Adaptive Learning Control in Evolutionary Design of Mobile Robots,
Résumé
This is a study of an application of neural
technics to the learning of control laws within
the framework of the evolutionary design of robotics
systems. The present paper proposes the replacement
of the evolutionary synthesis of the individual’s
control law by its learning. The learning of neural
controller is carried out on-line when the robot undergoes
evaluation tests. Thus, a robot that is a
priori inadequate to solve a task can, thanks to the
training it goes through, improve its performance. It
participates then to the global improvement of the
population while it would have been eliminated without
learning. A mobile robot that could be equipped
with up to 4 independent driving wheels and that
must attain a given configuration will be taken as
an example. The whole unit uses a simulation of
the robot and its environment in which all dynamic
effects are taken into account. Results show the accuracy
and strength of the method since even the
structures which would have been in fact eliminated
to carry out this kind of task, are controlled with
reasonable efficiency.