Topology for Computing

by Afra J. Zomorodian

Written by a computer scientist for computer scientists, this book teaches topology from a computational point of view, and shows how to solve real problems that have topological aspects involving computers. Such problems arise in many areas, such as computer graphics, robotics, structural biology, and chemistry. The author starts from the basics of topology, assuming no prior exposure to the subject, and moves rapidly up to recent advances in the area, including topological persistence and hierarchical Morse complexes. Algorithms and data structures are presented when appropriate.

Genres: Computer Science, Mathematics, Textbooks

258 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2009

Reviews

[Erickson]

Only read the part about persistent homology, which was part of my algebraic topology course. This book does not aim to be rigorous, but it is interesting because it never occurred to me that there is a computational usefulness in homology theory that can be used to encode information. With some limitations, I managed to use the framework to e.g. distinguish simple structural isomers. This basic knowledge may come in handy should I end up needing it again in future, though admittedly because it is not my working field, I did not read half of it.