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Bi-level Optimization Method for Automatic Reward Shaping of Reinforcement Learning

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Artificial Neural Networks and Machine Learning – ICANN 2022 (ICANN 2022)

Part of the book series: Lecture Notes in Computer Science ((LNCS,volume 13531))

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Abstract

The key to lowering the threshold of the application of reinforcement learning is the simplicity and convenience of reward function design. At present, reinforcement learning with good performance mostly adopts complex rewards of artificial trial and error, or adopts supervised learning to track the artificial trajectory, but these methods increase the workload. Assuming that the basic mathematical elements (operators, operands) can be used to automatically accomplish the combinatorial search process, it is possible to search for a compact, concise and informative reward model. Starting from this idea, this paper explores the reward function of reinforcement learning, which can find the optimal or suboptimal solution that can meet the multi-optimization index through operator search without clear prior knowledge. Based on AutoML-zero, the automatic search method of operator-level reward function based on evolutionary search is realized, and the reward function algorithm which can satisfy the constraint conditions is found to be equal to or better than human design.

This work is supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China under Grant U21B2028.

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Correspondence to Zhaolei Wang .

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Wang, L., Wang, Z., Gong, Q. (2022). Bi-level Optimization Method for Automatic Reward Shaping of Reinforcement Learning. In: Pimenidis, E., Angelov, P., Jayne, C., Papaleonidas, A., Aydin, M. (eds) Artificial Neural Networks and Machine Learning – ICANN 2022. ICANN 2022. Lecture Notes in Computer Science, vol 13531. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-15934-3_32

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-15934-3_32

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-031-15933-6

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-031-15934-3

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