DARPA’s ‘open’ Artificial Intelligence programs (circa 2006)

Here goes a repost of my 2006 summarization of DARPA’s then current AI/AGI programs, that were surfable on their site.  Virtually all of them are still listed there, and some are even listed as “Completed” (ACIP & BICA). Then there are many other new ones there such as “Deep Green”. I’ll have much to write about once I’m done hassling with migrating everything from Myspace…

Application Communities
“Goal: Augment Commercial Off The Shelf COTS systems defense and reliability with self-aware network OS software.”
http://www.darpa.mil/ipto/solicitations/open/05-51_PIP.htm
Google Search Results

Architectures for Cognitive Information Processing (ACIP)
http://www.darpa.mil/ipto/programs/acip/index.htm
Google Search Results
2010-25.

BIO-COMPUTATION (BIO-COMP)
http://www.darpa.mil/ipto/Solicitations/closed/01-26_CBD.htm
Google Search Results
For the biological computing end of the hybrid system they’re building.

Biologically-Inspired Cognitive Architectures (BICA)
http://www.darpa.mil/ipto/programs/bica/index.htm
Google Search Results

“Bridging The Gap Feb. ‘05“:



Images ripped from their PDF.

Combat zones That See (CTS)
http://dtsn.darpa.mil/ixo/solicitations/cts/index.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Combat_Zones_That_See
What ITS & those street cameras are really being built for!

DATA INTENSIVE COMPUTING
http://www.darpa.mil/ipto/Solicitations/closed/99-03_CBD.htm
Google Search Results
The purpose of the Data Intensive Systems (DIS) program is to develop a new memory architecture for computing systems that allows “data-starved” applications to run up to two to three orders-of-magnitude faster than they will on contemporary virtual memory systems. The new memory architecture will allow these applications to manage the placement and flow of their data. In addition, applications will be able to manipulate data in the memory subsystem itself.

High Productivity Computing Systems (HPCS)
http://www.darpa.mil/ipto/programs/hpcs/index.htm
All out effort to discover and assemble basically all possible 21st century computing systems, which are key to making their AI programs all they can be.

“Integrated Learning”
http://www.darpa.mil/ipto/solicitations/open/05-43_PIP.htm
Google Search Results
This program will develop computer software, called an Integrated Learner, which learns general plans or processes from human users by being shown one example.

NASA’s “Intelligent Archive”
http://daac.gsfc.nasa.gov/intelligent_archive/IA_report_8-27-02_baseline.pdf
For intelligent archive and record keeping and other things like worldwide weather prediction 6 months in advance (also cloud seeding) and more. You may be surprised to learn that Google is part of the NASA IA team!
Google Search Results

Personalized Assistant that Learns (PAL)
http://www.darpa.mil/ipto/programs/pal/index.htm
Google Search Results

QUANTUM INFORMATION SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY (QuIST)
http://www.darpa.mil/IPTO/programs/quist/index.htm
Google Search Results
For the quantum computing end of the hybrid AI system.

Real-World Reasoning (REAL)
http://www.darpa.mil/ipto/programs/real/index.htm
Google Search Results
Practical automated reasoning of the scale and complexity required for computers to perform complex tasks in the real world requiring intelligence.

Self-Regenerative Systems (SRS)
http://www.darpa.mil/ipto/programs/srs/index.htm
Google Search Results
Self Healing computers!

TRANSFER LEARNING (TL)
Solicitaion was here a couple months ago, but Google still pulls up lots of info.
It’s to enable computers to apply knowledge learned for a particular, original set of tasks to achieve superior performance on new, previously unseen tasks.

http://www.darpa.mil/ipto/programs/bica/index.htm
Biologically-Inspired Cognitive Architectures (BICA)

Supplemental
Solicitations
Project Descriptions

Mission:
The goal of the BICA program is to develop integrated psychologically-based and neurobiology-based cognitive architectures that can simulate human cognition in a variety of situations. In Phase I of the program, performers will develop theories of cognition, map cognitive functions to neurological structures, and design psychologically-based and neurobiologically-based cognitive architectures. In a subsequent phase of the program, performers will implement and evaluate computational models of the architectures designed in Phase I. In Phase I, a Cognitive Decathlon (i.e., tests of major cognitive functions) that will be used to evaluate the computational models implemented in Phase II will also be developed.

Vision:
The BICA program intends to develop artificial systems that can respond to a variety of situations by simulating human cognition that will enable it to learn from experience, reflect on current strategies and adjust them if necessary, and mentally simulate alternate plans and decisions. As the use of autonomous, unmanned, and intelligent systems in the military increases, the need for systems that can understand and respond to new and unique situations is growing dramatically. By modeling the flexibility and richness of human cognition, BICA will provide the first steps towards highly capable autonomous systems that could help the warfighter in support functions that are both manpower-intensive and dangerous.

Background:
The traditional approach to artificial intelligence has provided many achievements but has fallen short of the grand vision of integrated, versatile, intelligent systems. Advances in cognitive psychology and neuroscience may offer potentially revolutionary enhancements to the development of such systems. Intensive research in neuroscience, enabled by advances in experimental techniques and instrumentation, has led to substantial progress in our understanding of the brain’s physiological mechanisms. At the same time, cognitive psychologists have developed increasingly robust computational architectures of human cognition. The BICA program seeks to bring together these disciplines, which have historically operated apart from one another, to develop integrated psychologically-based and neurobiologically-based cognitive architectures that can respond to a range of military situations.

http://www.darpa.mil/ipto/programs/acip/index.htm
Architectures for Cognitive Information Processing (ACIP)

..>

..>

Supplemental Solicitation

Technical Program Challenges Goals ACIP Phase I Approach

Mission:
ACIP will develop, implement, and demonstrate computational architectures that will:

1. enable cognitive processing capabilities;
2. provide an efficient embedded, real-time, dynamic, data-intensive cognitive processing infrastructure; and
3. realize embedded, real-time cognitive implementations and applications that enable an overall goal of “systems that know what they are doing.”

Vision:
ACIP will enable cognitive capabilities in embedded, real-time, dynamic, data-intensive, embedded missions and scenarios by providing an underlying processing infrastructure optimized to perform cognitive processing. ACIP will address the deficiencies and limitations currently preventing the deployment of efficient cognitive processing on the battlefield by developing a new generation of computing architectures (both hardware and software) that will enable revolutionary advances in cognitive information processing for embedded, real-time DoD applications. ACIP will incorporate biological, cognitive algorithm, and DoD mission challenge clues as inputs to establish the concepts of the effort. ACIP will address specific topic areas such as cognitive architectures, alternate representations, composable runtime software, active processing and memory retrieval hardware, and living frameworks to create efficient and unique cognitive information processing solutions. ACIP will create computing system capabilities that adapt to emerging threats and provide the warfighter with a new dimension of responsiveness. ACIP Phase I will investigate and establish innovative cognitive architectural concepts, approaches, and technology roadmap within the context of established DoD relevant applications. ACIP Phase II will develop and implement cognitive processing architectures, initially researched in ACIP Phase I. In Phase III ACIP will demonstrate and transition cognitive architectures and approaches within selected DoD applications and with DoD users. These solutions will be influenced and incorporate concurrent IPTO initiatives in the areas of functional demonstrations and algorithm developments and MTO initiatives addressing physical interconnect and packaging advances.

Background:
Military forces today and increasingly for the future must be able to quickly react and adapt to complex and dynamic missions and scenarios. The complexity of the battlefield and the collage of information sources that must be brought to bear commonly overwhelm battlefield systems and the ability of the warfighter to assimilate and comprehend important information. Embedded, real-time “cognitive” processing for both the warfighter and associated automated systems will be critical to success in this complex environment (i.e., algorithms that do logical probabilistic reasoning over large knowledge bases, and also use learning techniques to improve over time). Current intelligent processing implementations depend on the use of existing COTS computing architectures that were developed and are best suited for numeric processing applications. In Addition, today’s knowledge representations, abstraction (processing objects), architectures, and implementations are ad hoc, awkward and inefficient. To realize the impact and promise of cognitive information processing approaches, computing architectures and development frameworks attuned to cognitive processing fundamentals need to be established that will implement uniquely cognitive structures efficiently. ACIP will develop, implement, and demonstrate the unique cognitive architectural infrastructures necessary for efficient cognitive processing and realizing truly cognitive capabilities.

“The goal of the ACIP program is to develop a new generation of computing architectures (both hardware and software) that will enable revolutionary advances in cognitive information processing algorithms and systems for real-time DoD applications.“

http://www.darpa.mil/ipto/programs/real/index.htm
Real-World Reasoning (REAL)

Mission:
The objective of the REAL-WORLD REASONING (REAL) program is to explore and develop foundations, technology, and tools to enable effective, practical automated reasoning of the scale and complexity required for computers to perform complex tasks in the real world requiring intelligence. Effective, “real-world” machine reasoning requires inference in environments that are far more complex in scale and scope than those tackled by current machine reasoning methods. Enduring real-world systems need to deal with vast amounts of knowledge and information, often concerning dynamic and intentional phenomena. In addition, beliefs about the environment are often uncertain and involve plausible but not provable assumptions. The REAL program seeks innovative research methods that can make fundamental and breakthrough advances in real-world reasoning to deal with these and related problems.

Vision:
The program intends to:

1. Develop and demonstrate innovative techniques that push the envelope of performance of reasoning engines, in terms of the scale of the problems that can be dealt with, and the speed and correctness of reasoning.

2. Explore, develop, and demonstrate novel methods that extend the breadth of reasoning to deal with
a. Uncertain and dynamic environments where the knowledge         base is characterized by uncertain and temporally changing         information; and,
b. Strategic environments characterized by goals and intentions         of many interacting agents and actors, in both cooperative         and non-cooperative contexts.

http://www.darpa.mil/ipto/programs/srs/index.htm
Self-Regenerative Systems (SRS)

Mission:
The goal of the SRS program is to develop technology for building military computing systems that provide critical functionality at all times, in spite of damage caused by unintentional errors or attacks. All current systems suffer eventual failure due to the accumulated effects of errors or attacks. The SRS program aims to develop technologies enabling military systems to learn, regenerate themselves, and automatically improve their ability to deliver critical services. If successful, self-regenerative systems will show a positive trend in reliability, actually exceeding initial operating capability and approaching a theoretical optimal performance level over long time intervals.

http://www.darpa.mil/ipto/programs/srs/programabstract.htm
Self-Regenerative Systems (SRS)

Mission:
The goal of the SRS program is to develop technology for building military computing systems that provide critical functionality at all times, in spite of damage caused by unintentional errors or attacks. All current systems suffer eventual failure due to the accumulated effects of errors or attacks. The SRS program aims to develop technologies enabling military systems to learn, regenerate themselves, and automatically improve their ability to deliver critical services. If successful, self-regenerative systems will show a positive trend in reliability, actually exceeding initial operating capability and approaching a theoretical optimal performance level over long time intervals.

Technical Program
Goals
Program Plan
Program Abstract

Mission:

• Provide a focused research and development program, creating new generations of high end programming environments, software tools, architectures, and hardware components in order to realize a new vision of high end computing, high productivity computing systems (HPCS). Address the issues of low efficiency, scalability, software tools and environments, and growing physical constraints.
• Fill the high end computing gap between today’s late 80’s based technology High Performance Computing (HPCs) and the promise of quantum computing.
• Provide economically viable high productivity computing systems for the national security and industrial user communities with the following design attributes in the latter part of this decade:
  • Performance: Improve the computational efficiency and performance of critical national security applications.
  • Programmability: Reduce cost and time of developing HPCS application solutions.
  • Portability: Insulate research and operational HPCS application software from system specifics.
  • Robustness: Deliver improved reliability to HPCS users and reduce risk of malicious activities.

  

  Background:
  High performance computing is at a critical juncture. Over the past three decades, this important technology area has provided crucial superior computational capability for many important national security applications. Government research, including substantial DoD investments, has enabled major advances in computing, contributing to the U.S. dominance of the world computer market. Unfortunately, current trends in commercial high performance computing, future complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) technology challenges, and emerging threats are creating technology gaps that threaten continued U.S. superiority in important national security applications.

  As reported in recent DoD studies, there is a national security requirement for high productivity computing systems. Without government R&D and participation, high-end computing will be available only through commodity manufacturers primarily focused on mass-market consumer and business needs. This solution would be ineffective for important national security applications.

  The HPCS program will significantly contribute to DoD and industry information superiority in the following critical applications areas: operational weather and ocean forecasting; planning exercises related to analysis of the dispersion of airborne contaminants; cryptanalysis; military platform analysis; survivability/stealth design; intelligence/surveillance/reconnaissance systems; virtual manufacturing/failure analysis of large aircraft, ships, and structures; and emerging biotechnology.

http://www.darpa.mil/ipto/programs/hpcs/index.htm
High Productivity Computing Systems (HPCS)

Performance (Real not Peak): Improve critical national security applications by a factor of 10X to 40X

Programmability: Reduce cost and time of developing HPCS application solutions

Portability (Transparency): Insulate research and operational application software from system specifics

Robustness (Reliability): Develop techniques to protect against outside attacks, hardware faults, & programming errors

Invigorate academia interest and industry investment/products in HPCS