Connecting a Cognitive Model to Dynamic Gaming Environments: Architectural and Image Processing Issues

This paper describes an image processing system that has been coupled with the ACT-R cognitive modeling architecture. The system supports interaction with dynamically changing visual environments associated with off-the-shelf computer games running independently of the model. The image processing techniques have been applied to three different games and are intended to be extensible to others. This paper discusses the image processing approach and its strengths and limitations. The implications for cognitive modeling are twofold: the image processing system can be used across different models, extending their range, and it provides a closer integration with more naturalistic environments.