Adaptive Autonomy in the Sensorimotor Domain

Matthew Egbert

University of Auckland

Nov. 5, 2025, 7 p.m. UTC // Nov. 5, 2025, 7 p.m. in UTC

The IDSM (Egbert & Barandiaran, 2014) is a model that was designed to investigate sensorimotor-autonomy. The IDSM produces autonomous sensorimotor habits, but the habits it produces are not particularly robust or adaptive (Egbert, 2018).

These observations have motivated me to develop a new model. The purpose of the model is to demonstrate a strong notion of adaptive autonomy in the sensorimotor domain. That is to say: I want the model to show how a pattern of sensorimotor behaviour might be both:

1. autonomous, (i.e., an operationally closed entity made from inherently unstable parts that stabilise / reinforce one another); and
2. adaptive (i.e., regulate its actions in response to its own dynamic viability limits)

In my talk I will introduce my work-in-progress model. If possible I would love for the ensuing discussion to focus on the goal I stated above and what different people believe would be required to adequately demonstrate adaptive autonomy in the sensorimotor domain.

Egbert M. D., Barandiaran X. E. (2014) Modeling habits as self-sustaining patterns of sensorimotor behavior Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, 8, 590.

Egbert M. D. (2018) Investigations of an Adaptive and Autonomous Sensorimotor Individual The 2018 Conference on Artificial Life: A Hybrid of the European Conference on Artificial Life (ECAL) and the International Conference on the Synthesis and Simulation of Living Systems (ALIFE), 343-350

Link to join/watch the seminar: https://youtube.com/live/HPUcWz7PVcM?feature=share