# Transfer Learning for Prosthetics Using Imitation Learning

arXiv: https://arxiv.org/abs/1901.04772 · HTML: https://mlsanity.com/paper/1901.04772/

## Key facts

- No citing papers in the map yet (data through 14 Oct 2026).
- Placed in Imitation learning methods, one of 13 directions in Offline RL and imitation learning from data.
- Builds on 3 of its 13 references that are in the map.
- First posted on arXiv 15 Jan 2019.

## Placed in

- Offline RL and imitation learning from data / [Imitation learning methods](https://mlsanity.com/offlinerl/imitation-learning-methods/)

## Builds on (most cited first, 3 of 3)

- [Continuous control with deep reinforcement learning](https://mlsanity.com/paper/1509.02971/) (2015)
- [Global overview of Imitation Learning](https://mlsanity.com/paper/1801.06503/) (2018)
- [Cross-Domain Transfer in Reinforcement Learning using Target Apprentice](https://mlsanity.com/paper/1801.06920/) (2018)

## Abstract (arXiv)

In this paper, We Apply Reinforcement learning (RL) techniques to train a realistic biomechanical model to work with different people and on different walking environments. We benchmarking 3 RL algorithms: Deep Deterministic Policy Gradient (DDPG), Trust Region Policy Optimization (TRPO) and Proximal Policy Optimization (PPO) in OpenSim environment, Also we apply imitation learning to a prosthetics domain to reduce the training time needed to design customized prosthetics. We use DDPG algorithm to train an original expert agent. We then propose a modification to the Dataset Aggregation (DAgger) algorithm to reuse the expert knowledge and train a new target agent to replicate that behaviour in fewer than 5 iterations, compared to the 100 iterations taken by the expert agent which means reducing training time by 95%. Our modifications to the DAgger algorithm improve the balance between exploiting the expert policy and exploring the environment. We show empirically that these improve convergence time of the target agent, particularly when there is some degree of variation between expert and naive agent.
