COM3528 Cognitive and Biomimetic Robotics
| Summary |
Cognitive robotics is the field of creating robots that think, perceive, learn, remember, reason and interact. Biomimetic robotics is the approach of designing robots using principles discovered in nature, including what we can learn from the evolution and development of natural intelligence in animals including humans. This module will explore progress in developing cognitive and biomimetic robots, relating wider progress in artificial intelligence, machine learning, and cognitive science to the development of next generation robotic systems. The practical component of the course will focus on programming biomimetic cognitive architectures for robots.
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| Session |
Autumn 2025/26 |
| Credits |
10 credits |
| Assessment |
- Formal Examination [50%]
- Group Project [50%]
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| Lecturer(s) |
Mr Alex Lucas & Dr Chaona Chen |
| Resources |
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| Aims |
This module aims to:
- teach students about the approach of cognitive robotics focusing on cognitive architectures inspired by development, learning and cognition in humans;
- teach students about the approach of biomimetic robotics showing how principles for the design and engineering of robots can be translated from biology into robotic technology;
- provide students with the skills and understanding to implement and test ideas from cognitive and biomimetic robots in robot control systems
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| Learning Outcomes |
On completion of this module, students will be able to:
- Describe and discuss the approaches of cognitive and biomimetic robotics
- Describe and understand some specific examples of approaches in cognitive and biomimetic robotics at a technical level
- Modify and extend the biomimetic control architecture of an animal-like robot
- Critically reflect on some of the philosophical, societal and ethical issues relating to advances in robotics research
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| Content |
The module will cover (elements of):
- Synthetic Psychology
- Biomimetic Building Blocks and Capabilities
- Evolutionary Development
- Human-Robot Interaction and Human-Robot Futures
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| Restrictions |
Available to students in Computer Science only. Students must have previously taken COM2009 Robotics.
Optional modules within the school have limited capacity. We will always try to accommodate all students but cannot guarantee a place. |
| Teaching Method |
The module will be delivered through a combination of lectures and practical sessions. Lectures will cover various aspects of cognitive and biomimetic robotics, providing both high-level overviews and in-depth technical explanations. Additionally, the societal and ethical implications of these technologies will be explored. Practical sessions will involve students working in groups to modify and extend the biomimetic brain-based control architecture of an animal-like robot.
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| Feedback |
Students will receive written feedback on their report, as well as oral and written feedback on their presentation and demo. Additionally, weekly practical sessions will include monitoring and informal feedback.
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