Equivariant Grasp learning In Real Time

Xupeng Zhu, Dian Wang, Ondrej Biza, Robert Platt

Keywords: Robotic Grasping, Equivariance, Reinforcement Leanring

Abstract: Visual grasp detection is a key problem in robotics where the agent must learn to model the grasp function, a mapping from an image of a scene onto a set of feasible grasp poses. In this paper, we recognize that the grasp function is $\mathrm{SE}(2)$-equivariant and that it can be modeled using an equivariant convolutional neural network. As a result, we are able to significantly improve the sample efficiency of grasp learning to the point where we can learn a good approximation of the grasp function within only 500 grasp experiences. This is fast enough that we can learn to grasp completely on a physical robot in about an hour.