Embodied Intelligence System Level Hierarchy: Realizing Embodied Intelligence through Hierarchical Decoupling and Unified Protocols

Hehe Fan, Fei Wu, Yi Yang

Abstract: Embodied intelligence represents a new frontier in artificial intelligence. It unifies perception, cognition, and action to enable agents to operate effectively in physical environments. However, embodied intelligence exhibits strong interdisciplinarity and high system complexity, encompassing multiple fields such as mechanical engineering and mechatronic system design, electronic engineering and embedded systems, robotics and automatic control, and artificial intelligence and computer science. This breadth makes it impractical for any single institution or enterprise to address all fundamental challenges independently. To accelerate the development of embodied intelligence and foster a better ecosystem, we propose the Embodied Intelligence System Level Hierarchy (EISLH)—a systematic framework for realizing embodied intelligence through hierarchical decoupling and inter-layer unified protocols. Drawing inspiration from the layered architectures of computer systems and networks, EISLH establishes clear functional boundaries and standardized interfaces across layers, enabling openness, modularity, and scalability. Specifically, EISLH comprises five hierarchical levels: (1) User Command and Physical  Environment, (2) Embodied Instruction Compiler (EIC), (3) Embodied Machine Instruction Set (EMIS), (4) Embodied Motion Executor (EME), and (5) Embodied Hardware. In EISLH, each layer fulfills distinct yet complementary responsibilities, ensuring efficiency, interoperability, and a virtuous cycle of collaboration and innovation. We  develop a prototype system based on the proposed concept of hierarchical decoupling, validating the feasibility and effectiveness of the EISLH framework.

External IDs:doi:10.36227/techrxiv.176282235.53670251/v1