EME: An emergent model of emotions

Abstract

Throughout the history of artificial intelligence (AI) various attempts have been made to incorporate emotional support in intelligent systems. Still some potential paths are left untraveled. This study presents an attempt to model emotions as a complex system based on the hypothesis that mind state can be considered as an emergent phenomena resulting from autonomous, interactive, elementary entities called emotions. Our approach is based on Buddhist philosophical concepts about thought formation by combination of emotions. Multi Agent Systems (MAS) technology has been used for the realization of above emotional model since interactions and emergence are intrinsic features of MAS. Capabilities of the model are exposed via a virtual agent application called EME who perceives, understands, uses and expresses emotions. Other potential applications incorporating the model are also introduced.