Robot Behaviour Conflicts: Can Intelligence be Modularised

Mali Amol Dattatraya
April, 1994

Advisor: Amitabha Mukerjee
(amit@iitk.ac.in)

 

Abstract

In this paper, we examine one of the fundamental assumptions of behaviour-based models: that complex functionalities can be achieved by decomposition into simpler behaviours. In particular we look at the issue of conflicts among robot behaviour modules. The chief contribution of this work is a formal characterisation of temporal cycles in behaviour systems and the development of an algorithm for detecting and avoiding such conflicts. We develop the mechanisms of stimulus specialisation and response generalisation for eliminating conflicts. Thus the probable conflicts can be detected and eliminated before implementation. However, the process of cycle elimination weakens the behaviour structure.

We show how

  1. removing conflicts results in less flexible and less useful behaviour modules and,
  2. the probability of conflict is greater for more powerful behaviour systems.
We investigate several other behaviour representations and show that these are also susceptible to cyclic conflicts since conflicts occurring at knowledge level cannot be solved at the representation level. We conclude that purely reactive systems are limited by cyclic behaviours in the complexity of tasks they can perform. Possible solutions involve hybrid systems with internal state that can mediate conflicts, and possibly, a capacity for learning or self-modification.

Reference:

Mali, Amol D.; and Mukerjee, Amitabha; 1994
    Robot behaviour conflicts: can intelligence be modularized?
    Proceedings of the National Conference on Artificial Intelligence,
    	AAAI-94, p.1279-1284  [gzipped PS file, (62149 bytes)]

Mali, Amol D. and Amitabha Mukerjee; 1997
    Modularity assumptions in situated agency
    AAAI Workshop on "Deep Blue and Kasparov: The significance for
    	Artificial Intelligence," Rhode Island, AAAI-97, July 1997.
	[gzipped PS file, (490481 bytes)]

Mukerjee, Amitabha; and Mali, Amol D.; 1998
    Reactive Robots are like Amnesics : A Comparative Study in Memoryless 
        Behavior
    IEEE Transactions on System Man and Cybernetics, April 1999
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