Orientation Behavior Using Registered Topographic Maps

Abstract

The ability to orient toward visual auditory or tactile stimuli is an important skill for systems intended to interact with and explore their environment. In the brain of mammalian vertebrates the Superior Colliculus is specialized for integrating multi-modal sensory information and for using this information to orient the animal to the source sensory stimuli such as noisy, moving objects. Within the Superior Colliculus this ability appears to be implemented using layers of registered, multi-modal topographic maps. Inspired by the structure, function, and plasticity of the Superior Colliculus, we are in the process of implementing multi-modal orientation behaviors on our humanoid robot using registered topographic maps. In this paper we explore integrating visual motion and oculomotor maps to study experience- based map registration mechanisms. Continuing work includes incorporating self- organizing feature map, including more sensory modalities such as auditory and somatorsensory maps and extending be motor repertoire to include the neck and body degrees of freedom for full-body orientation.