The playful machine. Theoretical foundation and practical realization of self-organizing robots. Foreword by Rolf Pfeifer (Q649876)

The present book is Vol. 15 from the series of Cognitive Systems Monographs. In a sense, the book reflects its title: it is itself playful and self-motivating. In addition to the theoretical framework and conceptual discussions, the mathematical background and many examples of model robots, of real devices, and simulated creatures are presented. Stressing robots, the book presents the new tendencies of self-evaluation, self-organization and control of different type of technical systems, including the cognitive control theory as a new control language. The book is intended for students and researchers interested in self-organization on both the practical and theoretical level. Even if you do not need this theory for your investigations, it is worth to read the book because of the contemporary ideas and solutions. The book can be also a source for courses, which can be part of the academic program of electrical, control and computer science departments.