Robot Learning a New Subfield? The Robolearn-96 Workshop

This article posits the idea of robot learning as a new subfield. The results of the Robolearn-96 Workshop provide evidence that learning in modern robotics is distinct from traditional machine learning. The article examines the role of robotics in the social and natural sciences and the potential impact of learning on robotics, generating both a continuum of research issues and a description of the divergent terminology, target domains, and standards of proof associated with robot learning. The article argues that although robot learning is a new subfield, there is significant potential for synergy with traditional machine learning if the differences in research cultures can be overcome.