Active Sensing Subserves Task-Level Control

Engineering notes

The insights gained from understanding the dynamic switching between exploration and exploitation could lead to advancements in robotic systems that more effectively mimic biological behaviors, improving robustness and adaptability in complex environments.

Chinese explanation / 中文解读

这篇论文提出了主动感知的新定义，认为其不仅仅是获取信息的能量支出，更是为了任务级控制而必需的。研究发现，动物在执行任务时，会在'探索'模式和'利用'模式间切换，通过动态和补偿性动作来有效实现控制。这一发现对生物及工程系统的控制理论改进具有重要意义。

Original abstract

Active sensing is traditionally defined as the expenditure of energy, typically in the form of movement, for obtaining information. Here, we propose that the combination of reliance on adaptive sensors, the linkage between movement and sensing, and task-level control inevitably gives rise to the emergence of active sensing movements. In this way, active sensing is not driven by sensory goals, such as minimizing uncertainty about the state, but rather is necessary for task-level control. This hypothesis, that active sensing subserves control, is supported by both empirical data from organisms and mathematical theory. Interestingly, active sensing behaviors often occur in discrete epochs, interspersed with goal-oriented behavior. This suggests that animals switch between two behavioral modes with distinct control policies, an `explore' mode in which animals produce dynamic movements to shape sensory feedback, and an `exploit' mode in which animals produce slower compensatory movements that are directly related to achieving task goals. This strategy for feedback control that relies on adaptive sensors, active sensing, and mode switching is not commonly used in engineered systems despite being ubiquitous in biology. Engineered systems comprising state-of-the-art sensors, actuators, and mechanical designs can outperform animals with respect to ``cost functions'' such as maximum force generation, precision, and speed. Nevertheless, animals routinely achieve robust, graceful behaviors that are currently unmatched by engineered systems, suggesting that current control systems are insufficient. These insights, expressed in the language of control theory, may be critical for improving robotic sensing and control.

Links and sources

• Official / arXiv page
• PDF from original source

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