Efficiently Learning Robust Torque-based Locomotion Through Reinforcement with Model-Based Supervision

Fuente: arXiv
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Main Authors: Yan, Yashuai, Egle, Tobias, Ott, Christian, Lee, Dongheui
Format: Preprint
Published: 2026
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author Yan, Yashuai
Egle, Tobias
Ott, Christian
Lee, Dongheui
author_facet Yan, Yashuai
Egle, Tobias
Ott, Christian
Lee, Dongheui
contents We propose a control framework that integrates model-based bipedal locomotion with residual reinforcement learning (RL) to achieve robust and adaptive walking in the presence of real-world uncertainties. Our approach leverages a model-based controller, comprising a Divergent Component of Motion (DCM) trajectory planner and a whole-body controller, as a reliable base policy. To address the uncertainties of inaccurate dynamics modeling and sensor noise, we introduce a residual policy trained through RL with domain randomization. Crucially, we employ a model-based oracle policy, which has privileged access to ground-truth dynamics during training, to supervise the residual policy via a novel supervised loss. This supervision enables the policy to efficiently learn corrective behaviors that compensate for unmodeled effects without extensive reward shaping. Our method demonstrates improved robustness and generalization across a range of randomized conditions, offering a scalable solution for sim-to-real transfer in bipedal locomotion.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2601_16109
institution arXiv
publishDate 2026
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Efficiently Learning Robust Torque-based Locomotion Through Reinforcement with Model-Based Supervision
Yan, Yashuai
Egle, Tobias
Ott, Christian
Lee, Dongheui
Robotics
We propose a control framework that integrates model-based bipedal locomotion with residual reinforcement learning (RL) to achieve robust and adaptive walking in the presence of real-world uncertainties. Our approach leverages a model-based controller, comprising a Divergent Component of Motion (DCM) trajectory planner and a whole-body controller, as a reliable base policy. To address the uncertainties of inaccurate dynamics modeling and sensor noise, we introduce a residual policy trained through RL with domain randomization. Crucially, we employ a model-based oracle policy, which has privileged access to ground-truth dynamics during training, to supervise the residual policy via a novel supervised loss. This supervision enables the policy to efficiently learn corrective behaviors that compensate for unmodeled effects without extensive reward shaping. Our method demonstrates improved robustness and generalization across a range of randomized conditions, offering a scalable solution for sim-to-real transfer in bipedal locomotion.
title Efficiently Learning Robust Torque-based Locomotion Through Reinforcement with Model-Based Supervision
topic Robotics
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2601.16109