Studying artificial 'consciousness' could pave the way for artificial intelligence

Imagine a world where "thinking" robots were able to care for the elderly and people with disabilities. This concept may seem futuristic, but exciting new research into consciousness could pave the way for the creation of intuitive artificial intelligence.
Technology enables the efficient and reliable collection of data, yet it is still not possible to measure or predict how the data will be integrated into artificial systems.
Researchers at Monash University will participate in a project that aims to determine whether robots and computers are capable of consciousness. A Japan Science and Technology (JST) Core Research for Evolutionary Science and

Technology grant will fund a group of Japanese researchers, led by Dr Ryota Kanai at Araya Brain Imaging. Associate Professor Nao Tsuchiya, Monash University School of Psychological Sciences, will join the team. The grant will last five years (with a value of approximately $3.4m), supporting the project towards construction of artificial consciousness based on the integrated information theory (IIT).