# Framework for Incorporating Artificial Somatic Markers in the Decision-Making of Autonomous Agents
## 4 Design of Artificial Somatic Markers for Decision-Making of Autonomous Agents
### Designing Algorithms for the Decision-Making of Autonomous Agents
Then, the decision option that represents the highest selectivity value is selected. Subsequently, the actions are activated according to the decision made. Simultaneous to the performance of actions, a record is generated in the working memory, including the somatic reward, somatic punishment, and the current actions under execution. Meanwhile, the long-term memory takes all those relevant aspects that can be considered in subsequent decision-making processes, including the stimulus received, somatic reactions, emotional effects, the details of analysis on the possible options decision, the decision taken, and its context, among others. ### General Architecture for Incorporating Artificial Somatic Markers in Autonomous Decision-Making

Figure 3 shows a general architecture for considering artificial somatic markers within autonomous decision-making processes. The _Stimulus Manager_ identifies and manages the stimuli detected. The _Stimulus Detector_ determines when a new stimulus is present, and the _Stimulus Engine_ determines the origin and analyzes the type of stimulus detected. Meanwhile, the _Memory Manager_ manages both long-term and working memories. _Long-Term Memory_ manages the record and memory of past experiences (e.g., events, relationships between elements, past goals, actions performed in the past, emotional effects, somatic reactions, levels of success). _Working Memory_ manages the registration and use of information in ongoing decision processes (e.g., actions under execution). Figure 3: General architecture for considering artificial somatic markers within decision making. The _Affective Manager_ analyzes the emotional effects of stimuli and decisions. It also evaluates somatic associations and determines rewards and punishments for the decisions made. The _Emotional Engine_ obtains the emotional effects of each stimulus based on emotional update rules and analyzes possible emotional effects of a decision based on current and global goals. The _Somatic Engine_ evaluates somatic associations between a decision option, its possible conflicts, and its possible emotional effects. It determines somatic rewards and punishments, in terms of positive and negative sensations that can remain latent in working memory. The _Decision Manager_ analyzes and defines the goals to be achieved, along with defining and analyzing decision options. It also applies decision rules and activates the execution of actions to achieve specific and global goals. The _Decision Engine_ analyzes past goals and actions, defines possible decision courses, and verifies the existence of conflicts between decision options and the current goals to achieve. The _Decision Selector_ generates and uses the selectivity index for candidate decisions, evaluates decisions using decision rules, and makes decisions and activates the executive processes. ## 5 Study Case

In order to illustrate the applicability of the general framework, a conceptual case study on the transportation of people under a tourism context is presented. Figure 4 shows a map of a hypothetical city that has a Central Quarter, East Quarter, West Quarter, Great Tower area, and Financial District. It should be noted that the existing distances on the map are merely referential. The Central Quarter has a series of tourist places such as the Tourism Agency (point \"A\"), the National Bank (point \"B\"), the Contemporary Museum (point \"C\"), the Old Warehouse (point \"D\"), the Chocolate Factory (point \"E\"), the Urban Park (point \"F\"), and the Archeology Museum (point \"G\"). Outside the Central Quarter, already in the East Quarter, is located the Poet's House (point \"H\"). For its part, in the West Quarter are the Six Towers (point \"I\"), famous for being included in several internationally acclaimed films. Another tourist area much more distant from the Central Quarter is the area of the Great Tower (point \"J\"), a sector characterized by beautiful gardens and forests, whose main attraction is a high tower.