# Securing Pathways with Orthogonal Robots

arXiv: https://arxiv.org/abs/2308.10093 · HTML: https://mlsanity.com/paper/2308.10093/

## Key facts

- No citing papers in the map yet (data through 14 Oct 2026).
- Builds on 6 of its 22 references that are in the map.
- First posted on arXiv 19 Aug 2023.

## Builds on (most cited first, 6 of 6)

- [On r-Guarding Thin Orthogonal Polygons](https://mlsanity.com/paper/1604.07100/) (2016)
- [Geometric Embedding of Path and Cycle Graphs in Pseudo-convex Polygons](https://mlsanity.com/paper/1708.01457/) (2017)
- [A Linear-time Algorithm for Orthogonal Watchman Route Problem with Minimum Bends](https://mlsanity.com/paper/1708.01461/) (2017)
- [Guarding Path Polygons with Orthogonal Visibility](https://mlsanity.com/paper/1709.01569/) (2017)
- [Special Guards in Chromatic Art Gallery](https://mlsanity.com/paper/1709.02996/) (2017)
- [A New Optimal Algorithm for Computing the Visibility Area of a simple Polygon from a Viewpoint](https://mlsanity.com/paper/1803.10184/) (2018)

## Abstract (arXiv)

The protection of pathways holds immense significance across various domains, including urban planning, transportation, surveillance, and security. This article introduces a groundbreaking approach to safeguarding pathways by employing orthogonal robots. The study specifically addresses the challenge of efficiently guarding orthogonal areas with the minimum number of orthogonal robots. The primary focus is on orthogonal pathways, characterized by a path-like dual graph of vertical decomposition. It is demonstrated that determining the minimum number of orthogonal robots for pathways can be achieved in linear time. However, it is essential to note that the general problem of finding the minimum number of robots for simple polygons with general visibility, even in the orthogonal case, is known to be NP-hard. Emphasis is placed on the flexibility of placing robots anywhere within the polygon, whether on the boundary or in the interior.