Echo state networks for mobile robot modeling and control

Applications of recurrent neural networks (RNNs) tend to be rare because training is difficult. A recent theoretical breakthrough [Jae01b] called Echo State Networks (ESNs) has made RNN training easy and fast and makes RNNs a versatile tool for many problems. The key idea is training the output weights only of an otherwise topologically unrestricted but contractive network. After outlining the mathematical basics, we apply ESNs to two examples namely to the generation of a dynamical model for a differential drive robot using supervised learning and secondly to the training of a respective motor controller.