We propose an approach that allows a robot to learn a task and represent/adapt it to its own motor repertoire. First the robot creates a sensorimotor map to convert sensorial information into motor data. Then learning happens through imitation, using motor representations. By imitating other agents, the robot learns a set of elementary motions that forms a motor vocabulary. That vocabulary can eventually be used to compose more complex actions, by combining basic actions, for each specific task domain. We illustrate the approach in a mobile robotics task: topological mapping and navigation. Egomotion estimation is used as a visuomotor map and allows the robot to learn a motor vocabulary coverting optical flow measurements from omnidirectional images into motor information. Then the learnt vocabulary is used for topological mapping and navigation.The approach can be extended to different robots and applications. Encouraging results are presented and discussed.
Learning through imitation; Robot Navigation; Egomotion; Omnidirectional Vision
