Intention reconsideration in theory and practice

Abstract

. Autonomous agents operating in complex dynamic environments need the ability to integrate robust plan execution with higher level reasoning. This paper describes work to combine low level navigation techniques drawn from mobile robotics with deliberation techniques drawn from intelligent agents. In particular, we discuss the combination of a navigation system based on fuzzy logic with a deliberator based on the belief/desire/intention (BDI) model. We discuss some of the subtleties involved in this integration, and illustrate it with an example. 1 INTRODUCTION Milou the robot works in a food factory. He has to regularly go and fetch two food samples (potato crisps) from two production lines in two different rooms, A and B, and take them to an electronic tester in the quality control lab. Milou must now plan his next delivery. He decides to get the sample from A first, since room A is closer than B. While going there, however, he finds the main door to that room closed. Milou knows t...