Title: 		An innate inner ‘programming’ language for representing skills 

Abstract:	The research program investigates four hypotheses about the evolution of language:

1. that communication (including language) is an individual-based skill that helps the coordination of group-based skills such as hunting in packs, or herd-based defense against predators

2. that skills, at both the individual and group level, can be investigated through their information processing requirements

3. that skills evolve at both the individual and at the group level

4. that evolution can be investigated via the information representation in DNA, information processing in the brain, and information transmission from generation to generation.

This reports on the information representation and processing of simple action skills with integrated perception – seen as a foundation for communication skills (hypotheses 1 & 2). Based on action as muscle-based limb-rotation about joints, the information processing requirements are modeled with simulations.  Muscles are updated at 10 msec intervals, based on a repertory of action primitives with 0.5 to 5 sec durations.  Larger and more complex action sequences with a longer temporal scope are ‘programmed’ with language-like expressions that capture both the geometry and the timing.  Several project-specific hypotheses are examined, including:

i) that a 3D Cartesian geometry is used for integrating perception and action, with gravity as one of the axes, but a polar geometry for joint rotations, and

ii) that time-related coordination and compression requires a multi-layered representation, and

iii) that an ‘inner programming language’ represents skills and supports the integration of visual perception with the motion control of limbs and joints.

This multi-layered approach is feasible and robust, achieves reasonable compression, and helps to integrate visual perception, such as for mimicry.  The methodology is based on the design of complex information-processing systems including process-control using a series of feasibility studies.