Computational Geometry 202-2-5121
Fall 2009

Prerequisite: Algorithms


Announcements:

Look up your grades (24.1.10)

Additional office hours: Thursday, 14.1.10, 15:00-16:00


Instructor:

Matya Katz  ( matya@cs.bgu.ac.il

Office hours: Monday 12:00-14:00, Alon building (37), room 212, Tel: (08) 6461628

 

Teaching Assistant:

          Rom Aschner

Office hours:

 

Class Time:

Monday 10-12 (building 97, room 205)

Wednesday 9-11 (building 90, room 136)


Course Description:

This is an introductory course to computational geometry and its applications. We will present data structures, algorithms and general techniques for solving geometric problems, such as convex hull computation, line segment intersection, orthogonal range searching, Voronoi diagrams and Delaunay triangulations, polygon triangulation, and linear programming. We will also present several applications of geometric algorithms to problems in robotics, computer graphics, GIS (geographic information systems), communication networks, facility location, manufacturing, and VLSI systems design.
 


Bibliography:

The main textbook of the course is

[dBCvKO] Computational Geometry: Algorithms and Applications (3rd edition),
M. de Berg, O. Cheong, M. van Kreveld and M. Overmars, Springer-Verlag, 2008.
 

Additional textbooks

[BY] Algorithmic Geometry by J-D Boissonnat and M. Yvinec, Cambridge University Press, 1998.

[E] Algorithms in Combinatorial Geometry, H. Edelsbrunner, Springer-Verlag, 1987.

[M] Computational Geometry: An Introduction Through Randomized Algorithms, K. Mulmuley, Prentice Hall, 1994.

[O] Computational Geometry in C (2nd edition), J. O'Rourke, Cambridge University Press, 1998.

[PS] Computational Geometry: An Introduction (2nd edition), F. Preparata and M. Shamos, Springer-Verlag, 1988.


Assignments, Exam and Grades:

The final grade will be determined by roughly 3-5 homework assignments (4% each) and a final exam.

 

Many of the exercises in the HW assignments below are taken from [dBCvKO]

 

HW assignment no. 1 (due November 16)

HW assignment no. 2 (due December 7)

HW assignment no. 3 (due January 4)

 

Some old exams: exam 2005 A; exam 2005 B; exam 2007 A; exam 2007 B; exam 2009 A; exam 2009 B


Topics:

The following list of topics is tentative.

The convex hull of a set of points in the plane (applications: computing the diameter and width of a point set).

An output sensitive algorithm for computing the intersection points formed by a set of line segments; the plane sweep technique.

A representation for planar maps (based on doubly-connected edge lists).

Computing the overlay of two planar maps; boolean operations on two polygons (union, intersection, and difference).

The art gallery theorem; introduction to polygon triangulation.

An O(n log n) polygon triangulation algorithm (partitioning a polygon into y-monotone pieces; triangulating a y-monotone polygon).

Orthogonal range searching.  

Casting; transforming the problem of determining whether a polyhedron P with n faces is castable into n instances of the problem of finding a point in the intersection of n half-planes. Computing the intersection of n half planes in O(n log n) time.

Linear programming - introduction; A randomized incremental algorithm for linear programming in the plane.

Planar point location, vertical decomposition / trapezoidal map, a randomized incremental algorithm.

Nearest site queries, nearest site Voronoi diagram.

Triangulation of a set of points in the plane; the Delaunay triangulation.

Arrangement of lines; duality; computing the discrepancy of a set of points in the unit square.

Segment trees; computing the area of a set of n axis-parallel rectangles in O(n log n) time.

Hidden surface removal: problem definition, image space / object space, the z-buffer algorithm, depth order,   the painter's algorithm. Output sensitive hidden surface removal algorithm for horizontal fat triangles.  

Introduction to geometric optimization through facility location optimization and wireless networks.

 


Course summary:

Below you will find, after each class, a brief summary of the topics covered in class.
This should not be taken as a complete description of the course's content.


19.10.09
Introduction

 

21.10.09

The convex hull of a set of points in the plane

 

26.10.09

The diameter and width of a set of points, rotating calipers

An output sensitive alg for reporting all intersection points in a set of line segments in the plane; sweeping with a line

 

28.10.09

Segment intersection alg continued; sweeping with a ray

 

2.11.09

Implementing the decision problem “do two line segments intersect?” and a more general discussion on implementation issues and general position.

The doubly-connected edge list representation for thematic maps. Handout of homework assignment 1

 

4.11.09

Map overlay

 

9.11.09

The art gallery theorem; An introduction to polygon triangulation

 

11.11.09

Polygon triangulation – partitioning a simple polygon into y-monotone polygons

 

16.11.09

Polygon triangulation – triangulating a y-monotone polygon

 

18.11.09

Orthogonal range searching – kd trees

 

23.11.09

Orthogonal range searching – range trees

 

25.11.09

Segment trees; computing the area of the union of rectangles

 

30.11.09

Intro to linear programming (casting), half-plane intersection

 

2.12.09

Randomized incremental algorithm for 2-dimensonal linear programming

 

7.12.09

Point location, trapezoidal decomposition

 

9.12.09

Point location continued

 

14.12.09

Voronoi diagrams – definitions and properties

 

16.12.09

Voronoi diagrams continued; triangulation of a point set

 

21.12.09

Delaunay triangulation, MST is contained in DT

 

23.12.09

Euclidean TSP (a 3/2-approximation algorithm); Duality

 

28.12.09

Duality and computing the discrepancy

 

30.12.09

k-piercing of rectangles

 

4.1.10

Fatness – definitions, properties, applications (point enclosure)

 

6.1.10

DCG day - class canceled

 

11.1.10

Fatness continued (HSR)

 

 

 


Last update: December 13, 2010