A Comprehensive Survey of Cross-Domain Policy Transfer for Embodied Agents
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Abstract (arXiv)
The burgeoning fields of robot learning and embodied AI have triggered an increasing demand for large quantities of data. However, collecting sufficient unbiased data from the target domain remains a challenge due to costly data collection processes and stringent safety requirements. Consequently, researchers often resort to data from easily accessible source domains, such as simulation and laboratory environments, for cost-effective data acquisition and rapid model iteration. Nevertheless, the environments and embodiments of these source domains can be quite different from their target domain counterparts, underscoring the need for effective cross-domain policy transfer approaches. In this paper, we conduct a systematic review of existing cross-domain policy transfer methods. Through a nuanced categorization of domain gaps, we encapsulate the overarching insights and design considerations of each problem setting. We also provide a high-level discussion about the key methodologies used in cross-domain policy transfer problems. Lastly, we summarize the open challenges that lie beyond the capabilities of current paradigms and discuss potential future directions in this field.
Key facts. Cited by 16 papers in the map (data through 7 Oct 2026). Builds on 71 of its 86 references that are in the map. First posted on arXiv 7 Feb 2024.
Builds on
71 of 86 references.
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- 2025X-VLA: Soft-Prompted Transformer as Scalable Cross-Embodiment Vision-Language-Action Modelcited by 285
- 2024Flow as the Cross-Domain Manipulation Interfacecited by 126
- 2025Universal Actions for Enhanced Embodied Foundation Modelscited by 80
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- 2026Transfer Learning Across Policy Regimes in Adaptive Multi-Agent Systems15 Jun 2026
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- 2025X-VLA: Soft-Prompted Transformer as Scalable Cross-Embodiment Vision-Language-Action Model11 Oct 2025
- 2025DmC: Nearest Neighbor Guidance Diffusion Model for Offline Cross-domain Reinforcement Learning28 Jul 2025
- 2025Hybrid Cross-domain Robust Reinforcement Learning29 May 2025
- 2025Policy Regularization on Globally Accessible States in Cross-Dynamics Reinforcement Learning10 Mar 2025
- 2025A Multi-Fidelity Control Variate Approach for Policy Gradient Estimation7 Mar 2025
- 2025Universal Actions for Enhanced Embodied Foundation Models17 Jan 2025
- 2024Hybrid Transfer Reinforcement Learning: Provable Sample Efficiency from Shifted-Dynamics Data6 Nov 2024
- 2024Cross-Embodiment Dexterous Grasping with Reinforcement Learning3 Oct 2024
- 2024Built Different: Tactile Perception to Overcome Cross-Embodiment Capability Differences in Collaborative Manipulation23 Sep 2024
4 more
- 2024xTED: Cross-Domain Adaptation via Diffusion-Based Trajectory Editing13 Sep 2024
- 2024Representation Alignment from Human Feedback for Cross-Embodiment Reward Learning from Mixed-Quality Demonstrations10 Aug 2024
- 2024Flow as the Cross-Domain Manipulation Interface21 Jul 2024
- 2024Knowledge Transfer for Cross-Domain Reinforcement Learning: A Systematic Review26 Apr 2024
- 2025Dual-Robust Cross-Domain Offline Reinforcement Learning Against Dynamics Shiftscited by 5
- 2025Policy Regularization on Globally Accessible States in Cross-Dynamics Reinforcement Learningcited by 0
- 2026Unifying Value Alignment and Assignment in Cross-Domain Offline Reinforcement Learning with Heterogeneous Datasetscited by 0
- 2026Unifying Value Alignment and Assignment in Cross-Domain Offline Reinforcement Learning with Heterogeneous Datasets24 May 2026
- 2025Dual-Robust Cross-Domain Offline Reinforcement Learning Against Dynamics Shifts2 Dec 2025
- 2025Policy Regularization on Globally Accessible States in Cross-Dynamics Reinforcement Learning10 Mar 2025
- 2024Flow as the Cross-Domain Manipulation Interfacecited by 126
- 2025Universal Actions for Enhanced Embodied Foundation Modelscited by 80
- 2024Cross-Embodiment Dexterous Grasping with Reinforcement Learningcited by 24
- 2024Hybrid Transfer Reinforcement Learning: Provable Sample Efficiency from Shifted-Dynamics Datacited by 8
- 2024Built Different: Tactile Perception to Overcome Cross-Embodiment Capability Differences in Collaborative Manipulationcited by 6
- 2025Hybrid Cross-domain Robust Reinforcement Learningcited by 3
- 2024Knowledge Transfer for Cross-Domain Reinforcement Learning: A Systematic Reviewcited by 1
- 2025A Multi-Fidelity Control Variate Approach for Policy Gradient Estimationcited by 1
- 2026Transfer Learning Across Policy Regimes in Adaptive Multi-Agent Systemscited by 0
- 2026Transfer Learning Across Policy Regimes in Adaptive Multi-Agent Systems15 Jun 2026
- 2025Hybrid Cross-domain Robust Reinforcement Learning29 May 2025
- 2025A Multi-Fidelity Control Variate Approach for Policy Gradient Estimation7 Mar 2025
- 2025Universal Actions for Enhanced Embodied Foundation Models17 Jan 2025
- 2024Hybrid Transfer Reinforcement Learning: Provable Sample Efficiency from Shifted-Dynamics Data6 Nov 2024
- 2024Cross-Embodiment Dexterous Grasping with Reinforcement Learning3 Oct 2024
- 2024Built Different: Tactile Perception to Overcome Cross-Embodiment Capability Differences in Collaborative Manipulation23 Sep 2024
- 2024Flow as the Cross-Domain Manipulation Interface21 Jul 2024
- 2024Knowledge Transfer for Cross-Domain Reinforcement Learning: A Systematic Review26 Apr 2024