(apologize for multiple postings)
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CALL FOR ABSTRACTS
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Workshop on Artificial Mental Imagery in Cognitive Systems and Robotics
in conjunction with 12th International Conference on Adaptive Behaviour (SAB 2012)
Odense, Denmark, August 27-31, 2012
http://www.tech.plym.ac.uk/SoCCE/CRNS/staff/adinuovo/workshop/
IMPORTANT DATES
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Submission of abstracts: June 30th, 2012
Notification of authors: July 10th, 2012
Workshop: August 27th, 2012
GOAL
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The objective of the workshop is to facilitate integration and to foster new developments in mental imagery modelling and applications, involving researchers from different disciplines, interested in exploring the concept of mental imagery applied to both artificial cognitive systems and robots. Because we believe that the fundamental interdisciplinary nature of the field requires an intimate collaboration between neuroscientists, psychologists, computer scientists, and robotics researchers, the workshop is also open to all researchers interested in mental imagery for the enhancement of cognitive abilities in general, and their contributions and participation are particularly welcome.
SUBMISSION ISTRUCTIONS
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All researchers interested in contributing to the discussion are invited to submit an abstract of their work, prepared using the Springer format (up to 4 pages), to the following address alessandro.dinuovo@plymouth.ac.uk.
Springer proceedings format kits and instructions could be found at the following address: http://www.springer.com/computer/lncs?SGWID=0-164-6-793341-0
PROCEEDINGS AND JOURNAL SPECIAL ISSUE
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Proceedings with abstracts of the workshop will be published and, as follow up, we will organize a special issue on an ISI journal, welcoming all the speakers’ contribution. More details will be given soon through the website.
INVITED SPEAKERS
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Prof. Thomas Schack, head of Neurocognition and Action Research Group at Bielefeld University, Germany
Prof. Thierry Pozzo, director of Laboratoire INSERM U1093, Université de Bourgogne, France
DESCRIPTION OF THE TOPIC
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The role of mental imagery has been researched extensively over the past 50 years in the areas of motor learning, neuroscience and psychology. Some of the main effects of mental practice on physical performance have been well established in experiments with humans in the fields of sports science, occupational psychology and motor rehabilitation.
Recent studies in control engineering have shown how the use of motor rehearsal and simulation can enable an individual, through a Brain Machine Interface (BMI), to control robotic devices. Furthermore advances in information and communication technologies now make new tools available to scientists interested in artificial cognitive systems, which despite the tremendous potential applications still face several challenges. Improving the skill of a robot in terms of motor control and navigation capabilities, especially in the case of a complex robot with many degrees of freedom, is a timely and important issue in current robotics research.
The underlying neurocognitive mechanisms involved in mental imagery and subsequent physical performance, however, are still far from being fully understood. Understanding the processes behind the human ability to create mental images of events and experiences is still a crucial issue. To this end, more research efforts are needed to understand the role of mental imagery and its mechanisms in human cognition and how it can be used to enhance motor control in autonomous robots. From a technological point of view, the impact in the field of robotics could be significant. It could lead to the derivation of engineering principles for the development of autonomous systems that are capable of exploiting the characteristics of mental imagery training so to better interact with the environment and refine their motor skills in an open-ended process.
ORGANIZERS
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Dr. Alessandro G. Di Nuovo, Plymouth University, UK
Dr. Vivian M. De La Cruz, Universita’ degli Studi di Messina, Italy
Dr. Davide Marocco, Plymouth University, UK
CONTACT
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Any inquiries should be sent to: alessandro.dinuovo@plymouth.ac.uk
Workshop page: http://www.tech.plym.ac.uk/SoCCE/CRNS/staff/adinuovo/workshop/
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