Same World, Different Knowledge: When Isolated Audits Misjudge World-Model Repairs

Abstract:A repair favored under an isolated input fault can be inferior when deployed modules share the faulty information. We introduce an information-interface audit for world models, distinguishing fidelity gaps, where exact inputs become estimates, from availability gaps, where inputs are missing. Fixed-weight interventions measure prediction error, input dependence, and paired closed-loop benefit, including dependencies introduced by reconstruction. In simulated quadrotor model predictive control, coupled, opposite-sign 10% mass/thrust calibration errors reduce a physics-anchored model's success from 69% to 8%; uncertainty training restores 65%. Wind reconstruction recovers control benefit but inherits calibration dependence. For a positive calibration offset, reconstruction-only corruption favors uncertainty-trained reconstruction, whereas shared corruption favors the baseline. Acceleration diagnostics reveal compensation between reconstruction bias and nominal-model error, also observed with a disturbance observer. Repair selection therefore depends on the information paths used in deployment.

Robotics (cs.RO)

arXiv:2609.21155 [cs.RO]

(or arXiv:2609.21155v1 [cs.RO] for this version)

https://doi.org/10.48550/arXiv.2609.21155 Focus to learn more arXiv-issued DOI via DataCite (pending registration)

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