Reliable Robot Missions in Dynamic Environments Using Agent-based Controllers
Year: 2025
Type: conference-paper
Abstract: Controllers for real-world robots are constructed based on expectation models which cannot account for all unexpected events. If unexpected events occur, the robot might either stop working altogether or do something that violates its given mission specification. In this paper, we aim to provide a more principled mechanism for dealing with specifications when encountering the inherent uncertainty of the real-world. We utilise agent-based control of a robotic system wherein a rational agent, programmed using a Belief-Desire-Intention (BDI) agent programming language, acts as a high-level robot controller. This agent is aware of its mission specification and is able to recognise violations of this specification caused by unexpected events. On recognising such a violation, the agent can switch to a more suitable plan. However, if there are no suitable plans, the agent can also weaken its mission specification dynamically. The agent can output not only which parts of the mission specification have been achieved but which parts have been weakened and why.
Authors: Raynaldio Limarga, Kwai Wa Tse, Louise A. Dennis, Clare Dixon, Fatma Faruq, Michael Fisher
Institution: University of Manchester
Language: English
Subfield: Artificial Intelligence
Field: Computer Science
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W4413755559