From Smart Sensing to Consciousness: An info-structural model of computational consciousness for non-interacting agents

TL;DR

This paper introduces a formal model of computational consciousness for non-interacting agents, integrating sensation, perception, emotion, attention, awareness, and consciousness, with an index measuring energetic and entropic contributions aligned with moral perspectives.

Contribution

It presents a novel info-structural model that formalizes cognitive layers and tests them on visual stimuli, linking consciousness with emotional activity and morality in artificial agents.

Findings

Model aligns with scientific evidence on covert attention.

Results support awareness as a consequence of visual repetition.

Model effectively links emotional responses with consciousness measures.

Abstract

This study proposes a model of computational consciousness for non-interacting agents. The phenomenon of interest was assumed as sequentially dependent on the cognitive tasks of sensation, perception, emotion, affection, attention, awareness, and consciousness. Starting from the Smart Sensing prodromal study, the cognitive layers associated with the processes of attention, awareness, and consciousness were formally defined and tested together with the other processes concerning sensation, perception, emotion, and affection. The output of the model consists of an index that synthesizes the energetic and entropic contributions of consciousness from a computationally moral perspective. Attention was modeled through a bottom-up approach, while awareness and consciousness by distinguishing environment from subjective cognitive processes. By testing the solution on visual stimuli eliciting the emotions of happiness, anger, fear, surprise, contempt, sadness, disgust, and the neutral state, it was found that the proposed model is concordant with the scientific evidence concerning covert attention. Comparable results were also obtained regarding studies investigating awareness as a consequence of visual stimuli repetition, as well as those investigating moral judgments to visual stimuli eliciting disgust and sadness. The solution represents a novel approach for defining computational consciousness through artificial emotional activity and morality.