Cognition-inspired homeostasis can balance conflicting needs in robots

Homeostasis keeps animals alive; it is a fundamental process that allows animals to adapt quickly to their environment. Artificial homeostasis can be used to help robots adapt to changing environments. Previous attempts at developing artificial homeostasis for robots were driven by mimicry of the biochemical machinery that drives homeostasis in humans. By considering homeostasis from a cognitive perspective, we develop a comparatively simple robot controller named CogSis (COGnitive HomeostaSIS) and demonstrate that it can provide homeostasis to a robot, even when there are conflicting needs. We present experiments showing that a robot running CogSis is able to learn from previous experiences and use them to influence future behaviour; can maintain its charge level while attending to another task (warming itself in an area separate from the charging station); and is able to maintain its charge level while avoiding a conflicting need (keeping cool, when the charging station is placed in a hot region of the environment). Results are presented in simulation and from a real robot platform.