Collective learning and semiotic dynamics

Abstract

We report on a case study in the emergence of a lexicon in a group of autonomous distributed agents situated and grounded in an open environment. Because the agents are autonomous, grounded, and situated, the possible words and possible meanings are not fixed but continuously change as the agents autonomously evolve their communication system and adapt it to novel situations. The case study shows that a complex semiotic dynamics unfolds and that generalisations present in the language are due to processes outside the agent.