28 2 What Is Human-Like General Intelligence?

28 2 What Is Human-Like General Intelligence? virtual agents in preschool-like virtual world environments, as well as commercial humanoid robot platforms such as the Nao (see Figure 2.1) or Robokind (2.2) in physical preschoollike robot labs. Another advantage of focusing on childlike cognition is that child psychologists have created a variety of instruments for measuring child intelligence. In Chapter 17, we will discuss an approach to evaluating the general intelligence of human childlike AGI systems via combining tests typically used to measure the intelligence of young human children, with additional tests crafted based on cognitive science and the standard preschool curriculum. To put it differently: While our long-term goal is the creation of genius machines with general intelligence at the human level and beyond, we believe that every young child has a certain genius; and by beginning with this childlike genius, we can built a platform capable of developing into a genius machine with far more dramatic capabilities. 2.4.1 Design for an AGI Preschool More precisely, we don’t suggest to place a CogPrime system in an environment that is an exact imitation of a human preschool — this would be inappropriate since current robotic or virtual bodies are very differently abled than the body of a young human child. But we aim to place CogPrime in an environment emulating the basic diversity and educational character of a typical human preschool. We stress this now, at this early point in the book, because we will use running examples throughout the book drawn from the preschool context. The key notion in modern preschool design is the “learning center,” an area designed and outfitted with appropriate materials for teaching a specific skill. Learning centers are designed to encourage learning by doing, which greatly facilitates learning processes based on reinforcement, imitation and correction; and also to provide multiple techniques for teaching the same skills, to accommodate different learning styles and prevent overfitting and overspecialization in the learning of new skills. Centers are also designed to cross-develop related skills. A “manipulatives center,” for ex- ample, provides physical objects such as drawing implements, toys and puzzles, to facilitate development of motor manipulation, visual discrimination, and (through sequencing and clas- sification games) basic logical reasoning. A “dramatics center” cross-trains interpersonal and empathetic skills along with bodily-kinesthetic, linguistic, and musical skills. Other centers, such as art, reading, writing, science and math centers are also designed to train not just one area, but to center around a primary intelligence type while also cross-developing related areas. For specific examples of the learning centers associated with particular contemporary preschools, see [Nei98]. In many progressive, student-centered preschools, students are left largely to their own devices to move from one center to another throughout the preschool room. Generally, each center will be staffed by an instructor at some points in the day but not others, providing a variety of learning experiences. To imitate the general character of a human preschool, we will create several centers in our robot lab. The precise architecture will be adapted via experience but initial centers will likely be: e a blocks center: a table with blocks on it e a language center: a circle of chairs, intended for people to sit around and talk with the robot HOUSE_OVERSIGHT_012944