{"id":"https://openalex.org/W7162755253","doi":"https://doi.org/10.48550/arxiv.2605.30117","title":"VLA-Trace: Diagnosing Vision-Language-Action Models through Representation and Behavior Tracing","display_name":"VLA-Trace: Diagnosing Vision-Language-Action Models through Representation and Behavior Tracing","publication_year":2026,"publication_date":"2026-05-28","ids":{"openalex":"https://openalex.org/W7162755253","doi":"https://doi.org/10.48550/arxiv.2605.30117"},"language":null,"primary_location":{"id":"doi:10.48550/arxiv.2605.30117","is_oa":true,"landing_page_url":"https://doi.org/10.48550/arxiv.2605.30117","pdf_url":null,"source":{"id":"https://openalex.org/S4306400194","display_name":"arXiv (Cornell University)","issn_l":null,"issn":null,"is_oa":true,"is_in_doaj":false,"is_core":false,"host_organization":"https://openalex.org/I205783295","host_organization_name":"Cornell University","host_organization_lineage":["https://openalex.org/I205783295"],"host_organization_lineage_names":[],"type":"repository"},"license":"cc-by","license_id":"https://openalex.org/licenses/cc-by","version":null,"is_accepted":false,"is_published":false,"raw_source_name":null,"raw_type":"Preprint"},"type":"preprint","indexed_in":["datacite"],"open_access":{"is_oa":true,"oa_status":"green","oa_url":"https://doi.org/10.48550/arxiv.2605.30117","any_repository_has_fulltext":true},"authorships":[{"author_position":"first","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5137311610","display_name":"Haoyuan Shi","orcid":null},"institutions":[],"countries":[],"is_corresponding":false,"raw_author_name":"Shi, Haoyuan","raw_affiliation_strings":[],"raw_orcid":null,"affiliations":[]},{"author_position":"middle","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5137348935","display_name":"Xiancong Ren","orcid":null},"institutions":[],"countries":[],"is_corresponding":false,"raw_author_name":"Ren, Xiancong","raw_affiliation_strings":[],"raw_orcid":null,"affiliations":[]},{"author_position":"middle","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5002797727","display_name":"Yingji Zhang","orcid":"https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1499-3309"},"institutions":[],"countries":[],"is_corresponding":false,"raw_author_name":"Zhang, Yingji","raw_affiliation_strings":[],"raw_orcid":null,"affiliations":[]},{"author_position":"middle","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5137395330","display_name":"Qinfan Zhang","orcid":null},"institutions":[],"countries":[],"is_corresponding":false,"raw_author_name":"Zhang, Qinfan","raw_affiliation_strings":[],"raw_orcid":null,"affiliations":[]},{"author_position":"middle","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5137353604","display_name":"Jiayu Hu","orcid":null},"institutions":[],"countries":[],"is_corresponding":false,"raw_author_name":"Hu, Jiayu","raw_affiliation_strings":[],"raw_orcid":null,"affiliations":[]},{"author_position":"middle","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5044483824","display_name":"Haozhe Shan","orcid":"https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1168-4861"},"institutions":[],"countries":[],"is_corresponding":false,"raw_author_name":"Shan, Haozhe","raw_affiliation_strings":[],"raw_orcid":null,"affiliations":[]},{"author_position":"middle","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5128236886","display_name":"Dong Han","orcid":null},"institutions":[],"countries":[],"is_corresponding":false,"raw_author_name":"Dong, Han","raw_affiliation_strings":[],"raw_orcid":null,"affiliations":[]},{"author_position":"middle","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5136206231","display_name":"Jinpeng Lu","orcid":null},"institutions":[],"countries":[],"is_corresponding":false,"raw_author_name":"Lu, Jinpeng","raw_affiliation_strings":[],"raw_orcid":null,"affiliations":[]},{"author_position":"middle","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5137393372","display_name":"Yinda Chen","orcid":null},"institutions":[],"countries":[],"is_corresponding":false,"raw_author_name":"Chen, Yinda","raw_affiliation_strings":[],"raw_orcid":null,"affiliations":[]},{"author_position":"middle","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5137334466","display_name":"Yi Zhang","orcid":null},"institutions":[],"countries":[],"is_corresponding":false,"raw_author_name":"Zhang, Yi","raw_affiliation_strings":[],"raw_orcid":null,"affiliations":[]},{"author_position":"middle","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5137371792","display_name":"Yong Dai","orcid":null},"institutions":[],"countries":[],"is_corresponding":false,"raw_author_name":"Dai, Yong","raw_affiliation_strings":[],"raw_orcid":null,"affiliations":[]},{"author_position":"last","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5137385748","display_name":"Xiaozhu Ju","orcid":null},"institutions":[],"countries":[],"is_corresponding":false,"raw_author_name":"Ju, Xiaozhu","raw_affiliation_strings":[],"raw_orcid":null,"affiliations":[]}],"institutions":[],"countries_distinct_count":0,"institutions_distinct_count":0,"corresponding_author_ids":[],"corresponding_institution_ids":[],"apc_list":null,"apc_paid":null,"fwci":null,"has_fulltext":false,"cited_by_count":0,"citation_normalized_percentile":null,"cited_by_percentile_year":null,"biblio":{"volume":null,"issue":null,"first_page":null,"last_page":null},"is_retracted":false,"is_paratext":false,"is_xpac":false,"primary_topic":{"id":"https://openalex.org/T11714","display_name":"Multimodal Machine Learning Applications","score":0.8202999830245972,"subfield":{"id":"https://openalex.org/subfields/1707","display_name":"Computer Vision and Pattern Recognition"},"field":{"id":"https://openalex.org/fields/17","display_name":"Computer Science"},"domain":{"id":"https://openalex.org/domains/3","display_name":"Physical Sciences"}},"topics":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/T11714","display_name":"Multimodal Machine Learning Applications","score":0.8202999830245972,"subfield":{"id":"https://openalex.org/subfields/1707","display_name":"Computer Vision and Pattern Recognition"},"field":{"id":"https://openalex.org/fields/17","display_name":"Computer Science"},"domain":{"id":"https://openalex.org/domains/3","display_name":"Physical Sciences"}},{"id":"https://openalex.org/T11431","display_name":"Action Observation and Synchronization","score":0.06610000133514404,"subfield":{"id":"https://openalex.org/subfields/3207","display_name":"Social Psychology"},"field":{"id":"https://openalex.org/fields/32","display_name":"Psychology"},"domain":{"id":"https://openalex.org/domains/2","display_name":"Social Sciences"}},{"id":"https://openalex.org/T11883","display_name":"Embodied and Extended Cognition","score":0.019600000232458115,"subfield":{"id":"https://openalex.org/subfields/2805","display_name":"Cognitive Neuroscience"},"field":{"id":"https://openalex.org/fields/28","display_name":"Neuroscience"},"domain":{"id":"https://openalex.org/domains/1","display_name":"Life Sciences"}}],"keywords":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/representation","display_name":"Representation (politics)","score":0.6583999991416931},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/trace","display_name":"TRACE (psycholinguistics)","score":0.5156000256538391},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/tracing","display_name":"Tracing","score":0.4932999908924103},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/action","display_name":"Action (physics)","score":0.492000013589859},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/control","display_name":"Control (management)","score":0.4129999876022339},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/key","display_name":"Key (lock)","score":0.40389999747276306},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/causal-model","display_name":"Causal model","score":0.3885999917984009},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/causal-chain","display_name":"Causal chain","score":0.3840000033378601},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/trajectory","display_name":"Trajectory","score":0.35339999198913574}],"concepts":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/C41008148","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q21198","display_name":"Computer science","level":0,"score":0.7081999778747559},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2776359362","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q2145286","display_name":"Representation (politics)","level":3,"score":0.6583999991416931},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C154945302","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q11660","display_name":"Artificial intelligence","level":1,"score":0.5494999885559082},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C75291252","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1315756","display_name":"TRACE (psycholinguistics)","level":2,"score":0.5156000256538391},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C138673069","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q322229","display_name":"Tracing","level":2,"score":0.4932999908924103},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2780791683","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q846785","display_name":"Action (physics)","level":2,"score":0.492000013589859},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C2775924081","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q55608371","display_name":"Control (management)","level":2,"score":0.4129999876022339},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C26517878","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q228039","display_name":"Key (lock)","level":2,"score":0.40389999747276306},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C11671645","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q5054567","display_name":"Causal model","level":2,"score":0.3885999917984009},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C79897977","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q5054568","display_name":"Causal chain","level":2,"score":0.3840000033378601},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C119857082","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q2539","display_name":"Machine learning","level":1,"score":0.38350000977516174},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C13662910","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q193139","display_name":"Trajectory","level":2,"score":0.35339999198913574},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C177264268","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1514741","display_name":"Set (abstract data type)","level":2,"score":0.34869998693466187},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C139807058","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q352374","display_name":"Adaptation (eye)","level":2,"score":0.3382999897003174},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C12713177","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1900281","display_name":"Perspective (graphical)","level":2,"score":0.33160001039505005},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C74193536","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q574844","display_name":"Kernel (algebra)","level":2,"score":0.3188999891281128},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C143299363","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q900584","display_name":"Attribution","level":2,"score":0.3172000050544739},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C184337299","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1437428","display_name":"Semantics (computer science)","level":2,"score":0.3158999979496002},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C204321447","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q30642","display_name":"Natural language processing","level":1,"score":0.3127000033855438},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C168167062","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1117970","display_name":"Component (thermodynamics)","level":2,"score":0.30390000343322754},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C161301231","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q3478658","display_name":"Knowledge representation and reasoning","level":2,"score":0.2867000102996826},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C145912823","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q113558","display_name":"Dynamics (music)","level":2,"score":0.2791000008583069},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C100609095","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1335050","display_name":"Embodied cognition","level":2,"score":0.2628999948501587},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C64357122","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1149766","display_name":"Causality (physics)","level":2,"score":0.257999986410141},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C31266012","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q6554340","display_name":"Linkage (software)","level":3,"score":0.2524000108242035}],"mesh":[],"locations_count":1,"locations":[{"id":"doi:10.48550/arxiv.2605.30117","is_oa":true,"landing_page_url":"https://doi.org/10.48550/arxiv.2605.30117","pdf_url":null,"source":{"id":"https://openalex.org/S4306400194","display_name":"arXiv (Cornell University)","issn_l":null,"issn":null,"is_oa":true,"is_in_doaj":false,"is_core":false,"host_organization":"https://openalex.org/I205783295","host_organization_name":"Cornell University","host_organization_lineage":["https://openalex.org/I205783295"],"host_organization_lineage_names":[],"type":"repository"},"license":"cc-by","license_id":"https://openalex.org/licenses/cc-by","version":null,"is_accepted":false,"is_published":null,"raw_source_name":null,"raw_type":"Preprint"}],"best_oa_location":{"id":"doi:10.48550/arxiv.2605.30117","is_oa":true,"landing_page_url":"https://doi.org/10.48550/arxiv.2605.30117","pdf_url":null,"source":{"id":"https://openalex.org/S4306400194","display_name":"arXiv (Cornell University)","issn_l":null,"issn":null,"is_oa":true,"is_in_doaj":false,"is_core":false,"host_organization":"https://openalex.org/I205783295","host_organization_name":"Cornell University","host_organization_lineage":["https://openalex.org/I205783295"],"host_organization_lineage_names":[],"type":"repository"},"license":"cc-by","license_id":"https://openalex.org/licenses/cc-by","version":null,"is_accepted":false,"is_published":false,"raw_source_name":null,"raw_type":"Preprint"},"sustainable_development_goals":[],"awards":[],"funders":[],"has_content":{"grobid_xml":false,"pdf":false},"content_urls":null,"referenced_works_count":0,"referenced_works":[],"related_works":[],"abstract_inverted_index":{"Understanding":[0],"how":[1],"Vision-Language-Action":[2],"(VLA)":[3],"models":[4,25,87],"transform":[5],"multimodal":[6,101],"knowledge":[7],"into":[8],"embodied":[9],"control":[10,36,61],"remains":[11],"an":[12],"open":[13],"challenge.":[14],"We":[15],"present":[16],"VLA-Trace,":[17],"a":[18,27],"progressive":[19],"diagnostic":[20],"framework":[21],"that":[22],"analyzes":[23],"VLA":[24,94,112,136],"through":[26],"unified":[28],"evidence":[29],"chain":[30],"from":[31],"representation":[32,53],"dynamics":[33,92],"to":[34,51,58,67],"causal":[35,135],"attribution":[37],"and":[38,45,63,72,78,104,138],"behavioral":[39,65],"manifestation.":[40],"It":[41],"specifically":[42],"combines":[43],"cross-modal":[44],"checkpoint-drift":[46],"centered":[47],"kernel":[48],"alignment":[49],"(CKA)":[50],"trace":[52],"evolution,":[54],"attention":[55],"knockout":[56],"interventions":[57],"identify":[59],"modality-specific":[60,90],"pathways,":[62],"rollout-level":[64],"probes":[66],"examine":[68],"grounding,":[69],"shortcut":[70],"dependence,":[71],"semantic":[73,125,140],"following.":[74,126],"Experiments":[75],"on":[76,99],"$\u03c0_{0.5}$":[77],"OpenVLA":[79],"reveal":[80],"three":[81],"key":[82],"findings.":[83],"First,":[84],"the":[85],"two":[86],"exhibit":[88],"distinct":[89],"adaptation":[91],"during":[93,107],"finetuning.":[95],"Second,":[96],"they":[97,120],"rely":[98],"different":[100],"routing":[102],"strategies":[103],"layer-wise":[105],"dependencies":[106],"action":[108],"decoding.":[109],"Third,":[110],"although":[111],"policies":[113],"excel":[114],"at":[115],"visually":[116],"grounded":[117],"trajectory":[118],"generation,":[119],"remain":[121],"limited":[122],"in":[123],"fine-grained":[124],"These":[127],"findings":[128],"highlight":[129],"future":[130],"directions":[131],"for":[132],"representation-preserving":[133],"adaptation,":[134],"circuits,":[137],"compositional":[139],"control.":[141]},"counts_by_year":[],"updated_date":"2026-07-01T06:00:48.157686","created_date":"2026-05-30T00:00:00"}