View NOMAD during an early visual learning trial Clip information: mpeg file, 00:00:59 running time, 24MB, created 3/01 View NOMAD after visual conditioning Clip information: mpeg file, 00:00:46 running time, 19MB, created 3/01 View NOMAD after auditory conditioning Clip information: mpeg file, 00:00:45 running time, 18MB, created 3/01
NOMAD during behavioral experiments. The movie clips above show NOMAD in action and, to the right of NOMAD, activity of selected neural areas in the simulation (R, top left; IT, top right; A1, bottom left; Mave, bottom right, left side; Mapp, bottom right, right side). Each pixel in a selected neural area represents a neuronal unit and activity is normalized in a range from no activity (dark blue) to maximal activity (bright red). During each movie clip NOMAD first approaches an appetitive block and then an aversive block. More details of this experiment can be found in our recent publications[click here for publications]. First Movie Clip: NOMAD upon early encounter with blocks having visual patterns. In this early conditioning trial, NOMAD is shown picking up and "tasting" both the appetive and aversive block. Activity in IT is insufficient, but activity in the taste system is sufficient to drive activity in the motor behavior neural area (Mave or Mapp) above the behavioral threshold. Second Movie Clip: NOMAD upon the tenth encounter with blocks having visual patterns. After primary conditioning with visual stimuli, activity in area IT is sufficient to drive the Mave or Mapp neuronal units above the behavioral threshold triggering a motor response to taste an appetitive block and avoid "tasting" an aversive block. Third Movie Clip NOMAD upon the tenth encounter with blocks having only auditory cues. The stimulus blocks shown in the figure beeped, but had a pattern made up of small black and white shapes that was high contrast enough to evoke a visual tracking response, but did not have enough of a pattern to evoke a response in IT. After primary conditioning with auditory stimuli, activity in area A1 is sufficient to drive the Mapp or Mave neuronal units above the threshold to trigger a behavioral response.
View NOMAD In Action movie Clip information: mpeg file, 00:01:42 running time, 14MB, created 5/00
The above film clip shows NOMAD in action. NOMAD is born with certain instincts: he avoids hitting obstacles, he approaches high contrast objects, and he gets good value or taste from conductive objects. In the film clip, the blocks with striped patterns are conductive. NOMAD learns on his own that the striped blocks are good tasting and the blob patterned blocks are bad tasting. In other words, NOMAD has learned to associate a taste with a visual pattern. After about 10 samples of each block, NOMAD learns to avoid tasting the blob patterned blocks.
View recent news piece on NOMAD Clip information: mpeg file, 00:03:41 running time, 19MB, created 5/00
The above film clip shows a recent piece on NOMAD that aired by KGTV, a San Diego ABC affiliate, on May 4th, 2000. This short news piece gives a nice overview of the NOMAD project. This movie clip is used with permission of KGTV.
