Topologically certified approximation of umbilics and ridges on polynomial parametric surface

Given a smooth surface, a blue (red) ridge is a curve along which the maximum (minimum) principal curvature has an extremum along its curvature line. Ridges are curves of extremal curvature and encode important informations used in surface analysis or segmentation. But reporting the ridges of a surface requires manipulating third and fourth order derivatives whence numerical difficulties. Additionally, ridges have self-intersections and complex interactions with the umbilics of the surface whence topological difficulties. In this context, we make two contributions for the computation of ridges of polynomial parametric surfaces. First, by instantiating to the polynomial setting a global structure theorem of ridge curves proved in a companion paper, we develop the first certified algorithm to produce a topological approximation of the curve P encoding all the ridges of the surface. The algorithm exploits the singular structure of P umbilics and purple points, and reduces the problem to solving zero dimensional systems using Gröbner basis. Second, for cases where the zero-dimensional systems cannot be practically solved, we develop a certified plot algorithm at any fixed resolution. These contributions are respectively illustrated for Bezier surfaces of degree four and five

Bivariate systems and topology of plane curves: algebraic and numerical methods

The work presented in this thesis belongs to the domain of non-linear computational geometry in lowdimension. More precisely it focuses on solving bivariate systems and computing the topology of curvesin the plane. When the input is given by polynomials, the natural tools come from computer algebra.Our contributions are algorithms proven efficient in a deterministic or a Las Vegas settings together witha practical efficient software for topology certified drawing of a plane algebraic curve. When the input isnot restricted to be polynomials but given by interval functions, we design algorithms based on certifiednumerical approches using subdivision and interval arithmetic. The input is then required to fulfill somegeneric assumptions and our algorithms are certified in the sense that they terminate if and only if theassumptions are satisfied.Le travail présenté dans cette thèse appartient au domaine de la géométrie computationnelle non linéaireen petite dimension. Plus précisément, il se concentre sur la résolution de systèmes bivariés et le calcul dela topologie des courbes dans le plan. Lorsque l’entrée est donnée par des polynômes, les outils naturelsproviennent du calcul formel. Nos contributions sont des algorithmes dont l’efficacité a été prouvée dansun cadre déterministe ou Las Vegas, ainsi qu’un logiciel efficace pour le dessin certifié de la topologied’une courbe algébrique plane. Lorsque les données d’entrée ne sont pas limitées aux polynômes maissont données par des fonctions d’intervalles, nous concevons des algorithmes basés sur des approchesnumériques certifiées utilisant la subdivision et l’arithmétique d’intervalles. L’entrée doit alors satisfairecertaines hypothèses génériques et nos algorithmes sont certifiés dans le sens où ils se terminent si etseulement si les hypothèses sont satisfaites

Changing representation of curves and surfaces: exact and approximate methods

Το κύριο αντικείμενο μελέτης στην παρούσα διατριβή είναι η αλλαγή αναπαράστασης γεωμετρικών αντικειμένων από παραμετρική σε αλγεβρική (ή πεπλεγμένη) μορφή. Υπολογίζουμε την αλγεβρική εξίσωση παρεμβάλλοντας τους άγνωστους συντελεστές του πολυωνύμου δεδομένου ενός υπερσυνόλου των μονωνύμων του. Το τελευταίο υπολογίζεται απο το Newton πολύτοπο της αλγεβρικής εξίσωσης που υπολογίζεται από μια πρόσφατη μέθοδο πρόβλεψης του συνόλου στήριξης της εξίσωσης. H μέθοδος πρόβλεψης του συνόλου στήριξης βασίζεται στην αραιή (ή τορική) απαλοιφή: το πολύτοπο υπολογίζεται από το Newton πολύτοπο της αραιής απαλοίφουσας αν θεωρίσουμε την παραμετροποίηση ως πολυωνυμικό σύστημα. Στα μονώνυμα που αντιστοιχούν στα ακέραια σημεία του Newton πολυτόπου δίνονται τιμές ώστε να σχηματίσουν έναν αριθμητικό πίνακα. Ο πυρήνα του πίνακα αυτού, διάστασης 1 σε ιδανική περίπτωση, περιέχει τους συντελεστές των μονωνύμων στην αλγεβρική εξίσωση. Υπολογίζουμε τον πυρήνα του πίνακα είτε συμβολικά είτε αριθμητικά εφαρμόζοντας την μέθοδο του singular value decomposition (SVD). Προτείνουμε τεχνικές για να διαχειριστούμε την περίπτωση ενός πολυδιάστατου πυρήνα το οποίο εμφανίζεται όταν το προβλεπόμενο σύνολο στήριξης είναι ένα υπερσύνολο του πραγματικού. Αυτό δίνει έναν αποτελεσματικό ευαίσθητο-εξόδου αλγόριθμο υπολογισμού της αλγεβρικής εξίσωσης. Συγκρίνουμε διαφορετικές προσεγγίσεις κατασκευής του πίνακα μέσω των λογισμικών Maple και SAGE. Στα πειράματά μας χρησιμοποιήθηκαν ρητές καμπύλες και επιφάνειες καθώς και NURBS. Η μέθοδός μας μπορεί να εφαρμοστεί σε πολυώνυμα ή ρητές παραμετροποιήσεις επίπεδων καμπυλών ή (υπερ)επιφανειών οποιασδήποτε διάστασης συμπεριλαμβανομένων και των περιπτώσεων με παραμετροποίηση σεσημεία βάσης που εγείρουν σημαντικά ζητήματα για άλλες μεθόδους αλγεβρικοποίησης. Η μέθοδος έχει τον εξής περιορισμό: τα γεωμετρικά αντικείμενα πρέπει να αναπαριστώνται από βάσεις μονωνύμων που στην περίπτωση τριγωνομετρικών παραμετροποιήσεων θα πρέπει να μπορούν να μετασχηματιστούν σε ρητές συναρτήσεις. Επιπλέον η τεχνική που προτείνουμε μπορεί να εφαρμοστεί σε μη γεωμετρικά προβλήματα όπως ο υπολογισμόςτης διακρίνουσας ενός πολυωνύμου με πολλές μεταβλητές ή της απαλοίφουσας ενός συστήματος πολυωνύμων με πολλές μεταβλητές.The main object of study in our dissertation is the representation change of the geometric objects from the parametric form to implicit. We compute the implicit equation interpolating the unknown coefficients of the implicit polynomial given a superset of its monomials. The latter is derived from the Newton polytope of the implicit equation obtained by the recently developed method for support prediction. The support prediction method we use relies on sparse (or toric) elimination: the implicit polytope is obtained from the Newton polytope of the sparse resultant of the system in parametrization, represented as polynomials. The monomials that correspond to the lattice points of the Newton polytope are suitably evaluated to build a numeric matrix, ideally of corank 1. Its kernel contains their coefficients in the implicit equation. We compute kernel of the matrix either symbolically, or numerically, applying singular value decomposition (SVD). We propose techniques for handling the case of the multidimensional kernel space, caused by the predicted support being a superset of the actual. This yields an efficient, output-sensitive algorithm for computing the implicit equation. We compare different approaches for constructing the matrix in Maple and SAGE software. In our experiments we have used classical algebraic curves and surfaces as well as NURBS. Our method can be applied to polynomial or rational parametrizations of planar curves or (hyper)surfaces of any dimension including cases of parameterizations with base points which raise important issues for other implicitization methods. The method has its limits: geometric objects have to be presented using monomial basis; in the case of trigonometric parametrizations they have to be convertible to rational functions. Moreover, the proposed technique can be applied for nongeometric problems such as the computation of the discriminant of a multivariate polynomial or the resultant of a system of multivariate polynomials

A computational study of ruled surfaces

International audienceWe study rational ruled surfaces and $\mu$-bases which were recently considered in a series of articles by Chen and coworkers. We give short and conceptual proofs with geometric insights and efficient algorithms. In particular, we provide a method to reparameterize an improper parameterization and we also briefly explain how to deal with approximate input data. Finally we provide an algorithmic description of self-intersection loci

Parallel Manipulators

In recent years, parallel kinematics mechanisms have attracted a lot of attention from the academic and industrial communities due to potential applications not only as robot manipulators but also as machine tools. Generally, the criteria used to compare the performance of traditional serial robots and parallel robots are the workspace, the ratio between the payload and the robot mass, accuracy, and dynamic behaviour. In addition to the reduced coupling effect between joints, parallel robots bring the benefits of much higher payload-robot mass ratios, superior accuracy and greater stiffness; qualities which lead to better dynamic performance. The main drawback with parallel robots is the relatively small workspace. A great deal of research on parallel robots has been carried out worldwide, and a large number of parallel mechanism systems have been built for various applications, such as remote handling, machine tools, medical robots, simulators, micro-robots, and humanoid robots. This book opens a window to exceptional research and development work on parallel mechanisms contributed by authors from around the world. Through this window the reader can get a good view of current parallel robot research and applications

Analytic Combinatorics in Several Variables: Effective Asymptotics and Lattice Path Enumeration

The field of analytic combinatorics, which studies the asymptotic behaviour of sequences through analytic properties of their generating functions, has led to the development of deep and powerful tools with applications across mathematics and the natural sciences. In addition to the now classical univariate theory, recent work in the study of analytic combinatorics in several variables (ACSV) has shown how to derive asymptotics for the coefficients of certain D-finite functions represented by diagonals of multivariate rational functions. We give a pedagogical introduction to the methods of ACSV from a computer algebra viewpoint, developing rigorous algorithms and giving the first complexity results in this area under conditions which are broadly satisfied. Furthermore, we give several new applications of ACSV to the enumeration of lattice walks restricted to certain regions. In addition to proving several open conjectures on the asymptotics of such walks, a detailed study of lattice walk models with weighted steps is undertaken.Comment: PhD thesis, University of Waterloo and ENS Lyon - 259 page

Bernstein-Sato polynomials in commutative algebra

This is an expository survey on the theory of Bernstein-Sato polynomials with special emphasis in its recent developments and its importance in commutative algebra.Comment: 64 page

Modular and Analytical Methods for Solving Kinematics and Dynamics of Series-Parallel Hybrid Robots

While serial robots are known for their versatility in applications, larger workspace, simpler modeling and control, they have certain disadvantages like limited precision, lower stiffness and poor dynamic characteristics in general. A parallel robot can offer higher stiffness, speed, accuracy and payload capacity, at the downside of a reduced workspace and a more complex geometry that needs careful analysis and control. To bring the best of the two worlds, parallel submechanism modules can be connected in series to achieve a series-parallel hybrid robot with better dynamic characteristics and larger workspace. Such a design philosophy is being used in several robots not only at DFKI (for e.g., Mantis, Charlie, Recupera Exoskeleton, RH5 humanoid etc.) but also around the world, for e.g. Lola (TUM), Valkyrie (NASA), THOR (Virginia Tech.) etc.These robots inherit the complexity of both serial and parallel architectures. Hence, solving their kinematics and dynamics is challenging because they are subjected to additional geometric loop closure constraints. Most approaches in multi-body dynamics adopt numerical resolution of these constraints for the sake of generality but may suffer from inaccuracy and performance issues. They also do not exploit the modularity in robot design. Further, closed loop systems can have variable mobility, different assembly modes and can impose redundant constraints on the equations of motion which deteriorates the quality of many multi-body dynamics solvers. Very often only a local view to the system behavior is possible. Hence, it is interesting for geometers or kinematics researchers, to study the analytical solutions to geometric problems associated with a specific type of parallel mechanism and their importance over numerical solutions is irrefutable. Techniques such as screw theory, computational algebraic geometry, elimination and continuation methods are popular in this domain. But this domain specific knowledge is often underrepresented in the design of model based kinematics and dynamics software frameworks. The contributions of this thesis are two-fold. Firstly, a rigorous and comprehensive kinematic analysis is performed for the novel parallel mechanisms invented recently at DFKI-RIC such as RH5 ankle mechanism and Active Ankle using approaches from computational algebraic geometry and screw theory. Secondly, the general idea of a modular software framework called Hybrid Robot Dynamics (HyRoDyn) is presented which can be used to solve the geometry, kinematics and dynamics of series-parallel hybrid robotic systems with the help of a software database which stores the analytical solutions for parallel submechanism modules in a configurable and unit testable manner. HyRoDyn approach is suitable for both high fidelity simulations and real-time control of complex series-parallel hybrid robots. The results from this thesis has been applied to two robotic systems namely Recupera-Reha exoskeleton and RH5 humanoid. The aim of this software tool is to assist both designers and control engineers in developing complex robotic systems of the future. Efficient kinematic and dynamic modeling can lead to more compliant behavior, better whole body control, walking and manipulating capabilities etc. which are highly desired in the present day and future robotic applications

Computer Science for Continuous Data:Survey, Vision, Theory, and Practice of a Computer Analysis System

Building on George Boole's work, Logic provides a rigorous foundation for the powerful tools in Computer Science that underlie nowadays ubiquitous processing of discrete data, such as strings or graphs. Concerning continuous data, already Alan Turing had applied "his" machines to formalize and study the processing of real numbers: an aspect of his oeuvre that we transform from theory to practice.The present essay surveys the state of the art and envisions the future of Computer Science for continuous data: natively, beyond brute-force discretization, based on and guided by and extending classical discrete Computer Science, as bridge between Pure and Applied Mathematics

Courbure discrète : théorie et applications

International audienceThe present volume contains the proceedings of the 2013 Meeting on discrete curvature, held at CIRM, Luminy, France. The aim of this meeting was to bring together researchers from various backgrounds, ranging from mathematics to computer science, with a focus on both theory and applications. With 27 invited talks and 8 posters, the conference attracted 70 researchers from all over the world. The challenge of finding a common ground on the topic of discrete curvature was met with success, and these proceedings are a testimony of this wor