Periodic Reporting for period 2 - TRAINCREASE (From Social Interaction to Abstract Concepts and Words: Towards Human-centered Technology Development)
Período documentado: 2022-04-01 hasta 2024-06-30
The project aimed at i) strengthening the interdisciplinary field of research on the emergence, understanding, and use of abstract concepts and words in human and human-AI interaction and ii) strengthening the research and innovation potential of the University of Warsaw within this field. For realization of these objectives University of Warsaw joined forces with three European leaders in research on abstraction (Roma La Sapienza), social bases for the emergence of communication (Aarhus University) and Human-AI interactions (University of Manchester).
Understanding that abstract concepts and words arise in interaction and for the purpose of human coordination has a transformative potential for the field of research on abstraction in ERA. This, in turn, may help us understand how various kinds of abstract systems – including digital technology – modify our human relationships. Adding the social-interactive dimension engages multiple viewpoints and new methodologies in the field of study: besides cognitive psychology and cognitive sciences, disciplines such as ecological psychology, anthropology, sociology or robotics. This is vital in a society, in which smart robotics and artificial intelligence play an increasingly important role and in the times when computational models are trusted with increasingly broad scopes of human activity. The awareness of the social and regulatory character of human knowledge systems, including conceptual knowledge, language, and formal systems will lead to a better understanding that “going computational” in AI-based technology development means efficiency but may also mean distancing from the important first-person human experiences and creating divides along the lines of technical skills.
Traincrease addresses these challenges by stabilizing the transformation of the field of research on abstract cognition from an individual to social dimension on the theoretical, methodological and empirical level. In six work packages the main challenges of the field were identified and methods were developed to study abstraction in embodied human and human-AI interactions. Preliminary ideas were tested within theoretical and empirical “Microtwinnings” (training projects for the University of Warsaw young researchers and staff in collaboration with the Partners). Results – in the form of new methods and training projects results, were presented in several conference special sessions, over 30 published works and multiple conference presentations. In parallel, Traincrease resources were engaged to transfer expertise and innovation on the research-management, administrative and educational levels to the University of Warsaw. A novel hub was created to connect researchers interested in the social-interactive genesis and impact of abstract systems, which strengthens the ERA in its striving for inclusive and responsible technological development.
Understanding that abstract concepts and words arise in interaction and for the purpose of human coordination has a transformative potential for the field of research on abstraction in ERA. This, in turn, may help us understand how various kinds of abstract systems – including digital technology – modify our human relationships. Adding the social-interactive dimension engages multiple viewpoints and new methodologies in the field of study: besides cognitive psychology and cognitive sciences, disciplines such as ecological psychology, anthropology, sociology or robotics. This is vital in a society, in which smart robotics and artificial intelligence play an increasingly important role and in the times when computational models are trusted with increasingly broad scopes of human activity. The awareness of the social and regulatory character of human knowledge systems, including conceptual knowledge, language, and formal systems will lead to a better understanding that “going computational” in AI-based technology development means efficiency but may also mean distancing from the important first-person human experiences and creating divides along the lines of technical skills.
Traincrease addresses these challenges by stabilizing the transformation of the field of research on abstract cognition from an individual to social dimension on the theoretical, methodological and empirical level. In six work packages the main challenges of the field were identified and methods were developed to study abstraction in embodied human and human-AI interactions. Preliminary ideas were tested within theoretical and empirical “Microtwinnings” (training projects for the University of Warsaw young researchers and staff in collaboration with the Partners). Results – in the form of new methods and training projects results, were presented in several conference special sessions, over 30 published works and multiple conference presentations. In parallel, Traincrease resources were engaged to transfer expertise and innovation on the research-management, administrative and educational levels to the University of Warsaw. A novel hub was created to connect researchers interested in the social-interactive genesis and impact of abstract systems, which strengthens the ERA in its striving for inclusive and responsible technological development.
Excellence in the domain of social bases of abstraction was built on the theoretical level (WP1) on the level of methods integration (WP2), while, in parallel, work has been performed to train University of Warsaw ESRs and staff in key skills leading to lasting expertise in research, research management and funding applications (WP3) and to sustain the changes at UW (WP4) and disseminate the results and reach out to relevant stakeholders (WP5).
WP1: Overview of the current world expertise on the topic and main challenges
• A 3-day Symposium “New/Fresh Perspectives on Abstract Concepts" 22 key figures in research on concepts and abstraction presented the state of the field and participated in debates focused on the Traincrease goals
• Special issue of the Philosophical Transactions B, one of the highest-impact journals in the field has been devoted to “Concepts in interaction: social engagement and inner experiences”; published on February 2023
• Traincrease enabled publication of several theoretical papers from Partners and one book (The Freedom of Words), which are changing the cognitive science view on the process of abstraction.
WP2: Training in Methods and an innovative Summer School
• Four Workshops were conducted in four different methodologies for studying social-collaborative bases of abstraction. Research visits to Partners consolidated the knowledge.
• The Consortium obtained IEEE patronage over the Social Human-Robot Interaction Summer School. The School (for over 100 participants) propagated the Traincrease perspective to the robotics community.
WP3: Actions related to the transfer of knowledge and skills to University of Warsaw:
• Over 25 lectures were delivered in the Traincrease/HILL Lecture Series, most of them available on YouTube
• 3 MA and 6 other research projects supervised by the experienced researchers from the Partners’ institutions
• UW Cognitive Science Programme was reorganized and made more compatible with other programmed in EU. The Programme obtained funds to award Glushko Prize for best BA and MA thesis.
WP4: Actions towards sustaining the changes at the University of Warsaw:
• Consolidation of the Human Interactivity and Language Lab (HILL) as a research group and a hub for research on human interaction and integrative research methodology
• Several staff visits were organized for the University of Warsaw research support office. New Heads of research and financial sections were appointed, new research promotion section, new position of Lab Coordinator.
WP5: Outreach and dissemination activities:
• Over 30 works (papers and major conferences proceedings) were published by the Partners.
• Results from Traincrease were presented in several conference special sessions, and multiple conference presentations; Traincrease ERSs could participate with their own work in major conferences in the field.
• Twitter/X, Facebook, and YouTube accounts were maintained and gained substantial attention; Quarterly Newsletter for the project summarized the activities and achievements.
• In collaboration with the Copernicus Science Centre, Traincrease participated in creating exhibitions and stands at the Science Fairs. Traincrease researchers and managers engaged in exchange of information with the Ministry of Education and Ministry of Digitalization Affairs. A series of workshops was devoted to collaborate with high-school educators on lesson scenarios regarding digital technology.
WP1: Overview of the current world expertise on the topic and main challenges
• A 3-day Symposium “New/Fresh Perspectives on Abstract Concepts" 22 key figures in research on concepts and abstraction presented the state of the field and participated in debates focused on the Traincrease goals
• Special issue of the Philosophical Transactions B, one of the highest-impact journals in the field has been devoted to “Concepts in interaction: social engagement and inner experiences”; published on February 2023
• Traincrease enabled publication of several theoretical papers from Partners and one book (The Freedom of Words), which are changing the cognitive science view on the process of abstraction.
WP2: Training in Methods and an innovative Summer School
• Four Workshops were conducted in four different methodologies for studying social-collaborative bases of abstraction. Research visits to Partners consolidated the knowledge.
• The Consortium obtained IEEE patronage over the Social Human-Robot Interaction Summer School. The School (for over 100 participants) propagated the Traincrease perspective to the robotics community.
WP3: Actions related to the transfer of knowledge and skills to University of Warsaw:
• Over 25 lectures were delivered in the Traincrease/HILL Lecture Series, most of them available on YouTube
• 3 MA and 6 other research projects supervised by the experienced researchers from the Partners’ institutions
• UW Cognitive Science Programme was reorganized and made more compatible with other programmed in EU. The Programme obtained funds to award Glushko Prize for best BA and MA thesis.
WP4: Actions towards sustaining the changes at the University of Warsaw:
• Consolidation of the Human Interactivity and Language Lab (HILL) as a research group and a hub for research on human interaction and integrative research methodology
• Several staff visits were organized for the University of Warsaw research support office. New Heads of research and financial sections were appointed, new research promotion section, new position of Lab Coordinator.
WP5: Outreach and dissemination activities:
• Over 30 works (papers and major conferences proceedings) were published by the Partners.
• Results from Traincrease were presented in several conference special sessions, and multiple conference presentations; Traincrease ERSs could participate with their own work in major conferences in the field.
• Twitter/X, Facebook, and YouTube accounts were maintained and gained substantial attention; Quarterly Newsletter for the project summarized the activities and achievements.
• In collaboration with the Copernicus Science Centre, Traincrease participated in creating exhibitions and stands at the Science Fairs. Traincrease researchers and managers engaged in exchange of information with the Ministry of Education and Ministry of Digitalization Affairs. A series of workshops was devoted to collaborate with high-school educators on lesson scenarios regarding digital technology.
The interdisciplinary work performed in Traincrease shows that abstractness/concreteness distinction cannot be made along a simple unitary dimension. Theoretical analyses lead to novel conceptual typologies grounded in interaction, history, and first-person experience.
The conclusion is that novel methods to study language-controlled human interaction and language and algorithms-controlled human-AI interaction, should include a simultaneous analysis of interactions and experience of persons engaged.
The social-interactive perspective can be applied to AI-based technology, resulting in understanding it as modulators of human interaction. The Faculty of Psychology with Human Interactivity and language Lab at the University of Warsaw as a result of Traincrease is engaged and leading key debates in the field on the European and world level. With the consolidation of the team and strengthening network of collaboration, as well as lasting changes to research support office, UW can become a hub for further activity in the research are that was strengthened in Traincrease.
The conclusion is that novel methods to study language-controlled human interaction and language and algorithms-controlled human-AI interaction, should include a simultaneous analysis of interactions and experience of persons engaged.
The social-interactive perspective can be applied to AI-based technology, resulting in understanding it as modulators of human interaction. The Faculty of Psychology with Human Interactivity and language Lab at the University of Warsaw as a result of Traincrease is engaged and leading key debates in the field on the European and world level. With the consolidation of the team and strengthening network of collaboration, as well as lasting changes to research support office, UW can become a hub for further activity in the research are that was strengthened in Traincrease.