CORRELATION DEVICE
| Collection | International Encyclopedia of Systems and Cybernetics |
|---|---|
| Year | 2004 |
| Vol. (num.) | 2(1) |
| ID | ◀ 727 ▶ |
| Object type | General information, Methodology or model |
As early as 1924, A. LOTKA observed that, what he was calling “natural mobile transformators”, i.e. animals, could be autokinetic only as much as they were able to adjust their behavior to the variable circumstances of their environment. In order to do this, they need an internal device able to represent to themselves any variation of their relation with their environment. LOTKA introduced the term “depictor”, to designate such a device and described it as follows:“The depictors include first the Receptors or Organs of Special Sense (eyes, ears, nose, etc…); and second the Elaborators, whose function is to combine and further elaborate the crude information furnished by the senses. The physical location and structure and mode of operation of the elaborators is much less obvious than that of the receptors. In fact, we ordinarily recognize them rather as faculties (Memory, Reason) than as organs.
- “Another set of organs and faculties, the Adjustors, determine the particular reactions, the behavior of the organism, in the light of the information brought in by the receptors and further elaborated by the elaborators…
- “The last step, action, commonly involves the use of members, or motor organs, effectors, such as wings, feet, hands, etc… In complicated cases, as in human behavior, the elaborators may also play an important role in the effector step of the process by which motion is correlated to environment, behavior adapted to circumstances” (l956, p.340)
In this case, prediction and planning do appear and a unique and immediate behavior is replaced by a sequence of planned projected behaviors, oriented towards the future and with specified schedule. Such a device is obviously indispensable in any artificial intelligent system, endowed with autonomous behavior. LOTKA himself described such an automaton (a mechanical walking beetle).
The analogy of the correlation device with some of J.G. MILLER's critical subsystems is striking.