Deep Learning Cognition

AI refers to simulating human intelligence processes by machines, which demands learning from constantly changing data, reasoning to make sense of data and self-mechanisms to make decisions.

Since human intelligence is rooted in sensing & learning from the environment, consequently full AI requires simulating human senses (sight, hearing, smell, taste, touch), simulate learning and processing of data (machine and deep learning) and simulation of human responses (robotics).



In  this keynote, Yoshua Bengio summarizes three key points when ‘looking forward’ to what "deep learning cognition" requires:
- a world model which meta-learns causal effects in abstract space of causal variables
- necessity to acquire knowledge and encourage exploratory behavior
- bridge the gap between system 1 and system 2 ways of thinking, with old neural networks and consciousness reasoning

Understanding what happens when you breath (and how to apply in stress management)

Oxygen is the most important element to human life - far more important than food and water as we can go for days without those, however, can’t go more than a few minutes without air.

Automatic breathing has respiratory centers located on the upper brainstem (sometimes termed the lower brain, along with the cerebellum), a brain region controlling many involuntary and metabolic functions. Breathing is controlled by the autonomic nervous system, which is is made up of 2 divisions:

• the sympathetic nervous system which stimulates the body’s fight-or-flight response, and 
• the parasympathetic nervous system which relaxes the body after stimulation

with two systems parallel processes:

• inhaling, when the diaphragm moves down and the volume in the thoracic cavity increases, lungs filling with air and compressing the walls of the heart which in turn restricts blood flow going into and out of the heart. To compensate, our heart rate increases, stimulating our fight-or-flight response. To inhale energizes and expands us.

• exhaling, when the diaphragm moves up and the volume in the thoracic cavity decreases, lungs empty the air inside which relaxes the body, grounding and stabilizing us.

There are different ways to breathe —in the way, style, and pace  - in which can have a dramatic impact on the state of the mind and body.  

Shallow breathing doesn’t give the body enough oxygen to function properly and such consistently type of breathing  increases stagnant air, residue, and pollutants accumulated in the lungs, leading to low energy and toxic buildup. Deep breathing, on the other hand, support healthier lungs ensuring oxygen to move through the blood and all cells, detoxifying, energizing, nourishing along the way. Chest breathing, uses secondary muscles of the upper chest and is designed for use in situations of great exertion, such as a sprint or race. Stressful situations typically meme this type of breathing, with tight shoulder and neck muscles, headaches and other magnified symptoms. Diaphragmatic breathing, coming from the body's dominant breathing muscle — the diaphragm - is the effective and efficient type of breathing, leading to feelings of relaxation instead of tightness. For many of us, this deep diaphragmatic breathing seems unnatural, however that is the right way, since shallow "chest breathing"  which in turn seems normal, will increases tension and anxiety, limiting the diaphragm's range of motion, because the lowest lowest part of the lungs doesn't get a full share of oxygenated air and a deep abdominal breathing, that encourages full oxygen exchange — that is, the beneficial trade of incoming oxygen for outgoing carbon dioxide. Not surprisingly, it can slow the heartbeat and lower or stabilize blood pressure.

A good reading from Harvard Medical School  about relaxation techniques and breath control helps quell errant stress response.

Artificial Intelligence and Cognitive Computing; understanding the differences

AI and Cognitive Computing imply the broad concept about computers being capable of performing functions that human are used to perform and thus, they are often used as interchangeable terms. However, there are significant differences between AI and Cognitive Computing, that more and more are relevant to understand by everyone and , especially, by the people whose work may fall or act in the intersection of the two.


Artificial Intelligence refers to the simulation of human intelligence processes by machines - and such processes include learning from constantly changing data, reasoning to make sense of data and, self-mechanisms to make decisions. Since human intelligence is rooted in sensing the environment (*), learning from the environment and processing the information from the environment, the aim of AI is, consequently, to simulate human senses (sight, hearing, smell, taste, touch), simulate the learning and processing of data (machine and deep learning) and simulate the human responses (robotics).
AI applications have been developed around problem-solving, game playing, natural language processing, speech recognition, image processing, automatic programming, and, of course, robotics.


Cognitive Computing refers to individual technologies that perform specific tasks that facilitate human intelligence. Some of these have been around since the beginning of the internet, boosted in more recent years by breakthroughs in technology and computing power, making those technologies getting better and better at using data and algorithms to understand and simulate reasoning and human behavior. Cognitive computing applications include speech recognition, sentiment analysis, face detection, risk assessment, and fraud detection.

In summary, AI augments human thinking to solve complex problems and Cognitive Computing focuses on mimicking human behavior and reasoning to solve complex problems. In other words, Cognitive Computing tries to replicate how humans would solve problems while AI seeks to create new ways to solve problems that can potentially be better than humans.

AI is not intended to mimic human thoughts and processes but to solve a problem through the best possible algorithm. Cognitive Computing is not responsible for making the decision for humans but to supplement information for humans to make decisions.

The similarities and interchangeability in the use of these terms come foremost from the similar technologies behind both, that include machine learning, deep learning, NLP, neural networks, etc. 

And a final note: people do not fear Cognitive Computing as it is focused in supplementing human decision making - the fear is about AI systems being able to displace human decisions and functions.

Video - What is Artificial Intelligence

Video - What is Cognitive Computing

(* environment = where data comes from)

Happiness versus Meaning in times of quarantine

Starting with the central question "Is there more to life than being happy?", this talks explores the difference between being happy and having meaning in life. While many psychologists define happiness as a state of comfort and ease, some other consider meaning to be something else, something deeper. 

Martin Seligman says meaning comes from belonging to and serving something beyond yourself and from developing the best within you. He says culture is obsessed with happiness and considers that seeking meaning is the more a fulfilling path. 

So, about happiness vs meaning in live, here is a short Ted Talk worth of reviewing in times of quarantine. 

And "suddenly", a pandemic changes our world

The novel coronavirus and its desease COVID-19 pandemic is impacting every nation on Earth.

At the of 2019, Chinese authorities alert WHO about pneumonia-like cases in Wuhan with numbers increasingly growing every day; by the 3rd week of January 2020, Wuhan was closed in complete shut-down. The week after, the death toll from the coronavirus surpassed the toll from the SARS epidemic back in 2002/3. And, by the 2nd week of March, the total countries affected were 121 with +150k cases globally and ... the planet changed into complete lock-down, a reality never seen or lived before.

This video shows the timeline of some of the most significant moments during the novel coronavirus outbreak. 

Previous SARS and MERS viruses outbreaks are still in our memory; also deadly they were far from to be so easily spread; the level of devastation that COVID-19 disease registers is largely because it is so easily transmitted. 

Whether the deadly nature and rapid transmission of this new virus or the life-changing events deriving from the disease, by mid March 2020 everyone single soul  on Planet Earth felt like never before. Throughout history, nothing has killed more human beings than infectious diseases and Covid-19 shows how vulnerable we remain.

This is a BBC must read article about humankind and the history of pandemics, to learn about all that has happened and maybe from where we all an learn.  

Fake it 'tlil you make it - does your body language shapes who you are?

Amy Cuddy’s research on body language presentation at TED on 2012, focused on research that shows how body language can change other people’s perceptions — and perhaps even our own body chemistry.

If we know that our minds change our bodies, it is also true that our bodies change our minds?  - it is the "Fake it 'til you make it" aphorism suggesting that by imitating confidence, competence, and an optimistic mindset, a person can realize those qualities in their real life.

This is one of the most viewed TED talks  and also most debated. 

Coaching, Mentoring, Counselling, Consulting; when to select what

According to ICF, coaching is partnering with clients in a thought-provoking and creative process that inspires them to maximize their personal and professional potential. The coach is an expert at coaching, not necessarily a subject matter expert of the client’s coaching topic and the coach’s domain is future oriented (what does the client want?) and then coaching the client to get there.

A mentor is a wise and trusted guide and advisor; a sort of "teacher" that shares and passes experience, wisdom, skills and knowledge while bringing the “mentee” up the ranks. Mentoring is then definied as a relationship between two individuals of varying experience, where the more experienced one seeks to enhance the less experienced in personal and professional growth. 

Consulting involves expert knowledge and advice given from professionals to other professionals and/or companies. A consultant is an expert that is called for technical advice and opinion because it is seen as a relied resource that understand the problem and its potential solutions. 

The ICF and EMCC are exceptionally mindful of creating a delineation between coaching and counseling. Credentialing is strictly outlined to avoid a coach performing counseling instead of coaching. While coaching can be therapeutic, it is not therapy and every client should be made aware of this.

Read more here at EMCC site