Actor-Critic with variable time discretization via sustained actions

Abstract

Reinforcement learning (RL) methods work in discrete time. In order to apply RL to inherently continuous problems like robotic control, a specific time discretization needs to be defined. This is a choice between sparse time control, which may be easier to train, and finer time control, which may allow for better ultimate performance. In this work, we propose SusACER, an off-policy RL algorithm that combines the advantages of different time discretization settings. Initially, it operates with sparse time discretization and gradually switches to a fine one. We analyze the effects of the changing time discretization in robotic control environments: Ant, HalfCheetah, Hopper, and Walker2D. In all cases our proposed algorithm outperforms state of the art.