Researchers Say that Robots Can Develop a Sense of Self Which Can Help in Studying Disorders

A new study found out that robots can develop a sense of self like humans and can have disorders like humans too. The robots can get aware of themselves through actuator systems, cognitive structure and sensors used to make them function. Humans have complex systems and can view themselves in the light of different experiences and contexts. Some thinkers say that self is distinct from the body but it is actually dependent on the body for interactions with others.

The researchers recognized that sense of self is a complex system which makes us aware of our ownership of our body and that's how we make decisions. Robots can also feel this way through applying appropriate modules in their cognitive structures. This can lead to a sense of self in them and it can also improve consistency and predictability in them.

By applying a sense of self in AI robots, we can explore the concept of self and other behavioral phenomena related to it. The disorder in self can also be studied. Disorders like alien hand syndrome and phantom limb where patients feel that part of their body belongs to someone else or they feel like missing a limb can also be explored extensively.

Psychological disorders like schizophrenia, depression, depersonalisation disorder and dementia can also be studied through robotics if we can develop a sense of self within them. Robots can serve as experimental apparatus to study self and all its properties and disorders related to it. It may also play some role in treatment of disorders too.

Image: DIW-Aigen

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by Arooj Ahmed via Digital Information World