  We consider the problems of learning forward models that map state to
high-dimensional images and inverse models that map high-dimensional images to
state in robotics. Specifically, we present a perceptual model for generating
video frames from state with deep networks, and provide a framework for its use
in tracking and prediction tasks. We show that our proposed model greatly
outperforms standard deconvolutional methods and GANs for image generation,
producing clear, photo-realistic images. We also develop a convolutional neural
network model for state estimation and compare the result to an Extended Kalman
Filter to estimate robot trajectories. We validate all models on a real robotic
system.
