Efficient planning in dynamic and uncertain environments is a fundamental challenge in robotics. In the context of trajectory optimization, the feasibility of paths can change as the environment evolves. Therefore, it can be beneficial to reason about multiple possible paths simultaneously. We build on prior work that considers graph-based trajectories to find solutions in multiple homotopy classes concurrently. Specifically, we extend this previous work to an online setting where the unreachable (in time) part of the graph is pruned and the remaining graph is reoptimized at every time step. As the robot moves within the graph on the path that is most promising, the pruning and reoptimization allows us to retain candidate paths that may become more viable in the future as the environment changes, essentially enabling the robot to dynamically switch between numerous homotopy classes. We compare our approach against prior work without the homotopy switching capability and show improved performance across several metrics in simulation with a 2D robot in multiple dynamic environments under noisy measurements and execution.
@PARASPLIT Recently, hybrid approaches to planning have attempted to combine the complimentary benefits of different planning schemes. For example, BIT* @cite_3 combines graph-based and sample-based planning by using a heuristic function to guide a series of random geometric graphs towards the goal state. Its successor, RABIT* @cite_14 performs BIT* while running trajectory optimization when constructing edges between samples, thus reducing sampling complexity by decreasing the number of samples discarded. GPMP-GRAPH @cite_4 , an extension of GPMP2 @cite_0 , constructs a graph of interconnected trajectory initializations, similar to the one shown in Fig. , on a factor graph that when optimized can simultaneously evaluate an exponential number of initializations. After optimization, any path through this graph provides a feasible trajectory. Thus, it has the ability to find solutions in multiple unique homotopy-classes all at once.
@cite_0 @cite_14 @cite_4 @cite_3
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We present a randomised distributed maximal independent set (MIS) algorithm for arbitrary graphs of size @math that halts in time @math with probability @math , each message containing @math bit: thus its bit complexity per channel is @math (the bit complexity is the number of bits we need to solve a distributed task, it measures the communication complexity). We assume that the graph is anonymous: unique identities are not available to distinguish the processes; we only assume that each vertex distinguishes between its neighbours by locally known channel names. Furthermore we do not assume that the size (or an upper bound on the size) of the graph is known. This algorithm is optimal (modulo a multiplicative constant) for the bit complexity and improves the best previous randomised distributed MIS algorithms (deduced from the randomised PRAM algorithm due to Luby) for general graphs which is @math per channel (it halts in time @math and the size of each message is @math ). This result is based on a powerful and general technique for converting unrealistic exchanges of messages containing real numbers drawn at random on each vertex of a network into exchanges of bits. Then we consider a natural question: what is the impact of a vertex inclusion in the MIS on distant vertices? We prove that this impact vanishes rapidly as the distance grows for bounded-degree vertices. We provide a counter-example that shows this result does not hold in general. We prove also that these results remain valid for Luby's algorithm presented by Lynch and by Wattenhofer. This question remains open for the variant given by Peleg. We consider the problem of constructing abstract representations for planning in high-dimensional, continuous environments. We assume an agent equipped with a collection of high-level actions, and construct representations provably capable of evaluating plans composed of sequences of those actions. @PARASPLIT We first consider the deterministic planning case, and show that the relevant computation involves set operations performed over sets of states. We define the specific collection of sets that is necessary and sufficient for planning, and use them to construct a grounded abstract symbolic representation that is provably suitable for deterministic planning. The resulting representation can be expressed in PDDL, a canonical high-level planning domain language; we construct such a representation for the Playroom domain and solve it in milliseconds using an off-the-shelf planner. @PARASPLIT We then consider probabilistic planning, which we show requires generalizing from sets of states to distributions over states. We identify the specific distributions required for planning, and use them to construct a grounded abstract symbolic representation that correctly estimates the expected reward and probability of success of any plan. In addition, we show that learning the relevant probability distributions corresponds to specific instances of probabilistic density estimation and probabilistic classification. We construct an agent that autonomously learns the correct abstract representation of a computer game domain, and rapidly solves it. @PARASPLIT Finally, we apply these techniques to create a physical robot system that autonomously learns its own symbolic representation of a mobile manipulation task directly from sensorimotor data---point clouds, map locations, and joint angles---and then plans using that representation. Together, these results establish a principled link between high-level actions and abstract representations, a concrete theoretical foundation for constructing abstract representations with provable properties, and a practical mechanism for autonomously learning abstract high-level representations. This paper examines techniques for finding falsifying trajectories of hybrid systems using an approach that we call trajectory splicing. Many formal verification techniques for hybrid systems, including flowpipe construction, can identify plausible abstract counterexamples for property violations. However, there is often a gap between the reported abstract counterexamples and the concrete system trajectories. Our approach starts with a candidate sequence of disconnected trajectory segments, each segment lying inside a discrete mode. However, such disconnected segments do not form concrete violations due to the gaps that exist between the ending state of one segment and the starting state of the subsequent segment. Therefore, trajectory splicing uses local optimization to minimize the gap between these segments, effectively splicing them together to form a concrete trajectory. We demonstrate the use of our approach for falsifying safety properties of hybrid systems using standard optimization techniques. As such, our approach is not restricted to linear systems. We compare our approach with other falsification approaches including uniform random sampling and a robustness guided falsification approach used in the tool S-Taliro. Our preliminary evaluation clearly shows the potential of our approach to search for candidate trajectory segments and use them to find concrete property violations. We critically evaluate the current state of research in multiple query opGrnization, synthesize the requirements for a modular opCrnizer, and propose an architecture. Our objective is to facilitate future research by providing modular subproblems and a good general-purpose data structure. In rhe context of this archiuzcture. we provide an improved subsumption algorithm. and discuss migration paths from single-query to multiple-query oplimizers. The architecture has three key ingredients. First. each type of work is performed at an appropriate level of abstraction. Segond, a uniform and very compact representation stores all candidate strategies. Finally, search is handled as a discrete optimization problem separable horn the query processing tasks. 1. Problem Definition and Objectives A multiple query optimizer (h4QO) takes several queries as input and seeks to generate a good multi-strategy, an executable operator gaph that simultaneously computes answers to all the queries. The idea is to save by evaluating common subexpressions only once. The commonalities to be exploited include identical selections and joins, predicates that subsume other predicates, and also costly physical operators such as relation scans and SOULS. The multiple query optimization problem is to find a multi-strategy that minimizes the total cost (with overlap exploited). Figure 1 .l shows a multi-strategy generated exploiting commonalities among queries Ql-Q3 at both the logical and physical level. To be really satisfactory, a multi-query optimization algorithm must offer solution quality, ejjiciency, and ease of Permission to copy without fee all a part of this mataial is granted provided that the copies are nut made a diitributed for direct commercial advantage, the VIDB copyright notice and the title of the publication and its date appear, and notice is given that copying is by permission of the Very Large Da Blse Endowment. To copy otherwise. urturepublim identify many kinds of commonalities (e.g., by predicate splitting, sharing relation scans); and search effectively to choose a good combination of l-strategies. Efficiency requires that the optimization avoid a combinatorial explosion of possibilities, and that within those it considers, redundant work on common subexpressions be minimized. ‘Finally, ease of implementation is crucial an algorithm will be practically useful only if it is conceptually simple, easy to attach to an optimizer, and requires relatively little additional soft-