Title
Evolving inborn knowledge for fast adaptation in dynamic POMDP problems
Abstract
ABSTRACTRapid online adaptation to changing tasks is an important problem in machine learning and, recently, a focus of meta-reinforcement learning. However, reinforcement learning (RL) algorithms struggle in POMDP environments because the state of the system, essential in a RL framework, is not always visible. Additionally, hand-designed meta-RL architectures may not include suitable computational structures for specific learning problems. The evolution of online learning mechanisms, on the contrary, has the ability to incorporate learning strategies into an agent that can (i) evolve memory when required and (ii) optimize adaptation speed to specific online learning problems. In this paper, we exploit the highly adaptive nature of neuromodulated neural networks to evolve a controller that uses the latent space of an autoencoder in a POMDP. The analysis of the evolved networks reveals the ability of the proposed algorithm to acquire inborn knowledge in a variety of aspects such as the detection of cues that reveal implicit rewards, and the ability to evolve location neurons that help with navigation. The integration of inborn knowledge and online plasticity enabled fast adaptation and better performance in comparison to some non-evolutionary meta-reinforcement learning algorithms. The algorithm proved also to succeed in the 3D gaming environment Malmo Minecraft.
Year
DOI
Venue
2020
10.1145/3377930.3390214
Genetic and Evolutionary Computation Conference
Keywords
DocType
Citations 
lifelong learning, adaptive agent, self modifying network, neuroevolution, neuromodulation, few-shots learning, Hebbian learning
Conference
0
PageRank 
References 
Authors
0.34
0
6
Name
Order
Citations
PageRank
Ben-Iwhiwhu Eseoghene101.01
Pawel Ladosz213.41
Dick Jeffery301.01
Wen-Hua Chen458340.68
Praveen K. Pilly522.05
Andrea Soltoggio614613.43