Professor Dimitri Ognibene
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Email
dimitri.ognibene@essex.ac.uk -
Location
Colchester Campus
Profile
Biography
Dr Dimitri Ognibene obtained his PhD in Robotics from the University of Genoa in 2009. Before joining the University of Essex, he has been performing experimental studies and developing formal methods for active social perception at UPF, Barcelona, as a Marie Sk?odowska-Curie COFUND Fellow; developing algorithms for active vision in industrial robotic tasks as a Research Associate (RA) at Centre for Robotics Research, Kings College London; devising Bayesian methods and robotic models for attention in social and dynamic environments as a RA at the Personal Robotics Laboratory in Imperial College London; studying interaction between active vision and autonomous learning in neuro-robotic models as a RA at Institute of Cognitive Science and Technologies of the Italian Research Council (ISTC CNR). He also collaborated with Wellcome Trust Centre for Neuroimaging (UCL) to address the exploration issue in the currently dominant neurocomputational modelling paradigm. Dr Ognibene has also been Visiting Researcher at Bounded Resource Reasoning Laboratory in UMass and at University of Reykjavik (Iceland) exploring the symmetries between active sensor control and active computation or metareasoning. Dr Ognibene presented his work in several international conferences on artificial intelligence, adaptation, and development and published on international peer-reviewed journals. Dr Ognibene was invited to speak at the International Symposium for Attention in Cognitive Systems (2013 and 2014) as well as in other various neuroscience, robotics and machine-learning international venues. Dr Ognibene is Associate Editor of Paladyn, Journal of Behavioral Robotics, and has been part of the Program Committee of several conferences and symposiums. Check myGoogle scholar page For other activities check myhomepage (under update)
Research and professional activities
Research interests
Artificial Intelligence (Ognibene & Demiris 2013, Nivel et al 2014)
Cognitive Neuroscience (Ognibene et al 2017, Friston et al 2015, Pezzulo & Ognibene 2013)
Proactive Social Robotics (Ognibene & Mirante, 2018; Ognibene & Demiris 2013, Ognibene et al 2013, Petit et al 2013)
My research interests entail the principles underlying adaptive social behaviour in complex conditions with particular attention to anticipative skills and exploration in unknonwn environemnts. My research covers both biological and artificial agents as well as physical (visual and multimodal) and virtual environments as social media and virtual reality. I use machine learning methods, both (deep) neural and probabilistic models, to create agents as well as to study and predict their behaviours. Relevant Papers: Where do you believe you are going, human? Toward active intention recognition in unknown environments for joint robot-human search and rescue missions, D Ognibene, L Mirante,Human Aiding Robotics - ROS2018 Workshop Towards event-based MCTS for autonomous cars NC Volpi, Y Wu, D Ognibene STARE: Spatio-Temporal Attention RElocation for Multiple Structured Activities Detection. K Lee, D Ognibene, H Chang, TK Kim, Y Demiris Contextual action recognition and target localization with an active allocation of attention on a humanoid robot D Ognibene, E Chinellato, M Sarabia, Y Demiri Towards active event recognition D Ognibene, Y Demiris The 23rd International Joint Conference of Artificial Intelligence (IJCAI13)
Social Media Governance and Behavior Modelling (under preparation)
Probabilistic and Neural Machine Learning Methods (Ognibene Baldassarre 2015, Ognibene and Demiris 2013, Ognibene et al 2013)
Active Vision and Perception (Ognibene & Demiris 2013, Ognibene Baldassarre 2015, Ognibene et al 2010, Ferro, M. 2010, Ognibene et al 2008)
Adaptive Model Based Control (Catenacci Volpi, Wu Ognibene, in press, Nivel et al 2014)
Behaviour Modelling and Prediction (Ognibene & Demiris 2013, Ferro, M. 2010)
Active Intention Recognition and Activity Monitoring (Ognibene & Demiris 2013, Lee et al 2015)
Conferences and presentations
Active Vision for Human Robot Collaboration
Invited presentation, Cognitive Aspects of Interaction in Virtual and Augmented Reality Systems (CAIVARS), International Symposium on Mixed and Augmented Reality, Munich, Germany, 16/10/2018
Where do you believe you are going , human ? Toward active intention recognition in unknown environments for joint robot-human search and rescue missions
Human Aiding Robotics IROS Workshop, IROS, Washington D.C., United States, 5/10/2018
Adaptive Vision for Human Robot Collaboration
Invited presentation, 10th Computer Science and Electronic Engineering Conference, 10th Computer Science and Electronic Engineering Conference, Colchester, United Kingdom, 19/9/2018
Adaptive Vision for Human Robot Collaboration
Songkhla, Thailand, 5/7/2018
A data collection architecture for monitoring second order followers of political leaders
Invited presentation, SIDEWAYS 4th edition of the International Workshop on Social Media World Sensors, ESWC, Crete, Greece, 4/6/2018
Adaptive Vision for Human Robot Collaboration
Invited presentation, MAchine LEarning talk series, MAchine LEarning talk series, Catania, Italy, 4/4/2018
Active Vision and Human Robot Collaboration Tutorial ICIAP 2017
2017
Teaching and supervision
Previous supervision
Degree subject: Psychology
Degree type: Doctor of Philosophy
Awarded date: 2/4/2024
Degree subject: Electronic Systems Engineering
Degree type: Doctor of Philosophy
Awarded date: 6/7/2022
Publications
Publications (9)
Koyuturk, C., Yavari, M., Theophilou, E., Bursic, S., Donabauer, G., Telari, A., Testa, A., Boiano, R., Gabbiadini, A., Hernandez-Leo, D., Ruskov, M. and Ognibene, D., (2023). Developing Effective Educational Chatbots with ChatGPT prompts: Insights from Preliminary Tests in a Case Study on Social Media Literacy (with appendix)
Theophilou, E., Koyuturk, C., Yavari, M., Bursic, S., Donabauer, G., Telari, A., Testa, A., Boiano, R., Hernandez-Leo, D., Ruskov, M., Taibi, D., Gabbiadini, A. and Ognibene, D., (2023). Learning to Prompt in the Classroom to Understand AI Limits: A pilot study
Chimisso, R., Buršić, S., Marocco, P., Vizzari, G. and Ognibene, D., (2023). Exploration and Comparison of Deep Learning Architectures to Predict Brain Response to Realistic Pictures
Bianco, F. and Ognibene, D., (2022). Robot Learning Theory of Mind through Self-Observation: Exploiting the Intentions-Beliefs Synergy
Bianco, F. and Ognibene, D., (2019). Functional advantages of an adaptive Theory of Mind for robotics: a review of current architectures
Bianco, F. and Ognibene, D., (2019). Transferring Adaptive Theory of Mind to social robots: insights from developmental psychology to robotics
Grassa, RL., Gallo, I., Calefati, A. and Ognibene, D., (2019). A Classification Methodology based on Subspace Graphs Learning
Grassa, RL., Gallo, I., Calefati, A. and Ognibene, D., (2019). Binary Classification using Pairs of Minimum Spanning Trees or N-ary Trees
Ognibene, D., Mirante, L. and Marchegiani, L., (2019). Proactive Intention Recognition for Joint Human-Robot Search and Rescue Missions through Monte-Carlo Planning in POMDP Environments
Journal articles (15)
Alessandro, G., Dimitri, O., Cristina, B. and Anna, M., The emotional impact of generative AI: negative emotions and perception of threat. Behaviour & Information Technology, 1-18
Ognibene, D., Donabauer, G., Theophilou, E., Buršić, S., Lomonaco, F., Wilkens, R., Hernández-Leo, D. and Kruschwitz, U., (2023). Moving Beyond Benchmarks and Competitions: Towards Addressing Social Media Challenges in an Educational Context. Datenbank-Spektrum. 23 (1), 27-39
Taniguchi, T., Murata, S., Suzuki, M., Ognibene, D., Lanillos, P., Ugur, E., Jamone, L., Nakamura, T., Ciria, A., Lara, B. and Pezzulo, G., (2023). World models and predictive coding for cognitive and developmental robotics: frontiers and challenges. Advanced Robotics. 37 (13), 780-806
Ognibene, D., Giglia, G., Marchegiani, L. and Rudrauf, D., (2019). Implicit Perception Simplicity and Explicit Perception Complexity in Sensorimotor Comunication. Physics of Life Reviews. 28, 36-38
Ognibene, D., Fiore, VG. and Gu, X., (2019). Addiction beyond pharmacological effects: The role of environment complexity and bounded rationality. Neural Networks. 116, 269-278
Giglia, G. and Ognibene, D., (2018). Changing perspective on perception physiology: Can you really see what is happening?. EuroMediterranean Biomedical Journal. 13 (33), 145-149
Fiore, VG., Ognibene, D., Adinoff, B. and Gu, X., (2018). A Multilevel Computational Characterization of Endophenotypes in Addiction. eNeuro. 5 (4), ENEURO.0151-18.2018
Ognibene, D. and Giglia, G., (2015). Use of hierarchical Bayesian framework in MTS studies to model different causes and novel possible forms of acquired MTS. Cognitive Neuroscience. 6 (2-3), 144-145
Lee, K., Ognibene, D., Chang, HJ., Kim, T-K. and Demiris, Y., (2015). STARE: Spatio-Temporal Attention Relocation for Multiple Structured Activities Detection. IEEE Transactions on Image Processing. 24 (12), 5916-5927
Friston, K., Rigoli, F., Ognibene, D., Mathys, C., Fitzgerald, T. and Pezzulo, G., (2015). Active inference and epistemic value. Cognitive Neuroscience. 6 (4), 187-214
Ognibene, D. and Baldassare, G., (2015). Ecological Active Vision: Four Bioinspired Principles to Integrate Bottom–Up and Adaptive Top–Down Attention Tested With a Simple Camera-Arm Robot. IEEE Transactions on Autonomous Mental Development. 7 (1), 3-25
Petit, M., Lallee, S., Boucher, J-D., Pointeau, G., Cheminade, P., Ognibene, D., Chinellato, E., Pattacini, U., Gori, I., Martinez-Hernandez, U., Barron-Gonzalez, H., Inderbitzin, M., Luvizotto, A., Vouloutsi, V., Demiris, Y., Metta, G. and Dominey, PF., (2013). The Coordinating Role of Language in Real-Time Multimodal Learning of Cooperative Tasks. IEEE Transactions on Autonomous Mental Development. 5 (1), 3-17
Ognibene, D., Chinellato, E., Sarabia, M. and Demiris, Y., (2013). Contextual action recognition and target localization with an active allocation of attention on a humanoid robot. Bioinspiration & Biomimetics. 8 (3), 035002-035002
Pezzulo, G. and Ognibene, D., (2012). Proactive Action Preparation: Seeing Action Preparation as a Continuous and Proactive Process. Motor Control. 16 (3), 386-424
Ferro, M., (2010). Reading as active sensing: a computational model of gaze planning during word recognition. Frontiers in Neurorobotics. 4 (JUN), 6-
Book chapters (8)
Taibi, D., Börsting, J., Hoppe, U., Ognibene, D., Hernández-Leo, D., Eimler, SC. and Kruschwitz, U., (2023). The Role of Educational Interventions in Facing Social Media Threats: Overarching Principles of the COURAGE Project. In: Higher Education Learning Methodologies and Technologies Online. Springer Nature Switzerland. 315- 329. 9783031297991
Theophilou, E., Schwarze, V., Börsting, J., Sánchez-Reina, R., Scifo, L., Lomonaco, F., Aprin, F., Ognibene, D., Taibi, D., Hernández-Leo, D. and Eimler, S., (2023). Empirically Investigating Virtual Learning Companions to Enhance Social Media Literacy. In: Higher Education Learning Methodologies and Technologies Online. Springer Nature Switzerland. 345- 360. 9783031297991
Aprin, F., Malzahn, N., Lomonaco, F., Donabauer, G., Ognibene, D., Kruschwitz, U., Hernández-Leo, D., Fulantelli, G. and Hoppe, HU., (2023). The “Courage Companion” – An AI-Supported Environment for Training Teenagers in Handling Social Media Critically and Responsibly. In: Higher Education Learning Methodologies and Technologies Online. Springer Nature Switzerland. 395- 406. 9783031297991
Lomonaco, F., Taibi, D., Trianni, V., Buršić, S., Donabauer, G. and Ognibene, D., (2023). Yes, Echo-Chambers Mislead You Too: A Game-Based Educational Experience to Reveal the Impact of Social Media Personalization Algorithms. In: Higher Education Learning Methodologies and Technologies Online. Springer Nature Switzerland. 330- 344. 9783031297991
Theophilou, E., Lomonaco, F., Donabauer, G., Ognibene, D., Sánchez-Reina, RJ. and Hernàndez-Leo, D., (2023). AI and Narrative Scripts to Educate Adolescents About Social Media Algorithms: Insights About AI Overdependence, Trust and Awareness. In: Lecture Notes in Computer Science. Springer Nature Switzerland. 415- 429. 9783031426810
Hernández-Leo, D., Theophilou, E., Lobo, R., Sánchez-Reina, R. and Ognibene, D., (2021). Narrative Scripts Embedded in Social Media Towards Empowering Digital and Self-protection Skills. In: Technology-Enhanced Learning for a Free, Safe, and Sustainable World. Springer International Publishing. 394- 398. 9783030864354
Ognibene, D., Mirante, L. and Marchegiani, L., (2019). Proactive Intention Recognition for Joint Human-Robot Search and Rescue Missions Through Monte-Carlo Planning in POMDP Environments. In: Social Robotics. Springer International Publishing. 332- 343. 9783030358877
Ognibene, D., Wu, Y., Lee, K. and Demiris, Y., (2013). Hierarchies for Embodied Action Perception. In: Computational and Robotic Models of the Hierarchical Organization of Behavior. Springer Berlin Heidelberg. 81- 98. 364239874X. 9783642398742
Conferences (19)
Theophilou, E., Koyutürk, C., Yavari, M., Bursic, S., Donabauer, G., Telari, A., Testa, A., Boiano, R., Hernandez-Leo, D., Ruskov, M., Taibi, D., Gabbiadini, A. and Ognibene, D., (2023). Learning to Prompt in the Classroom to Understand AI Limits: A Pilot Study
Wilkens, R. and Ognibene, D., (2021). biCourage: ngram and syntax GCNs for Hate Speech detection
Bianco, F. and Ognibene, D., (2020). From Psychological Intention Recognition Theories to Adaptive Theory of Mind for Robots
Grassa, RL., Gallo, I., Calefati, A. and Ognibene, D., (2019). Binary Classification Using Pairs of Minimum Spanning Trees or N-Ary Trees
Catenacci Volpi, N., Wu, Y. and Ognibene, D., (2017). Towards event-based MCTS for autonomous cars
Nivel, E., Thórisson, KR., Steunebrink, BR., Dindo, H., Pezzulo, G., Rodriguez, M., Hernandez, C., Ognibene, D., Schmidhuber, J., Sanz, R., Helgason, HP., Chella, A. and Jonsson, GK., (2014). Autonomous acquisition of natural language
Nivel, E., Thórisson, KR., Steunebrink, BR., Dindo, H., Pezzulo, G., Rodríguez, M., Hernández, C., Ognibene, D., Schmidhuber, J., Sanz, R., Helgason, HP. and Chella, A., (2014). Bounded Seed-AGI
Chinellato, E., Ognibene, D., Sartori, L. and Demiris, Y., (2013). Time to Change: Deciding When to Switch Action Plans during a Social Interaction
Ognibene, D., Volpi, NC., Pezzulo, G. and Baldassare, G., (2013). Learning Epistemic Actions in Model-Free Memory-Free Reinforcement Learning: Experiments with a Neuro-robotic Model
Ognibene, D. and Demiris, Y., (2013). Towards active event recognition
Mavridis, N., Bourlai, T. and Ognibene, D., (2012). The Human-Robot Cloud: Situated collective intelligence on demand
Ognibene, D., Chinellato, E., Sarabia, M. and Demiris, Y., (2012). Towards Contextual Action Recognition and Target Localization with Active Allocation of Attention
Ognibene, D., Volpi, NC. and Pezzulo, G., (2011). Learning to Grasp Information with Your Own Hands
Ognibene, D., Pezzulo, G. and Baldassare, G., (2010). Learning to Look in Different Environments: An Active-Vision Model Which Learns and Readapts Visual Routines
Ognibene, D., Pezzulo, G. and Baldassarre, G., (2010). How can bottom-up information shape learning of top-down attention-control skills?
Ognibene, D., Balkenius, C. and Baldassarre, G., (2008). Integrating Epistemic Action (Active Vision) and Pragmatic Action (Reaching): A Neural Architecture for Camera-Arm Robots
Herbort, O., Ognibene, D., Butz, MV. and Baldassarre, G., (2007). Learning to select targets within targets in reaching tasks
Ognibene, D., Rega, A. and Baldassarre, G., (2006). A Model of Reaching that Integrates Reinforcement Learning and Population Encoding of Postures
Pezzulo, G., Ognibene, D., Calvi, G. and Lalia, D., (2005). Fuzzy-based schema mechanisms in AKIRA
Reports and Papers (1)
Ognibene, D., Fiore, VG. and Gu, X., (2017). Addiction beyond pharmacological effects: the role of environment complexity and bounded rationality
Grants and funding
2019
COURAGE: A Social Media Companion Safeguarding and Educating Students - FULL
Volkswagen Stiftung
COURAGE: A Social Media Companion Safeguarding and Educating Students - FULL
Volkswagen Stiftung
