Rapid trial-and-error learning with simulation supports flexible tool use and physical reasoning

Understand

Many animals, and an increasing number of artificial agents, display sophisticated capabilities to perceive and manipulate objects.

• But human beings remain distinctive in their capacity for flexible, creative tool use -- using objects in new ways to act on the world, achieve a goal, or solve a problem.
• To study this type of general physical problem solving, we introduce the Virtual Tools game.
• In this game, people solve a large range of challenging physical puzzles in just a handful of attempts.