Cognitive Systems Foresight Foresight COGNITIVE SYSTEMS PROJECT Welcome to HP Labs Dr Robin Gallimore Director HP Labs 3 – 5 September 2003, HP Labs, Bristol

Cognitive Systems Foresight Foresight COGNITIVE SYSTEMS PROJECT InterAction Conference (IAC) Introduction John Taylor Director General of Research Councils 3 – 5 September 2003, HP Labs, Bristol

Cognitive Systems Foresight Outline Foresight Why Cognitive Systems The Project Aims of the InterAction Conference Days 1 and 2 Day 3

Cognitive Systems Foresight Foresight exists to produce challenging visions of the future on which Government, business and academia should be inspired to act in their strategic planning processes. It does this by providing a core of in expertise science -based futures and excellent access to leaders in Government, science and business.

Cognitive Systems Foresight Foresight Projects should….. Either consider how future science and technologies could address key future challenges for society and the economy e.g. Flood and Coastal Defence Or seek to identify and understand the implications of emerging science and technology that will be a driver of radical future change e.g. Cognitive Systems

Cognitive Systems Foresight And ….. all Foresight projects should… encourage the creation & delivery of new networks between science, business and society have the support of at least one of the interested communities (government, research funders, business, etc) as stakeholders to take forward recommendations for action add value to existing activities and initiatives – with the aim of delivering outputs which would not otherwise be achieved

Cognitive Systems Foresight Foresight is about Reviewing leading edge science research Producing visions of the future Identifying areas of focus and grand challenges that could help to realise that future Creating new networks Informing research policy and funding agencies about likely emerging new research areas eg new combinations of disciplines and newly feasible research challenges Foresight is not about Doing the research

Cognitive Systems Foresight Why have a Foresight project on Cognitive Systems? Research in many aspects of cognition in both physical sciences and life sciences have made major progress over past 20 years Both have developed into huge communities with many different sub-disciplines Communication within each community is very hard and between the two communities is even harder

Cognitive Systems Foresight Why have a Foresight project on Cognitive Systems? We still have very little insight into how living systems really carry out information processing Life sciences research has powerful new tools eg brain imaging, DNA sequencing, computer modelling which could help us understand this Artificial intelligence research is now only beginning to understand the real scope of the undertaking Over the next years we will be able to build artificial systems with huge raw processing and storage capabilities in the ballpark of living systems and for affordable costs But we still have very little understanding of how to organise and architect them to realise artificial cognitive systems which function in similar ways to living systems

Cognitive Systems Foresight Why have a Foresight project on Cognitive Systems? Is it worthwhile to have more dialog about these topics within each community separately? Is it worthwhile for the communities to explore the possibilities for increasing the dialog between the communities in selected areas? eg to explore whether there might be new areas where genuine collaborative research involving both life scientists and physical scientists might accelerate our understanding of how living cognitive systems actually function?

Cognitive Systems Foresight Project aims & objectives Aim: provide a vision for the future of research in cognitive systems Objectives: examine recent progress in research in biological and artificial cognition produce a 10 to 20 year forward look for both fields scope the opportunities for sharing insights between the two fields communicate significant conclusions, if any, to wider science, business and public communities and engage them in debate on future implications of likely developments in these areas.

Cognitive Systems Foresight Project methodology No preconceived outputs or tick boxes Scientists run the project Well prepared – Research Reviews commissioned papers from senior researchers Themes and topics Applications Workshop series Open Questions, grand challenge problems, manifestos Research Briefs - professional interpretation for wider audiences International participation and calibration Linkage to other groups eg UKCRC

Cognitive Systems Foresight Additional Project Activities Input from international experts/organisations Activities around international conferences and events International sources and web search Web discussion forum

Cognitive Systems Foresight The Project Process Launch of Manifestos - Nov Life workshop - April 4 mini summaries Identify key areas for work Intelligible summary Joint life & physical workshop - May Full overview Interaction/review Physical workshop - March 7 mini summaries InterAction Conference (IAC) - Sept Stakeholderinteractions

Cognitive Systems Foresight Physical Sciences themes/topics 1.Memory/Reasoning/Learning Prof Wendy Hall and Prof Keith van Rijsbergen 2.Sensory Processes and Perception Prof Lionel Tarassenko and Prof Mike Denham 3.Large Scale/Small Scale Systems Dr Andy Wright and Prof Jim Austin 4.Interaction/Planning/Motivations Prof Nick Jennings and Prof Tony Cohn

Cognitive Systems Foresight Life Sciences themes/topics 1.Learning and Memory Profs R Morris, G Hitch and Drs K Graham and T Bussey 2.Language and Speech Dr William Marslen-Wilson 3.Social Cognition Prof Uta Frith and Dr S-J Blakemore 4.Self Organising Systems Prof David Willshaw 5.Actions and Habits Prof Peter Dayan, Dr P Redgrave and P Barnard 6.Representation Dr Vincent Walsh and Prof S Laughlin 7.Advanced Neuroscience Technologies Profs R Morris, A Matus, J Driver, K Friston and E T Rolls

Cognitive Systems Foresight Some examples of added value…. Interdisciplinary interaction between the two communities Examples of new technology that UK science needs eg imaging, instrumentation, Gaps & weaknesses in current UK research programs Encouraging scientists to be more creative about the needs of “end-users” Manifestos for new areas of collaborative and interdisciplinary research to help funding agencies calibrate where the research communities are

Cognitive Systems Foresight InterAction Conference (IAC) Aims of the IAC: Test the findings from the workshops with a wider scientific audience Contribute to the debate about new implications by introducing the findings to non-academic audiences Prepare the ground for wider communication and generate interest in the outcomes of the project.

Cognitive Systems Foresight Day 1 & 2 – interaction between the two communities Aims are to: Interact in innovative ways Present and debate four potential research manifestos; Brain Rhythms Language & Speech, 3D localisation Memories for Life Debate and discuss: Forgetting Sensor Fusion Do Cognitive Systems compute? Create list of future research methodologies/technologies/tools.

Cognitive Systems Foresight Day 3 – with wider participation from government,research councils, business users & public Aims are to: Test and develop the messages Consider the implications of the ideas associated with the target systems Consider the wider opportunities for funding new areas of research

Cognitive Systems Foresight Foresight COGNITIVE SYSTEMS PROJECT InterAction Conference (IAC) Introduction John Taylor Director General of Research Councils 3 – 5 September 2003, HP Labs, Bristol

Cognitive Systems Foresight Who is involved John Taylor OSOSTT Flooding Team (4 Civil Servants) Contracted Experts Richard Morris Experts Contracted Experts Mike Kenwood Contracted Experts Lionel Tarassenko Ministerial Stakeholder Group Broader network of experts Stakeholders e.g. Stakeholders Experts OST TEAM