Multi-Loco: Unifying Multi-Embodiment Legged Locomotion via Reinforcement Learning Augmented Diffusion
On the map: Diffusion models → Diffusion and flow policies for robotics
Abstract (arXiv)
Generalizing locomotion policies across diverse legged robots with varying morphologies is a key challenge due to differences in observation/action dimensions and system dynamics. In this work, we propose Multi-Loco, a novel unified framework combining a morphology-agnostic generative diffusion model with a lightweight residual policy optimized via reinforcement learning (RL). The diffusion model captures morphology-invariant locomotion patterns from diverse cross-embodiment datasets, improving generalization and robustness. The residual policy is shared across all embodiments and refines the actions generated by the diffusion model, enhancing task-aware performance and robustness for real-world deployment. We evaluated our method with a rich library of four legged robots in both simulation and real-world experiments. Compared to a standard RL framework with PPO, our approach -- replacing the Gaussian policy with a diffusion model and residual term -- achieves a 10.35% average return improvement, with gains up to 13.57% in wheeled-biped locomotion tasks. These results highlight the benefits of cross-embodiment data and composite generative architectures in learning robust, generalized locomotion skills.
Key facts. Cited by 7 papers in the map (data through 14 Oct 2026). Placed in Diffusion and flow policies for robotics, one of 14 directions in Diffusion models. Builds on 30 of its 33 references that are in the map. First posted on arXiv 13 Jun 2025.
Builds on
30 of 33 references.
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Other references · 29
- 2020Denoising Diffusion Implicit Modelscited by 9,781
- 2020Score-Based Generative Modeling through Stochastic Differential Equationscited by 9,122
- 2022Scalable Diffusion Models with Transformerscited by 6,054
- 2022Elucidating the Design Space of Diffusion-Based Generative Modelscited by 3,045
- 2022DPM-Solver: A Fast ODE Solver for Diffusion Probabilistic Model Sampling in Around 10 Stepscited by 1,979
- 2024Octo: An Open-Source Generalist Robot Policycited by 1,484
- 2020Learning Quadrupedal Locomotion over Challenging Terraincited by 604
- 2021Learning to Walk in Minutes Using Massively Parallel Deep Reinforcement Learningcited by 512
- 2019Learning agile and dynamic motor skills for legged robotscited by 504
- 2022Learning robust perceptive locomotion for quadrupedal robots in the wildcited by 382
- 2024OmniH2O: Universal and Dexterous Human-to-Humanoid Whole-Body Teleoperation and Learningcited by 189
- 2023Extreme Parkour with Legged Robotscited by 164
17 more
- 2023ANYmal Parkour: Learning Agile Navigation for Quadrupedal Robotscited by 152
- 2024Scaling Cross-Embodied Learning: One Policy for Manipulation, Navigation, Locomotion and Aviationcited by 114
- 2024HOVER: Versatile Neural Whole-Body Controller for Humanoid Robotscited by 91
- 2021Torch.manual_seed(3407) is all you need: On the influence of random seeds in deep learning architectures for computer visioncited by 81
- 2023XSkill: Cross Embodiment Skill Discoverycited by 75
- 2024Advancing Humanoid Locomotion: Mastering Challenging Terrains with Denoising World Model Learningcited by 56
- 2024DiffuseLoco: Real-Time Legged Locomotion Control with Diffusion from Offline Datasetscited by 49
- 2022GenLoco: Generalized Locomotion Controllers for Quadrupedal Robotscited by 48
- 2024Learning Robust Autonomous Navigation and Locomotion for Wheeled-Legged Robotscited by 48
- 2025Learning Humanoid Standing-up Control across Diverse Posturescited by 46
- 2025BeamDojo: Learning Agile Humanoid Locomotion on Sparse Footholdscited by 46
- 2024One Policy to Run Them All: an End-to-end Learning Approach to Multi-Embodiment Locomotioncited by 43
- 2024CleanDiffuser: An Easy-to-use Modularized Library for Diffusion Models in Decision Makingcited by 39
- 2023Composite Motion Learning with Task Controlcited by 28
- 2023Polybot: Training One Policy Across Robots While Embracing Variabilitycited by 28
- 2024CTS: Concurrent Teacher-Student Reinforcement Learning for Legged Locomotioncited by 25
- 2023ManyQuadrupeds: Learning a Single Locomotion Policy for Diverse Quadruped Robotscited by 19
Built on by
Citing papers per year: 2026: 7.
7 papers.
- 2026Cross-Hand Latent Representation for Vision-Language-Action Modelscited by 7
- 2026Embodiment-Aware Generalist Specialist Distillation for Unified Humanoid Whole-Body Controlcited by 3
- 2026MorFiC: Fixing Value Miscalibration for Zero-Shot Quadruped Transfercited by 0
- 2026Any2Any: Efficient Cross-Embodiment Transfer for Humanoid Whole-Body Trackingcited by 0
- 2026Robust Fall Recovery for Armless Bipedal-Wheeled Robots Via Force-Guided Learningcited by 0
- 2026DynaWM: Dynamics-Aware Distillation with World Model and Momentum Targets for Smooth Locomotion over Continuous Stairscited by 0
- 2026Learning Perceptive Platform Adaptive Locomotion Controllers for Quadrupedal Robotscited by 0
- 2026Learning Perceptive Platform Adaptive Locomotion Controllers for Quadrupedal Robots23 Jun 2026
- 2026DynaWM: Dynamics-Aware Distillation with World Model and Momentum Targets for Smooth Locomotion over Continuous Stairs23 Jun 2026
- 2026Robust Fall Recovery for Armless Bipedal-Wheeled Robots Via Force-Guided Learning12 Jun 2026
- 2026Any2Any: Efficient Cross-Embodiment Transfer for Humanoid Whole-Body Tracking22 May 2026
- 2026MorFiC: Fixing Value Miscalibration for Zero-Shot Quadruped Transfer15 Mar 2026
- 2026Cross-Hand Latent Representation for Vision-Language-Action Models10 Mar 2026
- 2026Embodiment-Aware Generalist Specialist Distillation for Unified Humanoid Whole-Body Control3 Feb 2026
Similar, not cited
Close in wording, no citation either way
- 2026PolyMorph: Learning Locomotion Policy for Cross-Embodiment Adaptation
- 2025Integrating Diffusion-based Multi-task Learning with Online Reinforcement Learning for Robust Quadruped Robot Control
- 2025Flexible Locomotion Learning with Diffusion Model Predictive Control
- 2024Offline Adaptation of Quadruped Locomotion using Diffusion Models
- 2024Leveraging Symmetry in RL-based Legged Locomotion Control
- 2025MoE-Loco: Mixture of Experts for Multitask Locomotion
- 2026Cross-Embodiment Offline Reinforcement Learning for Heterogeneous Robot Datasets
- 2024BiRoDiff: Diffusion policies for bipedal robot locomotion on unseen terrains