Emergent common functional principles in control theory and the vertebrate brain: A case study with autonomous vehicle control

Citation

Hussain A, Gurney K, Abdullah R & Chambers J (2008) Emergent common functional principles in control theory and the vertebrate brain: A case study with autonomous vehicle control. In: Kurkova V, Neruda R & Koutnik J (eds.) Artificial Neural Networks - ICANN 2008: 18th International Conference, Prague, Czech Republic, September 3-6, 2008, Proceedings, Part II. Lecture Notes in Computer Science, 5164. Berlin Heidelberg: Springer, pp. 949-958. http://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007%2F978-3-540-87559-8_98; https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-540-87559-8_98

Abstract
This paper describes emergent neurobiological characteristics of an intelligent multiple-controller that has been developed for controlling the throttle, brake and steering subsystems of a validated vehicle model. Simulation results demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed approach. Importantly, the controller exhibits discrete behaviours, governed by its two component controllers. These controllers are selected according to task demands by a fuzzy-logic based supervisor. The system therefore displays 'action selection' under central switched control, as has been proposed to take place in the vertebrate brain. In addition, the supervisor and modular controllers have analogues with the higher and lower levels of functionality associated with the strata in layered brain architectures. Several further similarities are identified between the biology and the vehicle controller. We conclude that advances in neuroscience and control theory have reached a critical mass which make it timely for a new rapprochement of these disciplines.

Keywords
ARCHITECTURE; Behaviour; BIOLOGY; Brain; C; CASE studies; Control; DEMAND; discipline; Effectiveness; LEVEL; levels; model; PLACE; principle; PRINCIPLES; Selection; similarity; Simulation; SYSTEM; TASK; Theories; THEORY