# Logic programming for deliberative robotic task planning

arXiv: https://arxiv.org/abs/2301.07550 · HTML: https://mlsanity.com/paper/2301.07550/

## Key facts

- Cited by 8 papers in the map (data through 14 Oct 2026).
- Builds on 24 of its 279 references that are in the map.
- First posted on arXiv 18 Jan 2023.

## Builds on (most cited first, 24 of 24)

- [Multi-shot ASP solving with clingo](https://mlsanity.com/paper/1705.09811/) (2017)
- [ASP-Core-2 Input Language Format](https://mlsanity.com/paper/1911.04326/) (2019)
- [Explainable Planning](https://mlsanity.com/paper/1709.10256/) (2017)
- [Task Planning in Robotics: an Empirical Comparison of PDDL-based and ASP-based Systems](https://mlsanity.com/paper/1804.08229/) (2018)
- [Plan Explicability and Predictability for Robot Task Planning](https://mlsanity.com/paper/1511.08158/) (2015)
- [Experimenting with robotic intra-logistics domains](https://mlsanity.com/paper/1804.10247/) (2018)
- [REBA: A Refinement-Based Architecture for Knowledge Representation and Reasoning in Robotics](https://mlsanity.com/paper/1508.03891/) (2015)
- [Autonomous task planning and situation awareness in robotic surgery](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2004.08911/) (2020)
- [An ASP-based Solution to the Chemotherapy Treatment Scheduling problem](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2108.02637/) (2021)
- [Routing Driverless Transport Vehicles in Car Assembly with Answer Set Programming](https://mlsanity.com/paper/1804.10437/) (2018)
- [Manipulation of Articulated Objects using Dual-arm Robots via Answer Set Programming](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2010.01164/) (2020)
- [Event-Based Signal Temporal Logic Synthesis for Single and Multi-Robot Tasks](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2011.00370/) (2020)
- [Autonomous tissue retraction with a biomechanically informed logic based framework](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2109.02316/) (2021)
- [plasp 3: Towards Effective ASP Planning](https://mlsanity.com/paper/1812.04491/) (2018)
- [Deliberation in autonomous robotic surgery: a framework for handling anatomical uncertainty](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2203.05438/) (2022)
- [Learning and Reasoning for Robot Sequential Decision Making under Uncertainty](https://mlsanity.com/paper/1901.05322/) (2019)
- [Semantic Task Planning for Service Robots in Open World](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2011.00621/) (2020)
- [That's Mine! Learning Ownership Relations and Norms for Robots](https://mlsanity.com/paper/1812.02576/) (2018)
- [Operating Room (Re)Scheduling with Bed Management via ASP](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2105.02283/) (2021)
- [Cooperative Decentralized Multi-agent Control under Local LTL Tasks and Connectivity Constraints](https://mlsanity.com/paper/1405.1836/) (2014)
- [Dynamic Hierarchical Reactive Controller Synthesis](https://mlsanity.com/paper/1510.07246/) (2015)
- [The CARESSES EU-Japan project: making assistive robots culturally competent](https://mlsanity.com/paper/1708.06276/) (2017)
- [A Probabilistic Extension of Action Language BC+](https://mlsanity.com/paper/1805.00634/) (2018)
- [Communication-Free Multi-Agent Control under Local Temporal Tasks and Relative-Distance Constraints](https://mlsanity.com/paper/1410.8673/) (2014)

## Built on by (most cited first, 8 of 8)

- [A Survey of Optimization-based Task and Motion Planning: From Classical To Learning Approaches](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2404.02817/) (2024)
- [Learning Logic Specifications for Soft Policy Guidance in POMCP](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2303.09172/) (2023)
- [Online inductive learning from answer sets for efficient reinforcement learning exploration](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2501.07445/) (2025)
- [Inductive Learning of Robot Task Knowledge from Raw Data and Online Expert Feedback](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2501.07507/) (2025)
- [Automated Generation of MDPs Using Logic Programming and LLMs for Robotic Applications](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2511.23143/) (2025)
- [Planning for Change: Reinforcement Learning Combined with Bounded Extremum Seeking for Robotic Control under Distribution Shift](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2604.01142/) (2026)
- [RobEthiChor: Automated Context-aware Ethics-based Negotiation for Autonomous Robots](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2507.22664/) (2025)
- [Explaining Reinforcement Learning Agents via Inductive Logic Programming](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2607.13655/) (2026)

## Abstract (arXiv)

Over the last decade, the use of robots in production and daily life has increased. With increasingly complex tasks and interaction in different environments including humans, robots are required a higher level of autonomy for efficient deliberation. Task planning is a key element of deliberation. It combines elementary operations into a structured plan to satisfy a prescribed goal, given specifications on the robot and the environment. In this manuscript, we present a survey on recent advances in the application of logic programming to the problem of task planning. Logic programming offers several advantages compared to other approaches, including greater expressivity and interpretability which may aid in the development of safe and reliable robots. We analyze different planners and their suitability for specific robotic applications, based on expressivity in domain representation, computational efficiency and software implementation. In this way, we support the robotic designer in choosing the best tool for his application.