Hierarchical Multiagent Reinforcement Learning

Abstract

In this paper, we investigate the use of hierarchical reinforcement learning (HRL) to speed up the acquisition of cooperative multiagent tasks. We introduce a hierarchical multiagent reinforcement learning (RL) framework and propose a hierarchical multiagent RL algorithm called Cooperative HRL. In our approach, agents are cooperative and homogeneous (use the same task decomposition). Learning is decentralized, with each agent learning three interrelated skills: how to perform subtasks, which order to do them in, and how to coordinate with other agents. We define cooperative subtasks to be those subtasks in which coordination among agents significantly improves the performance of the overall task. Those levels of the hierarchy which include cooperative subtasks are called cooperation levels. Since coordination at high levels allows for increased cooperation skills as agents do not get confused by low-level details, we usually define cooperative subtasks at the high levels of the hierarchy.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jan 25, 2004
Accession Number
ADA440418

Entities

People

  • Mohammad Ghavamzadeh
  • Sridhar Mahadevan

Organizations

  • University of Massachusetts Amherst

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Autonomy
  • C4I

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Algorithms
  • Artificial Intelligence
  • Assembly
  • Automated Guided Vehicles
  • Autonomous Agents
  • Computer Science
  • Equations
  • Game Theory
  • Hierarchies
  • Learning
  • Machine Learning
  • Manufacturing
  • Multiagent Systems
  • Navigation
  • Reinforcement Learning
  • Scheduling (Production)
  • Travel Time

Fields of Study

  • Computer science

Readers

  • Agent-Based Social Robotics and Mobile-Assisted Learning in Virtual Environments.

Technology Areas

  • AI & ML