Researchers at the Auckland Bioengineering Institute have developed an artificial intelligence in order to analyze the development of a young child's mind.
The simulation, dubbed BabyX, possesses a variety of capabilities similar to that of a toddler, such as reading basic words, recognizing basic symbols and responding to positive feedback, according to CNET. Also, like a real child, the AI can get distracted by staring at the camera in the room and losing her concentration.
"BabyX is an interactive animated virtual infant prototype," the research team explained. "BabyX is a computer generated psychobiological simulation under development in the Laboratory for Animate Technologies and is an experimental vehicle incorporating computational models of basic neural systems involved in interactive behavior and learning."
The team behind the experiment is led by Mark Sagar, director at the Laboratory for Animate Technologies at the Auckland Bioengineering Institute and former Weta Digital special projects supervisor, CNET reported.
Algorithms are featured in BabyX to copy neural behavior for learning, along with responses to the world around her in real-time, such as the effect dopamine has on the brain when she is praised. The AI is also capable of seeing, hearing, and making facial expressions.
The team is able to teach the AI basic skills with help from biologically plausible learning models, which include repetition, association, conditioning, imitation, and reinforcement learning, CNET reported.
By using interactive real-time models of BabyX's neural systems and neural anatomy, the researchers are able to see the internal processes that the simulations create.
"BabyX embodies many of the technologies we work on in the Laboratory and is under continuous development, in its neural models, sensing systems, and also the realism of its real-time computer graphics," the project's website stated.
