Reinforcement Learning, second edition


Book Description

The significantly expanded and updated new edition of a widely used text on reinforcement learning, one of the most active research areas in artificial intelligence. Reinforcement learning, one of the most active research areas in artificial intelligence, is a computational approach to learning whereby an agent tries to maximize the total amount of reward it receives while interacting with a complex, uncertain environment. In Reinforcement Learning, Richard Sutton and Andrew Barto provide a clear and simple account of the field's key ideas and algorithms. This second edition has been significantly expanded and updated, presenting new topics and updating coverage of other topics. Like the first edition, this second edition focuses on core online learning algorithms, with the more mathematical material set off in shaded boxes. Part I covers as much of reinforcement learning as possible without going beyond the tabular case for which exact solutions can be found. Many algorithms presented in this part are new to the second edition, including UCB, Expected Sarsa, and Double Learning. Part II extends these ideas to function approximation, with new sections on such topics as artificial neural networks and the Fourier basis, and offers expanded treatment of off-policy learning and policy-gradient methods. Part III has new chapters on reinforcement learning's relationships to psychology and neuroscience, as well as an updated case-studies chapter including AlphaGo and AlphaGo Zero, Atari game playing, and IBM Watson's wagering strategy. The final chapter discusses the future societal impacts of reinforcement learning.




Reinforcements


Book Description

Humans have a natural instinct to help others. Imagine walking up to a stranger on the subway and asking them for their seat. What about asking a random person on the street if you could borrow their phone? If the idea makes you squeamish, you're not alone--social psychologists have found that doing these very things makes most of us almost unbearably uncomfortable. But here's the funny thing: even though we hate to ask for help, most people are wired to be helpful. And that's a good thing, because every day in the modern, uber-collaborative workplace, we all need to know when and how to call in the cavalry. However, asking people for help isn't intuitive; in fact, a lot of our instincts are wrong. As a result, we do a poor job of calling in the reinforcements we need, leaving confused or even offended colleagues in our wake. This pragmatic book explains how to get it right. With humor, insight, and engaging storytelling, Heidi Grant, PhD, describes how to elicit helpful behavior from your friends, family, and colleagues--in a way that leaves them feeling genuinely happy to lend a hand. Whether you're a first-time manager or a seasoned leader, getting people to pitch in is what leadership is. Fortunately, people have a natural instinct to help other human beings; you just need to know how to channel this urge into what it is you specifically need them to do. It's not manipulation. It's just management.




Schedules of Reinforcement


Book Description

The contingent relationship between actions and their consequences lies at the heart of Skinner’s experimental analysis of behavior. Particular patterns of behavior emerge depending upon the contingencies established. Ferster and Skinner examined the effects of different schedules of reinforcement on behavior. An extraordinary work, Schedules of Reinforcement represents over 70,000 hours of research primarily with pigeons, though the principles have now been experimentally verified with many species including human beings. At first glance, the book appears to be an atlas of schedules. And so it is, the most exhaustive in existence. But it is also a reminder of the power of describing and explaining behavior through an analysis of measurable and manipulative behavior-environment relations without appealing to physiological mechanisms in the brain. As en exemplar and source for the further study of behavioral phenomena, the book illustrates the scientific philosophy that Skinner and Ferster adopted: that a science is best built from the ground up, from a firm foundation of facts that can eventually be summarized as scientific laws.







Reinforcement Learning


Book Description

Reinforcement learning (RL) will deliver one of the biggest breakthroughs in AI over the next decade, enabling algorithms to learn from their environment to achieve arbitrary goals. This exciting development avoids constraints found in traditional machine learning (ML) algorithms. This practical book shows data science and AI professionals how to learn by reinforcement and enable a machine to learn by itself. Author Phil Winder of Winder Research covers everything from basic building blocks to state-of-the-art practices. You'll explore the current state of RL, focus on industrial applications, learn numerous algorithms, and benefit from dedicated chapters on deploying RL solutions to production. This is no cookbook; doesn't shy away from math and expects familiarity with ML. Learn what RL is and how the algorithms help solve problems Become grounded in RL fundamentals including Markov decision processes, dynamic programming, and temporal difference learning Dive deep into a range of value and policy gradient methods Apply advanced RL solutions such as meta learning, hierarchical learning, multi-agent, and imitation learning Understand cutting-edge deep RL algorithms including Rainbow, PPO, TD3, SAC, and more Get practical examples through the accompanying website




The Sound Reinforcement Handbook


Book Description

(Yamaha Products). Sound reinforcement is the use of audio amplification systems. This book is the first and only book of its kind to cover all aspects of designing and using such systems for public address and musical performance. The book features information on both the audio theory involved and the practical applications of that theory, explaining everything from microphones to loudspeakers. This revised edition features almost 40 new pages and is even easier to follow with the addition of an index and a simplified page and chapter numbering system. New topics covered include: MIDI, Synchronization, and an Appendix on Logarithms. 416 Pages.




Teaching with Reinforcement


Book Description




Reinforced Concrete Design: Principles And Practice


Book Description

This Book Systematically Explains The Basic Principles And Techniques Involved In The Design Of Reinforced Concrete Structures. It Exhaustively Covers The First Course On The Subject At B.E./ B.Tech Level.Important Features: * Exposition Is Based On The Latest Indian Standard Code Is: 456-2000. * Limit State Method Emphasized Throughout The Book. * Working Stress Method Also Explained. * Detailing Aspects Of Reinforcement Highlighted. * Incorporates Earthquake Resistant Design. * Includes A Large Number Of Solved Examples, Practice Problems And Illustrations.The Book Would Serve As A Comprehensive Text For Undergraduate Civil Engineering Students. Practising Engineers Would Also Find It A Valuable Reference Source.




Landmarks in Earth Reinforcement


Book Description

Earth reinforcing techniques are increasingly becoming a useful, powerful and economical solution to various problems encountered in geotechnical engineering practice. Expansion of the experiences and knowledge in this area has succeeded in developing new techniques and their applications to geotechnical engineering problems. In order to discuss the latest experiences and knowledge, and with the purpose of spreading them all over the world for further development, the IS Kyushi conference series on the subject of earth reinforcement have been held in Fukuoka, Japan, every four years since 1988. This fourth symposium, entitled Landmarks in Earth Reinforcement, is a continuation of the series IS Kyushu conferences, and also aims at being one of the landmarks in the progress of modern earth reinforcement practice. The first volume contains 137 papers selected for the symposium covering almost every aspect of earth reinforcement. The second volume contains texts of the special and keynote lectures.




Motivation and Reinforcement


Book Description

One of Lulu's best sellers of all time, the second edition of the book Educate Toward Recovery is now called Motivation and Reinforcement: Turning the Tables on Autism. This book is the ultimate guide to home based autism intervention. It is a forward-thinking guide that translates the Verbal Behavior Approach to ABA into everyday language. With over 100 new pages of material including new Chapters on Social Skills, Behavior Plans, Token Economies, and Advanced Instructional Control methods, this book is a must have even for those who own the 2006 version. International ABA/VB presenter Robert Schramm, explains how you can keep your child engaged in motivated learning throughout his entire day without forcing participation, blocking escape, or nagging procedures. M&R is the full realization of modern ABA/VB Autism Intervention and a great resource for parents, teachers, and therapists working with a child with autism as well as BCBA's looking for ways to improve their approach.