Exploring Vestibulo-Ocular Adaptation in a Closed-Loop Neuro-Robotic Experiment Using STDP. A Simulation Study

Abstract

Studying and understanding the computational primitives of our neural system requires for a diverse and complementary set of techniques. In this work, we use the Neuro-robotic Platform (NRP)to evaluate the vestibulo ocular cerebellar adaptatIon (Vestibulo-ocular reflex, VOR)mediated by two STDP mechanisms located at the cerebellar molecular layer and the vestibular nuclei respectively. This simulation study adopts an experimental setup (rotatory VOR)widely used by neuroscientists to better understand the contribution of certain specific cerebellar properties (i.e. distributed STDP, neural properties, coding cerebellar topology, etc.)to r-VOR adaptation. The work proposes and describes an embodiment solution for which we endow a simulated humanoid robot (iCub)with a spiking cerebellar model by means of the NRP, and we face the humanoid to an r-VOR task. The results validate the adaptive capabilities of the spiking cerebellar model (with STDP)in a perception-action closed-loop (r- VOR)causing the simulated iCub robot to mimic a human behavior.