Continuous Offset-Based Coverage Paths for Planar Regions

Undergraduate research project, 2022

Key ideas explored

• A geometric distinction between local and global self-intersections in contour-parallel offset curves, and how they affect coverage continuity.
• Use of medial-axis width structure to reason about when offsetting causes a region to split, and how modifying width can prevent topological disconnection.
• A simple pre-processing technique that converts a family of offset loops into a single spiral-like continuous path.
• Identification of sharp-turn regions induced by offsetting and localized smoothing without globally altering equidistance.

Limitations and scope

• This work does not claim empirical superiority over existing infill or coverage strategies used in modern additive manufacturing.
• The approach prioritizes geometric continuity over material optimality, and is most relevant to contexts where uniform coverage and motion smoothness dominate.
• The algorithms are primarily geometric and exploratory; no large-scale benchmarking or hardware validation was performed.

In hindsight, this project shaped how I think about the relationship between geometric structure, modeling assumptions, and real-world relevance. Many of the limitations of this work informed my later focus on formally scoped, validated methods in safe learning and control.