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