Title
Morse Decompositions For Coverage Tasks
Abstract
Exact cellular decompositions represent a robot's free space by dividing it into regions with simple structure such that the sum of the regions fills the free space. These decompositions have been widely used for path planning between two points, but can be used for mapping and coverage of free spaces. In this paper, we define exact cellular decompositions where critical points of Morse functions indicate the location of cell boundaries. Morse functions are those whose critical points are non-degenerate. Between critical points, the structure of a space is effectively the same, so simple control strategies to achieve tasks, such as coverage, are feasible within each cell. This allows us to introduce a general framework for coverage tasks because varying the Morse function has the effect of changing the pattern by which a robot covers its free space. In this paper, we give examples of different Morse functions and comment on their corresponding tasks. In a companion paper, we describe the sensor-based algorithm that constructs the decomposition.
Year
DOI
Venue
2002
10.1177/027836402320556359
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ROBOTICS RESEARCH
Keywords
Field
DocType
coverage, cellular decompositions, Morse functions
Motion planning,Topology,Division (mathematics),Free space,Critical point (mathematics),Morse code,Discrete Morse theory,Robot,Morse theory,Mathematics
Journal
Volume
Issue
ISSN
21
4
0278-3649
Citations 
PageRank 
References 
66
3.97
11
Authors
5
Name
Order
Citations
PageRank
Ercan U. Acar126824.90
Howie Choset22826257.12
Alfred A. Rizzi31208179.03
Prasad N. Atkar415812.25
Douglas Hull5663.97