A biological-inspired episodic cognitive map building framework for mobile robot navigation. (2nd June 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Liu, Dong; Cong, Ming; Zou, Qiang; Du, Yu
• Is Part Of: International journal of advanced robotic systems. Volume 14:Number 3(2017:May/Jun.)
• Publication Date: 2017-06-02
• Subjects: Episodic memory -- state neuron -- self-learning -- cognitive map -- robot navigation; Robotics -- Periodicals; Robotics; Periodicals; 629.892
• DOI: 10.1177/1729881417705922
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1729-8806

Abstract

This article proposes a self-learning method of robotic experience for building episodic cognitive map using biologically inspired episodic memory. The episodic cognitive map is used for robot navigation under uncertainty. Two main challenges which include high computational complexity and perceptual aliasing are addressed. The episodic memory-driving Markov decision process is proposed to simulate the organization of episodic memory by introducing neuron activation and stimulation mechanism. Episodic memory self-learning model and algorithm are presented for building the episodic cognitive map based on episodic memory-driving Markov decision process. Uncertain information is considered to improve mapping performance. The presented method can realize robotic memory real-time storage, incremental accumulation, integration and updating. Based on the episodic cognitive map, the predicted episodic trajectory can simply be computed by activation spreading of state neurons. The experimental results for a mobile robot indicate that the method can efficiently performs learning, localization, mapping and navigation in real-life office environments.