A Verified Compositional Algorithm for AI Planning

We report on our HOL4 verification of an AI planning algorithm. The algorithm is compositional in the following sense: a planning problem is divided into multiple smaller abstractions, then each of the abstractions is solved, and finally the abstractions\u27 solutions are composed into a solution for the given problem. Formalising the algorithm, which was already quite well understood, revealed nuances in its operation which could lead to computing buggy plans. The formalisation also revealed that the algorithm can be presented more generally, and can be applied to systems with infinite states and actions, instead of only finite ones. Our formalisation extends an earlier model for slightly simpler transition systems, and demonstrates another step towards formal treatments of more and more of the algorithms and reasoning used in AI planning, as well as model checking

Beyond satisfaction: Optimising the visual attractiveness of routes

Following recent studies of visual attractiveness in vehicle routing, we investigate the inclusion of shape and compactness penalties in computing solutions to the Vehicle Routing Problem using the Adaptive Large Neighbourhood Search. Visually attractive routes are sought predominantly for two reasons. First, operators are reluctant to implement solutions that exhibit overlapping routes, or unacceptable shape. Second, the visual compactness of routes is indicative of the operational robustness of solutions. We are the first to investigate the concept of bending energy as a solution penalty in this setting. We are also the first to investigate a search that leverages the geographic center of every route encountered during search

A switching planner for combined task and observation planning

Abstract From an automated planning perspective the problem of practical mobile robot control in realistic environments poses many important and contrary challenges. On the one hand, the planning process must be lightweight, robust, and timely. Over the lifetime of the robot it must always respond quickly with new plans that accommodate exogenous events, changing objectives, and the underlying unpredictability of the environment. On the other hand, in order to promote efficient behaviours the planning process must perform computationally expensive reasoning about contingencies and possible revisions of subjective beliefs according to quantitatively modelled uncertainty in acting and sensing. Towards addressing these challenges, we develop a continual planning approach that switches between using a fast satisficing "classical" planner, to decide on the overall strategy, and decision-theoretic planning to solve small abstract subproblems where deeper consideration of the sensing model is both practical, and can significantly impact overall performance. We evaluate our approach in large problems from a realistic robot exploration domain

Decision-theoretic planning with non-Markovian rewards

A decision process in which rewards depend on history rather than merely on the current state is called a decision process with non-Markovian rewards (NMRDP). In decision-theoretic planning, where many desirable behaviours are more naturally expressed a

Partial Weighted MaxSAT for Optimal Planning

We consider the problem of computing optimal plans for propositional planning problems with action costs. In the spirit of leveraging advances in general-purpose automated reasoning for that setting, we develop an approach that operates by solving a sequence of partial weighted MaxSAT problems, each of which corresponds to a step-bounded variant of the problem at hand. Our approach is the first SAT-based system in which a proof of cost-optimality is obtained using a MaxSAT procedure. It is also the first system of this kind to incorporate an admissible planning heuristic. We perform a detailed empirical evaluation of our work using benchmarks from a number of International Planning Competitions.NICTA is funded by the Australian Government as represented by the Department of Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy and the Australian Research Council through the ICT Centre of Excellence program. This work was also supported by EC FP7-IST grant 215181-CogX

Gradient-Based Relational Reinforcement-Learning of Temporally Extended Policies

We consider the problem of computing general policies for decision-theoretic planning problems with temporally extended rewards. We describe a gradient-based approach to relational reinforcement-learning (RRL) of policies for that setting. In particular, the learner optimises its behaviour by acting in a set of problems drawn from a target domain. Our approach is similar to inductive policy selection because the policies learnt are given in terms of relational control-rules. These rules are generated either (1) by reasoning from a firstorder specification of the domain, or (2) more or less arbitrarily according to a taxonomic concept language. To this end the paper contributes a domain definition language for problems with temporally extended rewards, and a taxonomic concept language in which concepts and relations can be temporal. We evaluat