CFP: 6th Intl Conf Epigenetic Robotics 2006

["Huhns, Michael" <huhns@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Epigenetic Robotics 2006, 20-22 September 2006, Paris, France
EXTENDED DEADLINE: April 17th, 2006
Sixth International Conference on Epigenetic Robotics:
Modeling Cognitive Development in Robotic Systems
website:=A0http://www.epigenetic-robotics.org
contact information: epirob06@xxxxxxxxxxx

Location: Hopital de la Salp=EAtri=E8re, Paris, France

Keynote=A0speakers 2006
Karen Adolph (Psychology Dpt, New York University, USA)
Andrew Barto (Computer Science Dpt, University of Massachusetts Amherst, =
USA)
Philippe Rochat (Psychology Dpt, University of Emory, USA)
Gregor Schoener (Institut f=FCr Neuroinformatik, =
Ruhr-Universit=E4t-Bochum, Germany)
Bruno Wicker (Institut de Neurosciences Cognitives de la Mediterran=E9e, =
France)
Conference themes
In the past 5 years, the Epigenetic Robotics annual workshop has =
established itself as a unique place where original research combining =
developmental sciences, neuroscience, biology, and cognitive robotics =
and artificial intelligence is being presented.

Epigenetic systems, either natural or artificial, share a prolonged =
developmental process through which varied and complex cognitive and =
perceptual structures emerge as a result of the interaction of an =
embodied system with a physical and social environment.

Epigenetic robotics includes the two-fold goal of understanding =
biological systems by the interdisciplinary integration between social =
and engineering sciences and, simultaneously, that of enabling robots =
and artificial systems to develop skills for any particular environment =
instead of programming them for solving particular goals for the =
environment in which they happen to reside.
Psychological theory and empirical evidence is being used to inform =
epigenetic robotic models, and these models should be used as =
theoretical tools to make experimental predictions in=A0 developmental =
psychology.
This year we particularly encourage research resulting from actual =
interdisciplinary collaboration.
Epigenetic Robotics themes include, but are not limited to:

* The development of: emotion, imitation, synchrony processing, =
intersubjectivity, joint attention, intentionality, non-verbal and =
verbal communication, sensorimotor schemata, shared meaning and symbolic =
reference, social learning, social relationships, social cognition
("mind reading", "theory of mind");
* The scope and limits of maturation, the mechanisms of open-ended =
development;
* The mechanisms of stage formation and stage transitions;
* The epistemological foundations of using robots to study development;
* The role of motivations, emotions, and value systems in development;
* Interaction between innate structure, ongoing developing structure, =
and experience;
* The interplay between embodiment, learning biases and environment;
* The differences between learning and development;
* Algorithms for self-supervision, autonomous exploration, =
representation making, and methods for evolving new representations =
during ontogeny;
* Robots that can undergo morphological changes and how they can be used =
to study the interplay between cognitive and morphological development;

Important Dates
April 17th, 2006:=A0 Deadline for submission of papers and posters
May 22th, 2006: Notification of acceptance for papers and posters
July 17th, 2006:=A0 Deadline for camera ready-papers & posters
September 20-22, 2006:=A0 Epirob 2006

Modes of submission
(1) Regular Submission (8-page max). After review, regular submission =
will either be accepted or rejected (No revision as short papers or =
posters)

(2) Abstract Submission where authors submit one-page abstract. After =
the review, selected authors will be invited to present a poster. =
Posters will be allocated 1 or 2 pages in the Proceedings.

Submission instructions will be available from the EpiRob website: =
http://www.epigenetic-robotics.org

Related Scientific Events
On September 19, a day before EpiRob 2006 , an international symposium =
on autism will be organized at the Hopital La Salp=E9tri=E8re
>From September, 25 to September, 30, the week just after EpiRob 2006, =
The Ninth International Conference on the Simulation of Adaptive =
Behavior (SAB'06) (SAB'06) will be organized in Rome =
(http://www.sab06.org/)

Social and Cultural Events
A special banquet on a boat will be organized as well as several =
cultural events including a guided visit to the Natural History=A0Museum =
and Le Louvre.

Organizing Committee 2006
Christian Balkenius (Cognitive Science, Lund University, Sweden)
Luc Berthouze (Neuroscience Research Institute, AIST, Japan)
Philippe Gaussier (Neurocybernetics team, ETIS CNRS, Cergy Pontoise =
University,=A0 France)
Fr=E9d=E9ric Kaplan (Sony Computer Science Laboratory Paris, France)
Hideki Kozima (National Institute of Information and Communications =
Technology, Japan)
Jacqueline Nadel (Hopital de la Salp=EAtri=E8re, CNRS, France)
Pierre-Yves Oudeyer (Sony Computer Science Laboratory Paris, France)
Christopher G. Prince (Computer Science Dpt, University of Minnesota =
Duluth, USA)
Arnaud Revel (Neurocybernetics team, ETIS CNRS, ENSEA,=A0 France)

Program Committee 2006
Pierre Andry (Neurocybernetics team, ETIS CNRS, Cergy Pontoise =
University,=A0 France)
Minoru Asada (Dpt of Mechanical Engineering, Osaka University, Japan)
Christian Balkenius (Cognitive Science, Lund University, Sweden)
Douglas Blank (Computer Science Dpt, Bryn Mawr College, USA)
Alexander Bernardino (Instituto Superior Tecnico, Lisboa, Portugal)
Luc Berthouze (Neuroscience Research Institute, AIST, Japan)
Nadia Berthouze (Computer Science Dpt, Aizu University, Japan)
Mark H. Bickhard (Psychology Dpt, Lehigh University)
Aude Billard (Autonomous Systems Lab, EPFL, Switzerland)
Lola Canamero (Adaptive Systems Research Group, University of =
Hertfordshire, UK)
Robert Clowes (Center for Research in Cognitive Science, University of =
Sussex, UK)
Kerstin Dautenhahn (Adaptive Systems Research Group, University of =
Hertfordshire, UK)
Yiannis Demiris (Intelligent and Interactive Systems, Imperial College, =
UK)
Luciano Fadiga (University of Ferrara, Italy)
Simone Fiori (Faculty of Engineering, Perugia University, Italy)
Paul Fitzpatrick (CSAIL, MIT, USA)
Philippe Gaussier (Neurocybernetics team, ETIS CNRS, Cergy Pontoise =
University,=A0 France)
Lakshmi Gogate (SUNY Health Science Center at Brooklyn, USA)
George Hollich (Infant Language Lab, Purdue University, USA)
Fr=E9d=E9ric Kaplan (Sony Computer Science Laboratory Paris, France)
Annette Karmiloff-Smith (Institute of Child Health, UC London, UK)
Benjamin Kuipers (Computer Science Dpt, University of Texas, USA)
Hideki Kozima (National Institute of Information and Communications =
Technology, Japan)
Max Lungarella (Dpt of Mechano-Informatic, University of Tokyo, Japan)
Yuval Marom (School of Computer Science and Software Engineering, Monash =
University, Australia)
Lisa Meeden (Swarthmore college, USA)
Giorgio Metta (LIRA-Lab, Genoa, Italy)
Jacqueline Nadel (Hopital de la Salp=EAtri=E8re, CNRS, France)
Yukie Nagai (National Institute of Information and Communications =
Technology, Japan)
Chrystopher Nehaniv (Adaptive Systems Research Group, University of =
Hertfordshire, UK)
Pierre-Yves Oudeyer (Sony Computer Science Laboratory Paris, France)
Christopher G. Prince (Computer Science Dpt, University of Minnesota =
Duluth, USA)
Arnaud Revel (Neurocybernetics team, ETIS CNRS, ENSEA, France)
Giulio Sandini (LIRA-Lab, Genoa, Italy)
Brian Scassellati (Computer Science Dpt, Yale University, USA)
Matthew Schlesinger (Psychology Dpt, Southern Illinois University, USA)
Sylvain Sirois (Psychology Dpt, Manchester University, UK)
Georgi Stojanov (Computer Science Institute, SS Cyril and Methodius =
University, Macedonia)
Gert Westermann (Psychology Dpt, Oxford Brookes University, UK)
Tom Ziemke (School of Humanities & Informatics, University of Skovde, =
Sweden)

For more information contact epirob06@xxxxxxxxxxx