Behavior Trees vs Executable Ontologies: a Comparative Analysis of Robot Control Paradigms

• URL: http://arxiv.org/abs/2511.15274v1
• Date: Wed, 19 Nov 2025 09:38:01 GMT
• Title: Behavior Trees vs Executable Ontologies: a Comparative Analysis of Robot Control Paradigms
• Authors: Alexander Boldachev,
• Abstract summary: We compare two approaches to modeling robotic behavior: imperative Behavior Trees (BTs) and declarative Executable Ontologies (EO)<n>BTs structure behavior hierarchically using control-flow, whereas EO represents the domain as a temporal, event-based semantic graph driven by dataflow rules.
• Score: 51.56484100374058
• License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/
• Abstract: This paper compares two distinct approaches to modeling robotic behavior: imperative Behavior Trees (BTs) and declarative Executable Ontologies (EO), implemented through the boldsea framework. BTs structure behavior hierarchically using control-flow, whereas EO represents the domain as a temporal, event-based semantic graph driven by dataflow rules. We demonstrate that EO achieves comparable reactivity and modularity to BTs through a fundamentally different architecture: replacing polling-based tick execution with event-driven state propagation. We propose that EO offers an alternative framework, moving from procedural programming to semantic domain modeling, to address the semantic-process gap in traditional robotic control. EO supports runtime model modification, full temporal traceability, and a unified representation of data, logic, and interface - features that are difficult or sometimes impossible to achieve with BTs, although BTs excel in established, predictable scenarios. The comparison is grounded in a practical mobile manipulation task. This comparison highlights the respective operational strengths of each approach in dynamic, evolving robotic systems.

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