Optimizing Robotic Arm Learning: Curiosity-Driven Deep Deterministic Policy Gradient

Abstract

This study explores the application of the Reinforcement Learning (RL) in training robotic arms, particularly using the Deep Deterministic Policy Gradient (DDPG) algorithm enhanced by a curiosity- driven mechanism. Robotic arms have various real-life applications, such as in the surgeries and assistive technologies. However, collecting the large- scale real-world data is costly and impractical, making simulation environments essential for optimization. The DDPG, well-suited for continuous action spaces, was employed to improve the robotic arm’s precision and adaptability. Integrating a curiosity mechanism allowed the system to explore and learn more efficiently, significantly improving the training time and success rate. The results demonstrate a 12% reduction in training time and an 18% increase in the success rate when using curiosity- driven exploration. These findings suggest that the enhanced DDPG algorithm not only accelerates learning but also enables better task execution, offering a promising approach for the real-world robotic applications.