Robots could learn from our prehistoric ancestors

Why we write about this topic:

Artificial Intelligence has become an integral part of science. The technology is already widely used in robotics, but these researchers are taking it one step further. They want to let robots invent their own tools. That is why Innovation Origins selected this post.

A consortium of seven research institutions and companies will investigate how robots can develop cognitive abilities for inventing tools as ancient humans did around three million years ago, writes Radboud University in a press release.

The so-called METATOOL project received 4 million euros from the European Innovation Council (EIC) and the ‘Awareness Inside’ Pathfinder Challenge to investigate how robots can invent new tools as ancient humans did. Archaeology, neuroscience, and robotics join forces to develop novel technology inspired by human metacognition and awareness. The team is led by Ricardo Sanz (Universidad Politécnica de Madrid) and Pablo Lanillos (Donders Institute, Radboud University.)

“We already have algorithms to enable machines to use tools, and now it is time to develop robots that invent tools”, says Lanillos. To achieve it, METATOOL will investigate computational models of synthetic awareness based on human metacognition and validate them in robotic experiments.

Understanding the past to create the future

Around 3.3 million years ago, our human ancestors made the first tools, creating simple stones with sharp edges. Tool invention is an outstanding technological milestone in human history. If researchers could understand these processes, a similar breakthrough can be envisioned in engineering. This must have required advanced technological imagination and reasoning.

Current artificial intelligence systems and robots cannot monitor and evaluate the consequence of their actions as well as humans do; let alone develop new tools to address environmental challenges. The METATOOL project aims to understand how cognition evolved to allow for tool invention and creation to serve as the basis for developing future technologies.