I-Robot

Explain the top-down and bottom-up theories. Why does Brooks criticize the top-down theory?

Rodney Brooks and Hans Moravec are two of the leading robotics experts in the United States, yet their views are hardly alike. Rodney Brooks is one of the most outspoken supporters of the bottom-up theory, of which the article by Michael Dery explains quite thoroughly. Essentially, the bottom-up theory states that the basis of human intelligence lies in motion. Hans Moravec, however, is a firm believer in the top-down theory, that in order to create human intelligence, we must mimic the functions and processes of the brain (as in vision and higher thinking). The article by Michael Dery focused primarily on supporting Brooks and his bottom-up theory while criticizing heavily the top-down theory and the future of Moravec's work.


The bottom-up theory consists of the notion that human consciousness and intelligence stems from sensory-motor skills or condition-action rules. Rodney Brooks, a doctor of philosophy at MIT, believes that by creating small, inexpensive, mobile robots, man can create human-like intelligence. His research focuses primarily on creating miniature insect-like robots that are relatively ‘unintelligent’ when compared with top-down model oriented supercomputer robots.

The top-down theory, as explained by Dery, states that in order to create human intelligence, robots must recognized pieced-together information and models to ‘think’ its way through problems and obstacles. This view proposes that humans use the process of vision and how the brain pieces information together through many neurons and regions to form a cohesive thought or action. This theory includes models of robots that are large and ungainly, as well as slow to process and piece together environmental information. One criticism of Moravec’s work (by Brooks) explains that these models are too complicated to process simple actions and perform them. He states that the tiny insect-like robots are more adept at movements and processing direction and environmental stimulus, although they lack the complicated supercomputer programming that Moravec’s larger counterparts.

The article by Dery is highly critical of the top-down approach as the majority of the article explicates Brooks’ view on the future of roboticis, his work and his criticisms of the top-down theory. Dery utilizes many of Brooks’ strongly supported criticisms and presents a convincing argument against the top-down theory. The fact that his miniature robots, mimicking the lower organisms on our evolutionary tree are more likely to complete a motion task than Moravec’s large, supercomputer-based robots is highly influential.