提出双时域框架,解决模型强化学习中轨迹长度的矛盾难题。
Double Horizon Model-Based Policy Optimization
- 用长轨迹缓解分布偏移,短轨迹稳定梯度更新
- 在连续控制任务中样本效率与运行时间均超越现有方法
- 适合追求高效稳定训练的强化学习研究者
基于模型的强化学习(MBRL)通过从学习到的动力学模型生成合成轨迹(称为滚动预测)来减少真实环境采样成本。然而,滚动预测的长度选择面临双重困境:(1) 更长的滚动预测能更好保持策略在线性训练,但会放大模型偏差,需采用中间时域以缓解分布偏移(即在线策略与历史离线样本之间的差距);(2) 更长的模型滚动预测虽可降低价值估计偏差,却因多步反向传播而增加策略梯度方差,暗示需另一个中间时域以实现稳定的梯度估计。但这两个最优时域可能不同。为解决此冲突,我们提出双时域基于模型的策略优化(DHMBPO),将滚动过程分为长“分布滚动”(DR)和短“训练滚动”(TR)。DR用于生成在线策略状态样本,以缓解分布偏移;而短TR利用可微转移,提供精确的价值梯度估计,实现稳定梯度更新,从而减少迭代次数并降低整体运行时间。实验表明,双时域方法有效平衡了分布偏移、模型偏差与梯度不稳定性,在连续控制基准测试中显著提升样本效率与运行效率。
原文摘要 · Abstract (English)
Model-based reinforcement learning (MBRL) reduces the cost of real-environment sampling by generating synthetic trajectories (called rollouts) from a learned dynamics model. However, choosing the length of the rollouts poses two dilemmas: (1) Longer rollouts better preserve on-policy training but amplify model bias, indicating the need for an intermediate horizon to mitigate distribution shift (i.e., the gap between on-policy and past off-policy samples). (2) Moreover, a longer model rollout may reduce value estimation bias but raise the variance of policy gradients due to backpropagation through multiple steps, implying another intermediate horizon for stable gradient estimates. However, these two optimal horizons may differ. To resolve this conflict, we propose Double Horizon Model-Based Policy Optimization (DHMBPO), which divides the rollout procedure into a long "distribution rollout" (DR) and a short "training rollout" (TR). The DR generates on-policy state samples for mitigating distribution shift. In contrast, the short TR leverages differentiable transitions to offer accurate value gradient estimation with stable gradient updates, thereby requiring fewer updates and reducing overall runtime. We demonstrate that the double-horizon approach effectively balances distribution shift, model bias, and gradient instability, and surpasses existing MBRL methods on continuous-control benchmarks in terms of both sample efficiency and runtime.
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