Integration of navigation and action selection functionalities in a computational model of cortico-basal ganglia-thalamo-cortical loops

TL;DR

This paper presents a biomimetic control architecture integrating action selection and navigation in an animat, based on cortico-basal ganglia loops, evaluated through simulations demonstrating enhanced survival and adaptive behaviors.

Contribution

It introduces a novel model combining navigation and action selection using interconnected cortico-basal ganglia loops, inspired by vertebrate brain structures.

Findings

High-level navigation strategies improve survival in dynamic environments.

Complementary navigation strategies enhance adaptability.

Behavioral choices are accurate in conflicting internal states.

Abstract

This article describes a biomimetic control architecture affording an animat both action selection and navigation functionalities. It satisfies the survival constraint of an artificial metabolism and supports several complementary navigation strategies. It builds upon an action selection model based on the basal ganglia of the vertebrate brain, using two interconnected cortico-basal ganglia-thalamo-cortical loops: a ventral one concerned with appetitive actions and a dorsal one dedicated to consummatory actions. The performances of the resulting model are evaluated in simulation. The experiments assess the prolonged survival permitted by the use of high level navigation strategies and the complementarity of navigation strategies in dynamic environments. The correctness of the behavioral choices in situations of antagonistic or synergetic internal states are also tested. Finally, the modelling choices are discussed with regard to their biomimetic plausibility, while the experimental results are estimated in terms of animat adaptivity.