# Task Planning with Belief Behavior Trees

arXiv: https://arxiv.org/abs/2008.09393 · HTML: https://mlsanity.com/paper/2008.09393/

## Key facts

- Cited by 3 papers in the map (data through 14 Oct 2026).
- First posted on arXiv 21 Aug 2020.

## Built on by (most cited first, 3 of 3)

- [LLM-MARS: Large Language Model for Behavior Tree Generation and NLP-enhanced Dialogue in Multi-Agent Robot Systems](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2312.09348/) (2023)
- [A Study on Training and Developing Large Language Models for Behavior Tree Generation](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2401.08089/) (2024)
- [Behavior Tree-Based Task Planning for Multiple Mobile Robots using a Data Distribution Service](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2201.10918/) (2022)

## Abstract (arXiv)

In this paper, we propose Belief Behavior Trees (BBTs), an extension to Behavior Trees (BTs) that allows to automatically create a policy that controls a robot in partially observable environments. We extend the semantic of BTs to account for the uncertainty that affects both the conditions and action nodes of the BT. The tree gets synthesized following a planning strategy for BTs proposed recently: from a set of goal conditions we iteratively select a goal and find the action, or in general the subtree, that satisfies it. Such action may have preconditions that do not hold. For those preconditions, we find an action or subtree in the same fashion. We extend this approach by including, in the planner, actions that have the purpose to reduce the uncertainty that affects the value of a condition node in the BT (for example, turning on the lights to have better lighting conditions). We demonstrate that BBTs allows task planning with non-deterministic outcomes for actions. We provide experimental validation of our approach in a real robotic scenario and - for sake of reproducibility - in a simulated one.