Planning in a Hierarchy of Abstraction Spaces

Abstract

A problem domain can be represented as a hierarchy of abstraction spaces in which successively finer levels of detail are introduced. The problem solver ABSTRIPS, a modification of STRIPS, can define an abstraction of space hierarchy from the STRIPS representation of a problem domain, and it can utilize the hierarchy in solving problems. Examples of the systems performance are presented that demonstrate the significant increases in problem-solving power that this approach provides. Then some further implications of the hierarchical planning approach are explored.