Neural Preprocessing and Control of Reactive Walking Machines : Towards Versatile Artificial Perception-Action Systems

This book presents biologically inspired walking machines interacting with their physical environment. It describes how the designs of the morphology and the behavior control of walking machines can benefit from biological studies. Coverage develops a modular structure of neural control generating different reactive behaviors of the physical walking machines, analyzes the neural mechanisms underlying the reactive behaviors, and demonstrates the sensor fusion technique leading to smooth switching between appropriate behaviors, like obstacle avoidance and sound tropism.

The book offers an example of artificial perception-action systems and emphasizes the close relationship between biological studies, computational neuroscience and engineering. The book will be of interest to researchers, engineers and students in the fields of robotics, biologically inspired mechatronics, electronics engineering, control, and artificial intelligence.