Slide 3

CSCI 201 Guest Lecture: Data Modeling

What is a data model? (cont.)

Robotics Example

Problem: A robot wants to walk across a parking lot from point A to point B. There are a number of obstacles (cars) in the way. The robot can squeeze between some of the cars. Plan the shortest path from A to B such that the robot does not scratch any of the cars.

Solution: The robot is confined to the surface of the earth, and the parking lot is somewhat flat. Model the parking lot as a geometric horizontal plane. Model the cars as rectangles of width and length equal to the cars they represent. Model the robot as the smallest circle the actual robot can stand in while walking.


Robot navigation problem model.

Shrink the robot to a point and grow the cars (Minkowski sum) by circle's radius. Draw a visibility graph and apply Dijkstra's algorithm to find the shortest path.


Visibility graph.

This example shows modeling that makes computation feasible.

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Email: Richard dot J dot Wagner at gmail dot com

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