Journal for Geometry and Graphics, Vol. 4, No. 2, pp. 147-157 (2000)

Visualisation of Configuration Spaces of Polygonal Linkages

Olivier Mermoud, Marcel Steiner

Département de Mathématiques, EPF Lausanne
CH-1015 Lausanne
email: marcel.steiner@epfl.ch, olivier.mermoud@epfl.ch

Abstract: Using Morse theory, the configuration space of a 4-gonal (respectively 5-gonal) linkage in the plane or on the unit-sphere can be visualised as a curve in $[0, 2\pi] \times [0, 2\pi]$ (respectively as a surface in $[0, 2\pi] \times [0, 2\pi] \times [0, 2\pi]$).

Keywords: Configuration space, polygonal linkages, Morse theory

Classification (MSC2000): 53A17

Full text of the article:


[Previous Article] [Next Article] [Contents of this Number]
© 2002 ELibM for the EMIS Electronic Edition