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FDD3025 Introduction to Behavior Trees in Robotics and AI 3.0 credits

A behavior tree (BT) is a way of creating an overall robot controller from a set oflow level controllers doing separate things, such as: Goto position X, Grasp object, Place object, Open door, Say X. BTs have been shown to be optimally modular, and well suited for creating designs that are both reactive and goal driven. In this course we will learn how BTs work, and in what sense they are modular, reactive and goal directed. We will also see how BTs can be combined with classical control design as well as learning based methods. Finally we see how guarantees on performance, in terms of safety and goal convergence can be made for BTs.

Information per course offering

Termin

Information for Spring 2024 Start 18 Mar 2024 programme students

Course location

KTH Campus

Duration
18 Mar 2024 - 3 Jun 2024
Periods
P4 (3.0 hp)
Pace of study

17%

Application code

61082

Form of study

Normal Daytime

Language of instruction

English

Course memo
Course memo is not published
Number of places

Places are not limited

Target group
No information inserted
Planned modular schedule
[object Object]
Schedule
Schedule is not published
Part of programme
No information inserted

Contact

Examiner
No information inserted
Course coordinator
No information inserted
Teachers
No information inserted
Contact

Petter Ögren

Course syllabus as PDF

Please note: all information from the Course syllabus is available on this page in an accessible format.

Course syllabus FDD3025 (Autumn 2022–)
Headings with content from the Course syllabus FDD3025 (Autumn 2022–) are denoted with an asterisk ( )

Content and learning outcomes

Course disposition

A number of lectures will be given connected with homework problems. Finally, each student will carry out a small project in a simulation environment or real robot system.

Course contents

BT design principles. Reactivity, modularity and goal directedness of BTs. BTs and classical control methods, BTs and reinforcement learning. How BTs can be used to guarantee properties such as safety and goal convergence.

Intended learning outcomes

 Upon completion the students will:

  • Know how to use a BT to design the controller of a robot or artificial agent
  • Know the advantages of BTs in terms of reactivity, modularity and goal directedness
  • Know several design principles for BTs
  • Know how to connect BTs with classical control such as Control Barrier Functions
  • Know how to connect BTs with Reinforcement Learning
  • Know how BTs can be used to prove performance in terms of safety and reaching a set of given goal states

Literature and preparations

Specific prerequisites

None

Recommended prerequisites

What is needed to start a PhD program in computer science, electrical engineering or similarly.

Equipment

No equipment needed beyond a standard computer.

Literature

The book: Behavior Trees for Robotics and AI, by Colledanchise and Ögren (available on ArXiv).

Research papers.

Online lectures on Youtube.

Examination and completion

If the course is discontinued, students may request to be examined during the following two academic years.

Grading scale

P, F

Examination

  • EXA1 - Examination, 3.0 credits, grading scale: P, F

Based on recommendation from KTH’s coordinator for disabilities, the examiner will decide how to adapt an examination for students with documented disability.

The examiner may apply another examination format when re-examining individual students.

 Examination will be in the form of homework sets and a small final project.

Opportunity to complete the requirements via supplementary examination

No information inserted

Opportunity to raise an approved grade via renewed examination

No information inserted

Examiner

Ethical approach

  • All members of a group are responsible for the group's work.
  • In any assessment, every student shall honestly disclose any help received and sources used.
  • In an oral assessment, every student shall be able to present and answer questions about the entire assignment and solution.

Further information

Course room in Canvas

Registered students find further information about the implementation of the course in the course room in Canvas. A link to the course room can be found under the tab Studies in the Personal menu at the start of the course.

Offered by

Main field of study

This course does not belong to any Main field of study.

Education cycle

Third cycle

Add-on studies

No information inserted

Contact

Petter Ögren

Postgraduate course

Postgraduate courses at EECS/Robotics, Perception and Learning