Together, grid cells' activity within a grid cell module forms a 2D torus [9, 20].

Many animals learn cognitive maps of their environment - a simultaneous representation of context, experience, and position.

Abstract--Boundary V ector Cells (BVCs) are a class of neurons in the brains of vertebrates that encode environmental boundaries at specific distances and allocentric directions, playing a central role in forming place fields in the hippocampus. Most computational BVC models are restricted to two-dimensional (2D) environments, making them prone to spatial ambiguities in the presence of horizontal symmetries in the environment. T o address this limitation, we incorporate vertical angular sensitivity into the BVC framework, thereby enabling robust boundary detection in three dimensions, and leading to significantly more accurate spatial localization in a biologically-inspired robot model. The proposed model processes LiDAR data to capture vertical contours, thereby disambiguating locations that would be indistinguishable under a purely 2D representation. Experimental results show that in environments with minimal vertical variation, the proposed 3D model matches the performance of a 2D baseline; yet, as 3D complexity increases, it yields substantially more distinct place fields and markedly reduces spatial aliasing. These findings show that adding a vertical dimension to BVC-based localization can significantly enhance navigation and mapping in real-world 3D spaces while retaining performance parity in simpler, near-planar scenarios. The hippocampus has been studied extensively for its role in enabling mammals to represent, localize, and navigate in new and familiar environments based on location-sensitive Place Cells.

Many animals learn cognitive maps of their environment - a simultaneous representation of context, experience, and position.

--Data-driven Artificial Intelligence (AI) approaches have exhibited remarkable prowess across various cognitive tasks using extensive training data. However, the reliance on large datasets and neural networks presents challenges such as high-power consumption and limited adaptability, particularly in SWaP-constrained applications like planetary exploration. T o address these issues, we propose enhancing the autonomous capabilities of intelligent robots by emulating the associative learning observed in animals. Associative learning enables animals to adapt to their environment by memorizing concurrent events. By replicating this mechanism, neuromorphic robots can navigate dynamic environments autonomously, learning from interactions to optimize performance. This paper explores the emulation of associative learning in rodents using neuromorphic robots within open-field maze environments, leveraging insights from spatial cells such as place and grid cells. By integrating these models, we aim to enable online associative learning for spatial tasks in real-time scenarios, bridging the gap between biological spatial cognition and robotics for advancements in autonomous systems.

A model of the hippocampus as a central element in rat navigation is presented.

These are compared with single unit recordings and behavioural data. The firing of CAl place cells is simulated as the (artificial) rat moves in an environment. Thisis the input for a neuronal network whose output, at each theta (0) cycle, is the next direction of travel for the rat. Cells are characterised by the number of spikes fired and the time of firing with respect to hippocampal 0 rhythm. 'Learning' occurs in'on-off' synapses that are switched on by simultaneous pre-and post-synaptic activity.