Project Info
*Theory of Mind Driven Robotic Language Production
Tom Williams
twilliams@mines.edu
Theory of Mind, or "mind reading", is the human ability to estimate the mental state of other agents. In this project, students will use and extend models of *cognitive status* that allow robots to perform a particular style of Theory of Mind estimation whereby they estimate whether various task-relevant objects are in focus, activated, familiar, or otherwise, for their interlocutors. Specifically, students will use these models to understand how and why people use different referring forms, like "it", "this", and "that-" to talk about objects in their environments, and will use those models to enable robots to speak in a more humanlike way.
More Information:
Grand Challenge: Reverse-engineer the brain.
https://mirrorlab.mines.edu/publications/pal2020cogsci/
https://mirrorlab.mines.edu/publications/pal2021cogsci/
Primary Contacts:
Tom Williams. Zhao Han. Rafael Silva.
Student Preparation
Qualifications
Required: Good coding skills
Preferred: Experimental design skills, web programming skills, basic knowledge of cognitive psychology.
TIME COMMITMENT (HRS/WK)
10
SKILLS/TECHNIQUES GAINED
Cognitive modeling, robot behavior design, experimental design, data analysis, scientific communication
MENTORING PLAN
Weekly meetings to review progress and set goals. Optional attendance at group lab meetings.
PREFERRED STUDENT STATUS
Junior
Senior