Cognitive Science:

What Is It, and How Can I Study It at RPI?

What is Cognitive Science?

Cognitive Science:Aspects of Cognition

• Cognitive science is the science of cognition, which includes such things as:– perception– action– learning– memory– attention– reasoning– decision-making – language use

Cognitive Science:Kinds of Minds

• Cognitive Science can be seen as the study of mind, but these minds can be:– human minds– animal minds– computer minds– robot minds– alien minds – group minds– or whatever minds

Cognitive Science:Fields of Study

• Cognitive science is an inherently interdisciplinary study; it is informed by, and has applications in:– philosophy– psychology– computer science– neuroscience– linguistics– anthropology– biology– education– mathematics– robotics

Cognitive Science as one of the ‘Basic’ Sciences

• At some point in the future, cognitive science will be regarded as one of the ‘basic’ sciences, in line with physics, chemistry, and biology.

• Indeed, I believe that cognitive technology is going to be the next ‘revolution’ in technology.

• We will have Cogno-Engineering (autonomous intelligent machines, brain interfaces) …

• and Cogno-Ethics!

What can I do with Cognitive Science?

• Cognitive Science (and Cognitive Technology) can be used to analyze, describe, predict, correct, augment, and create minds. Some specific applications:– Cognitive Modeling – Human Computer Interaction– Artificial Intelligence– Cognitive Robotics– Cognitive Engineering

Cognitive Modeling

• Cognitive Models can analyze cognitive behavior at small time-scales, thus e.g. predict the effects of texting while driving

Human-Computer Interaction

• Cognitive Science could lead to more effective and efficient Human-Computer Interaction.

Artificial Intelligence

Facial Recognition Technology

• Imagine arriving at a hotel to be greeted by name, because a computer has analyzed your appearance at the front door. …”Your phone … can tell you the name of that person at the party whose name you always forget … or it will tell the stalker in the bar the address where you live”

-Yesterday’s Poly

Cognitive Robotics

Create: the Roomba that doesn’t suck!

Robocup

Can we make the Curiosity rover more autonomous by giving it Intelligence?

Cognitive Engineering

• Cognitive Ergonomics• Cognitive Mediation• Cognitive Prosthetics• Cognitive Augmentation• Cognitive Computing

Cognitive Ergonomics

• Cognitive ergonomically designed tools should ‘fit’ our abilities to take in and process information, and act on it.

‘Smart Cockpit’ (really?)

Cognitive Mediation

Better interfacing with Tom Cruise!

Taking this a step further …

Craig Mundie, Microsoft Chief Research and Strategy Officer:“Today, we find ourselves embarking on one of the biggest transformations in computing ever, where the computer shifts from being a tool to being a helper”

Cognitive ProstheticsUsing EEG’s (brain waves measured at scalp), patients that can’t move their armslearn to control a cursor on a screen- Wadsworth Research Lab, Albany, NY

Former blind, Jens Naumanncan now see good enough to‘drive slowly around in a parking lot’thanks to a brain vision implant

Seeing with Sound See with tongue

Sensory Substitution

Even further …

Cognitive Augmentation

Australian Art-Performer Stelarc has a third arm which he can control using his abdominal muscles

Cognitive Computing

???

How can I Study Cognitive Science at RPI?

Cognitive Science at RPI

• In 1991-1992, the Philosophy Department merged with the Psychology Department to form the Department of Philosophy, Psychology, and Cognitive Science.

• In 2003, this became the Department of Cognitive Science, one of only about 15 dedicated Departments of Cognitive Science in the world

• In 2004, we created a PhD program in Cognitive Science• In the Spring of 2010, the B.S. undergraduate program in Cognitive

Science was approved• About 20 faculty• Relevant Laboratories / Research Groups:

– CogWorks Lab (Cognitive Modeling)– RAIR Lab (Artificial Intelligence and Reasoning)– PandA Lab (Perception and Action, Virtual Reality)– Human-Level Intelligence Lab– Cognitive Architecture Lab– Cognitive Robotics Lab– Sim Lab (Synthetic Characters)

Majors, Minors, and Concentrations

• Majors:– COGS– PSYC– PHIL– When you dual major with COGS, PHIL, or PSYC, required

courses can count towards H&SS requirement• Minors:

– Minor in COGS: 4 relevant courses, including Introduction to Cognitive Science. Minds and Machines counts as 1 of the 4.

– ‘Cognition’ minor in PSYC– ‘Logic, Computation, and Mind’ minor in PHIL

• Concentrations:– IT has Cognitive Science concentration– GSAS has Cognitive Science concentration

Core Curriculum for BS in Cognitive Science

• Minds and Machines• Introduction to Cognitive Science• Introduction to Logic• Experimental Methods and Statistics• Cognitive Psychology• Cognitive Neuroscience• Introduction to Artificial Intelligence• Cognitive Modeling• Sensation and Perception • Knowledge and Rationality• Undergraduate Thesis

What Can I do With a Cognitive Science BS?

• Rich Skill Set:– Programming/Modeling– Empirical Data Collection and Evaluation– Complex Systems Analysis– Critical Thinking– Communication

• Careers (industry, academics) in Computer Science (AI), Engineering (Robotics, Biomed), Psychology (Cognitive Modeling, Human Factors), Philosophy (Cogno-Ethics), IT (HCI), Decision Sciences, Economics, Anthropology, Social Sciences, Education, Law, etc.

Possible Dual Majors

• COGS / CSCI• COGS / MATH• COGS / GSAS

I am interested in the B.S. in Cognitive Science. What should I do?

• Contact the Director Of Undergraduate Studies In Cognitive Science:– Bram van Heuveln– heuveb@rpi.edu

I am interested in Cognitive Science, but don’t want to do a whole B.S.

• OK, you can still:– Declare a minor– Come to the Issues in Cognitive Science lecture

series (every Wednesday from 12 to 1:30) during which guest speakers, faculty, and students share their latest ideas

– Join the Minds & Machines Program– Join and get actively involved in any of our

other research labs and research groups• In all cases, contact the Director:

– Bram van Heuveln, heuveb@rpi.edu

Minds & Machines Program in Cognitive Technology

• The Minds & Machines Program provides opportunities for students to work in the fields of:– Artificial Intelligence– Cognitive Robotics– Synthetic Characters

• Do independent, or student-led projects and research in AI Lab and/or Cognitive Robotics Lab.

• Interested? Contact Bram: heuveb@rpi.edu