How Kipling Works

The key operational feature that gives Kipling its power is the way that it partitions multivariate space rather than the execution of complex algorithms or computations. The original inspiration for Kipling.xla was the CMAC (Cerebellar Model Arithmetic Computer), originally designed by Albus (1975) for robotic systems and still widely used today. The CMAC design subdivides variable space into a shingled framework of overlapping blocks whose incremental offsets describes a finer mesh of cells. The basic idea is shown in the simplified diagrams for twoand three variablespace in Figure 1, but is easily extended to higher dimensions. Relatively complex patterns can be stored in this architecture, which results in large savings of computer memory as compared with a conventional gridded cell division. The contents of the blocks can be rapidly modified to collectively generate complex associations at much greater speeds than their equivalent computation through mathematical equations. This property is important for practical real-time performance in robot applications with control of elaborate articulated movements.