ActMS - python interface

This is a library to enable mental simulation of multiple cognitive models within the Cognitive Architecture ACT-R.

ACT-MS (ACT-R Mental Simulation) is an implementation based on the Python dispatcher included in ACT-R Version 7.13, which facilitates the use of ACT-R commands within a Python environment and vice versa. ACT-MS incorporates multiple functions relevant to coordinate the simultaneous simulation of multiple ACT-R models. An exemplary use case can be found in the below publication [1].

Overall, the library contains methods to:

to forward and exchange parameters between the metamodel and the submodels.
save the exchanged simulation parameters in a dictionary.
enable utility learning over multiple ACT-R runs by saving the utility of one run respectively.

Installation

pip install pyactms

pip install git+https://github.com/seblum/actms

Usage

Take a look at the examples folder for an exemplary use case.

Call of the method simulate-submodel in a production of the metamodel to start the mental simulation of another specified ACT-R model middle-model.

(p simulate-middle-submodel
  =goal>
    state           simulate-submodel
    action          =actionnumber
  =imaginal>
==>
  =imaginal>
  =goal>
    state           free
    action          =actionnumber
!eval! ("simulate-submodel" "middle-model" =actionnumber)
  )

Call of the method return-from-submodel in a production of the submodel to forward given parameters to the metamodel and save them within a specific slot of the imaginal chunk resultactionone.

(P action-retour-1
   =goal>
     state          action-1
     action	    1
   ?manual>   
     state          free
   =imaginal>
     response       =duration
==>
   +manual>              
     cmd	    press-key     
     key       	    =duration
   -imaginal>
   =goal>
     state 	    idle
     action	    idle
!eval! ("return-from-submodel" =duration 1 "retrieve-action" "resultactionone")
  )

Initialization of ACT-MS. Saving the session number in the simulation results. Run of ACT-R model. Fetching the saved simulation / forwarded paramenters and saving them to a dataframe. Printing the dataframe.

import actr
import actms as ms
session = 1

actms = ActMS('mainmodelname')

actr.run_until_condition("end-program", True)       

# return simulation results as df
printer = actms.Protocol("Session", session)

printer.to_csv('simulation_results.csv')

Files

actms.py - Contains the interface of ACT-MS and methods to load a user data set into the visicon of ACT-R.
actr.py - Contains the dispatcher of ACT-R version 7.12., which is necessary to form a connection between python and ACT-R (see http://act-r.psy.cmu.edu/).

Example

RUN-metamodel.py
EF-submodel-left.lisp
EF-metamodel.lisp

TODO

Possible additional feature to add:

Add more dynamic and additional possibilites to save simulation parameters
Add more possibilities to exchange parameters
Add debugging support

Developing pyactms

To install pyactcv along with the tools to develop and run tests please run the following in your virtualenv:

$ pip install -e .[dev]

Bibliography

[1] new paper

seblum/pyactms