English

Extending Group Relative Policy Optimization to Continuous Control: A Theoretical Framework for Robotic Reinforcement Learning

Robotics 2025-07-29 v1 Artificial Intelligence

Abstract

Group Relative Policy Optimization (GRPO) has shown promise in discrete action spaces by eliminating value function dependencies through group-based advantage estimation. However, its application to continuous control remains unexplored, limiting its utility in robotics where continuous actions are essential. This paper presents a theoretical framework extending GRPO to continuous control environments, addressing challenges in high-dimensional action spaces, sparse rewards, and temporal dynamics. Our approach introduces trajectory-based policy clustering, state-aware advantage estimation, and regularized policy updates designed for robotic applications. We provide theoretical analysis of convergence properties and computational complexity, establishing a foundation for future empirical validation in robotic systems including locomotion and manipulation tasks.

Keywords

Cite

@article{arxiv.2507.19555,
  title  = {Extending Group Relative Policy Optimization to Continuous Control: A Theoretical Framework for Robotic Reinforcement Learning},
  author = {Rajat Khanda and Mohammad Baqar and Sambuddha Chakrabarti and Satyasaran Changdar},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:2507.19555},
  year   = {2025}
}

Comments

13 pages, 2 figures

R2 v1 2026-07-01T04:19:25.670Z