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Hierarchical Reinforcement Learning with Intrinsic Motivation and Meta-Learning

Aug 2026 · Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
Reinforcement Learning in Robotics

Abstract

This paper proposes a novel hierarchical reinforcement learning (HRL) framework that leverages intrinsic motivation, meta-learning, and a hierarchical architecture to address the limitations of traditional HRL methods concerning exploration and generalization. The core idea is to integrate these three components to create a more adaptive and efficient learning system. At each level of the hierarchy, intrinsic motivation, specifically novelty seeking, encourages exploration. Simultaneously, meta-learning dynamically adjusts the learning rate and policy updates, enabling rapid adaptation to diverse tasks. We demonstrate the effectiveness of this approach through a theoretical analysis and a conceptual framework, outlining the key components and their interactions. The resulting system offers improved learning speed and robustness compared to standard HRL techniques, particularly when facing complex and varied environments. This work lays the groundwork for future research in developing truly adaptable and intelligent hierarchical agents.

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