PSchema: A developmental schema learning framework for embodied agents

Abstract

In this paper we introduce PSchema, a framework for Piagetian schema learning which allows for the direct use of symbolic schema learning in a robotic environment. We show the benefit of a developmental progression to aid in the learning of the system and introduce a generalisation mechanism which further increases the capabilities of these techniques. Using a robotic arm we demonstrate the system’s ability to learn to touch objects placed in front of it and how it can represent the knowledge gained from this in a manner suitable for continuous on-line learning. We then go on to demonstrate how these mechanisms can be used to provide a framework for the learning of language, grounded in the robot’s sensory perception of the world.