System and method for training and navigating a robot

A processor-executable method for navigation of a robot comprising:

• training, by the processor, a movement model for the robot by recording and analyzing movement data of the robot as the robot moves over a plurality of walks within an environment, wherein the training is based on a mixed exploration strategy that incorporates a novelty-based exploration factor into a random exploration strategy;
• solving, by the processor, a planning task using the movement model,
• wherein the planning task sets a goal location to be reached by the robot using the trained movement model;
• evaluating, by the processor, the movement model based on a planning error that represents a distance between the goal location and a final position reached by the robot on solving the planning task;
• and
• navigating, by the processor, an unmapped environment including a source and a destination based on actions output by the trained movement model that successfully solves the planning task during the evaluation.

A non-transitory processor-readable storage medium comprising processor-readable instructions that cause a processor to:

• train a movement model for a robot by recording and analyzing movement data of the robot as the robot moves over a plurality of walks within an environment, wherein for each of the walks the processor:
• identifies available directions of movement for the robot from a current location of the robot,
• wherein the available directions avoid obstructions to robot movements in the environment;
• determines whether to move the robot from the current location in a random direction or a specific direction;
• causes a random movement of the robot in the random direction from the available directions of movement in response to the determination to move the robot from the current location in the random direction;
• calculates the specific direction in response to the determination to move the robot from the current location in the specific direction,
• wherein the specific direction is obtained based on prior movements of the robot;
• causes a specific movement of the robot in the specific direction in response to the calculation of the specific direction;
• and
• updates the current location of the robot to a final location of the robot upon completion of the random movement or the specific movement;
• and
• return to identifying the available directions until a predetermined criterion is satisfied.