Extensions to knowledge acquisition and effect of multimodal representation in unsupervised learning

The phenomenal behaviour and composition of human cognition is yet to be defined comprehensibly. Developing the same, artificially, is a foremost research area in artificial intelligence and related fields. In this chapter we look at advances made in the unsupervised learning paradigm (self organising methods) and its potential in realising artificial cognitive machines. The first section delineates intricacies of the process of learning in humans with an articulate discussion of the function of thought and the function of memory. The self organising method and the biological rationalisations that led to its development are explored in the second section. The next focus is the effect of structure restrictions on unsupervised learning and the enhancements resulting from a structure adapting learning algorithm. Generation of a hierarchy of knowledge using this algorithm will also be discussed. Section four looks at new means of knowledge acquisition through this adaptive unsupervised learning algorithm while the fifth examines the contribution of multimodal representation of inputs to unsupervised learning. The chapter concludes with a summary of the extensions outlined.