Reciprocal-adaptation in a creature-based futuristic sociable dining table

In this paper, a creature-based futuristic sociable dining table is proposed that communicates through a knock on a table. The main objective was to create a minimal number of cues for protocol communication for the purpose of establishing social interactions between a creature and a human. The creature uses a knock (within a specific period) with a Temporal Difference (TD) learning model to learn and to adapt to a user´s intentions, and the creature moves a different direction (right, left, straight, and back) on a table based on the user´s knock. By ascertaining the creatures´ behaviors, the user can convey his/her intentions by a number of knocking sounds while looking at the creature adaption. The creature is capable of doing mutually adaptive learning through a TD model in real time to satisfy the user´s goal or intentions. In the context of the experimental results, we discuss the concept of creatures and indicate the effectiveness of the communication-protocol with the “knocking” interface for reciprocal adaptations.