Satellite Symposium: Models of vision and decision-making: From features to behavior and perceptual robotics

Organizers:
Heiko Neumann, Ulm University, Ulm, Germany
Massimo Bergamasco, Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna, Pisa, Italy

Presenters:
Yiannis Aloimonos (USA), Dana Ballard (USA), Frank Bremmer (Germany), Heinrich Bülthoff (Germany), Antonio Frisoli (Italy), Martin Giese (Germany), Ulrich Hillenbrand (Germany), Jeff Krichmar (USA), Ennio Mingolla (USA), Concetta Morrone (Italy), Heiko Neumann (Germany), Stefan Treue (Germany)

Symposium description:
Cortical function related to visual sensory processing is part of larger cortical networks generating adaptive behavior in a computational perception-action cycle. In order to achieve and support a range of competencies neural mechanisms must accomplish task-relevant computations at various levels. For example, spatial navigation in unknown cluttered environments builds upon initial feature extraction and a decision concerning their relevance to solve a particular task, to segment figural shapes from the background, and to actively guide attention to important task-relevant objects in the scene. When eye movements are made they impose disturbances to the sensory input through actively shifting the gaze for salient information extraction athigh spatial detail. The underlying processes to generate stable representations of the visual worldneed to be put in concert online combining a variety of available sensory data. In order to approach the underlying computational issues various scientific approaches now converge to bring together several disciplines building models of the mechanisms that explain experimental data. With nowadays available technology it is possible to build biologically inspired advanced robotic platforms to even study complex behaviors and their learning in realistic scenarios. The workshop aims at presenting results from recent investigations ranging from sensory processing, action generation to perceptual and behavioral robotics, and reviewing them from an interdisciplinary perspective.

Programme:

Heiko Neumann & Massimo Bergamasco
Welcome address & brief introduction

Feature extraction, segmentation & spatial orientation

Heiko Neumann
Neural mechanisms of motion integration and segregation – perception and modeling

Stefan Treue
Mechanisms and dynamics of visual attention in primates

Yiannis Aloimonos
Active segmentation

Ennio Mingolla
Neural model of visually-guided navigation in a cluttered world

Multi-modality, representations & action guiding

Heinrich Bülthoff
Multisensory integration for perception and action in virtual environments

Frank Bremmer
Cortical mechanisms for generating multi-sensory spatial representations in guiding action

Martin Giese
Vision to action: Neurophysiology and modeling of the visual properties of mirror neurons

Active perception, task-driven perception & perceptual robotics

Ulrich Hillenbrand
From 3D sensing to recognition to shape understanding: A viewpoint from robotics

Concetta Morrone
Perception of space and time during saccades

Antonio Frisoli
A behavioral model for vision-basednavigation of robots

Dana Ballard
Modeling the role of task in the control of gaze

Jeff Krichmar
Using neurally inspired robots to study brain function: Principles and mechanisms