control
E|M|m
E|M|m
C/S
S
E|M|m
E|M|m
E|M|m
E|M|m
C
IOP
E|M|m
E|M|m
E – Emotional Proc
M – Motivational Proc.
m – Memory Proc.
© 2008. John-Thones Amenyo. Conscious Robots & Self-Aware Robots. York College – CUNY
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Conscious Robots,
Self-Aware Robots & Automata
Some Biologically Plausible Models
Wakefulness
External
Environment
Body
Cybernetics
Control
Mind
Unconscious
Consciousness
SelfAwareness
Self
Sleep
External
Environment
Body
Cybernetics
Control
Mind
Unconscious
Consciousness
SelfAwareness
Self
© 2008. John-Thones Amenyo. Conscious Robots & Self-Aware Robots. York College – CUNY
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Conscious Robots,
Self-Aware Robots & Automata:
Some Biologically Plausible Models2
“Mind”
Control
External
Environment
I
Body
O
I’
O
Unconscious
C/S
I’
C/S
Consciousness
+ Self
I’
I’
C/S
O
O
Self Awareness
C/S
O
Brain Stem + CNS/PNS
Fore-Brain + Thalamus + Limbic Sys
Cerebrum / Cerebral Cortex / Neo-Cortex
P|E|M|m
P|E|M|m
© 2008. John-Thones Amenyo. Conscious Robots & Self-Aware Robots. York College – CUNY
P|E|M|m
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Conscious Robots,
Self-Aware Robots & Automata
An Engineer in the Land of Evolution: Speculations
 Why do Automobiles Make Noise? Why do most Birds make Noise, when Awake?
 Why do Humans and Some Other Animals have Overt Emotional Expression?
Could Human Sound-based Language be a Derivation of Emotional Expression?
M. Faraday’s co-induction phenomena: Movement of Electrical Charges is Always
Accompanied by Induced Magnetic Field.
 Overt Leakage Manifestation: Maybe cannot Help it. Overt Accompaniment to Physical
Activity, Exertion, Effort, Much Like Thermal Heat Production with Many Physical Processes.
Wave-Particle Duality; Time-Frequency Embodiments, Manifestations, Representations.
Could Self (Ego, Unity) be a Manifestation of Wave-Particle Duality?
Lamarckian Evolution Path for Engineered Artifacts
© 2008. John-Thones Amenyo. Conscious Robots & Self-Aware Robots. York College – CUNY
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Conscious Robots,
Self-Aware Robots & Automata
Quick & Brief Guide to the Literature
Minsky, M., Society of Mind, Simon & Schuster (1988)
Minsky, M., Emotion Machine, Simon & Schuster (2006)
Kari, L. & Rozenberg, G., The Many Facets of Natural Computing, Comm. of ACM, Vol. 51, No. 10 (Oct. 2008),
pp. 72 – 83.
Aleksander, O., Modeling Consciousness in Virtual Computational Machines…, Synthesis Philosophica, Vol.
44, No. 2 (2007), pp. 447 – 454.
Sloman, A., What Sort of Architecture is Required for a Human-like Agent?, (eds) Wooldridge, M. and Rao,
A., Foundations of Rational Agency, (1999).
Sloman, A. & Chrisley, R., Virtual Machines and Consciousness, Journal of Conscious Studies, Vol. 10, No.
4/5 (Apr./May 2003), pp. 133 – 172.
Kephart, JO. & Chess, DM., The Vision of Autonomic Computing, IEEE Computer, (January 2003), pp. 41 –
50.
Gabriel, RP & Goldman, R., Conscientious Software, Sun Microsystems
http://www.dreamsongs.com/Files/ConscientiousSoftwareCC.pdf
Baars, B., A Cognitive Theory of Consciousness, Cambridge University Press (1988)
Haikonen, P., Robot Brains: Circuits for Conscious Machines, Wiley (2007)
Gamez, D., Progress in Machine Consciousness, Consciousness & Cognition, Vol. 17 (2008), pp. 887 – 910.
© 2008. John-Thones Amenyo. Conscious Robots & Self-Aware Robots. York College – CUNY
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Conscious Robots,
Self-Aware Robots & Automata:
Engineering Computational Models & Architectures
for Cognitive Robotics and Machine Consciousness
Thank You
© 2008. John-Thones Amenyo. Conscious Robots & Self-Aware Robots. York College – CUNY
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