Title: Modeling Emotions in a Computational System
Sub-title: Emotional Modeling in the Independent Core Observer Model Cognitive Architecture
By: David J Kelley
ABSTRACT
This paper is an overview of the emotional modeling used in the Independent Core Observer Model (ICOM) Cognitive Extension Architecture research which is a methodology or software ‘pattern’ for producing a self-motivating computational system that can be self-aware under certain conditions. While ICOM is also as a system for abstracting standard cognitive architecture from the part of the system that can be self-aware it is primarily a system for assigning value on any given idea or ‘thought’ and based on that take action as well as producing on going self-motivations and in the system take further thought or action. ICOM is at a fundamental level driven by the idea that the system is assigning emotional values to ‘context’ (or context trees) as it is perceived by the system to determine how it feels. In developing the engineering around ICOM two models have been used based on a logical understanding of emotions as modeled by traditional psychologist as opposed to empirical psychologist which tend to model emotions (or brain states) based on biological structures. This approach is based on a logical approach that is also not tied to the substrate of any particular system.