Personoids: intelligent autonomous agents




                              Abstract


          +---------+      +-------+<----->Personoid
          | Virtual |----->| Black |<----->personoid
          |  World  |<-----| Board |<----->personoid
          +---------+      +-------+.......


   This paper  describes a project of a general-purpose agent: an
agent (personoid) who adapts himself to an unknown environment.
   This  agent interacts  with the  environment and  other agents
(personoids) and learn how to live in that environment.

   The personoid acts as follows:
      -  Receive sensorial information from the outside world.
      -  Pre-process the  sensorial information into  a sensorial
         matrix.
      -  Take  the sensorial  matrix  and  evaluates the  current
         sensation with a pleasure/pain matrix converter and then
         elaborate an action/response  who decreases the  pain or
         increases the pleasure.
           Types of  reasoning used in  the response elaboration:
           direct reaction to stimulus, reaction to stimulus with
           action  plans  already  elaborated, forward  planning,
           goal oriented backward reasoning, random response.
      -  Learn by  storing information  and by  processing stored
       information.

   The personoid evolution arises on:
      - Genetic  mutation  of  the  pleasure/pain matrix  -  the
        personoid goals are generated after this matrix.
      - Storing the information collected from the outside world.
      - Storing the information collected from other personoids.
      - Knowledge creation by processing the information stored.

   The  personoids  can  solve  a  wide  range of  problems.  The
current problem is defined into 2 databases:
      - Virtual World rules - receives the personoid requests and
        send the desired information.
      - Personoid rules - receive  information  about the virtual
        world and generate a sensorial matrix.


   Until now,  we have been defining the personoids problems like
a community of live beings - artificial life.
   Results and conclusions will be posted in the near future.

   Next improvements:
      - The personoid's  language is in  a rudimentary  level of
        questions and answers. This must be improved.
      - The personoid's  thinking is automated; they think always
        the  same way. The  personoid's thought must be improved;
        they must choose they're own thoughts.
      - We don't know  what sort  of group behavior  emerges. We
        must simulate a society of personoids.


               Jose Oliveira

                              Minho University
                              Braga, Portugal
                              United States of Europe
                              Planet Earth
                              1997 AD

   PS: Stanislaw Lem, science-fiction writer, scientist and
       philosopher, invented the word _personoid_ in 1971.