subsumption architecture

Subsumption architecture is an AI concept originating from behavior based robotics. It was invented by Rodney Brooks and colleagues in the mid to late 1980s. A subsumption architecture is a way of decomposing one complex behaviour into many "simple" layers of increasing more abstract behaviours. Each layer can overrule (subsume) the decision of the overlaying layer, e.g. the lowest obstacle-avoidance layer could choose to overrule the decision to move forward by the eat-food layer. Brooks work is described in a series of academic papers, many written with students and collaborators such as Pattie Maes and Anita M. Flynn. Key amongst these are, arguably:

R. A. Brooks (1986) "A Robust Layered Control System For A Mobile Robot", IEEE Journal Of Robotics And Automation, RA-2, April. pp. 14-23.
R. A. Brooks (1987). "Planning is just a way of avoiding figuring out what to do next", Technical report, MIT Artificial Intelligence Laboratory.
R. Brooks and A. Flynn (1989), "Fast, cheap, and out of control: A robot invasion of the solar system," J. Brit. Interplanetary Soc., vol. 42, no. 10, pp. 478-485, 1989. (The paper later gave rise to the title of the film Fast, Cheap and Out of Control, and the paper's concepts arguably are starting to be seen in practice in the 2003/4 Mars Exploration Rover Mission.)

Subsumption Architecture

See also