Newsgroups: comp.ai
Path: cantaloupe.srv.cs.cmu.edu!rochester!cornellcs!newsstand.cit.cornell.edu!news.acsu.buffalo.edu!news.uoregon.edu!arclight.uoregon.edu!news.sprintlink.net!news-peer.sprintlink.net!howland.erols.net!EU.net!news-peer.gsl.net!news.gsl.net!ix.netcom.com!netcom.com!xie
From: xie@netcom.com (Elf)
Subject: Re: Maze solving algorithms?
Message-ID: <xieE1In6x.JLp@netcom.com>
Organization: NETCOM On-line Communication Services (408 261-4700 guest)
X-Newsreader: TIN [version 1.2 PL1]
References: <xieE1EAxB.1pJ@netcom.com> <329B0A34.7A55@ecs.soton.ac.uk>
Date: Wed, 27 Nov 1996 06:25:45 GMT
Lines: 33
Sender: xie@netcom9.netcom.com

Derek Long (dwl95r@ecs.soton.ac.uk) wrote:
: Elf wrote:
: <snip how the micromouse would do it>
: > 
: > Now consider the following scenario:
: > 
: > You (alone) are planning to go explore a manmade maze this weekend.
: > Let the maze have the following properties.
: > 
: > - there are two external openings into the maze, either may
: >   be chosen as a starting point to find the other
: > - the corridors are made of 8 foot high sewage pipe
: > - there is no internal lighting
: > - there is an operational ventillation system
: > - the corridors do not necessarilly run right next to eachother
: > - the corridors run in straight lines
: > 
: > Your basic, boring maze.
: <snip various artifacts to take with you, except the lunch>

: Take a hose pipe, block the entrance to the maze well enough to keep
: a depth of water in the pipe, start to pour the water, eat the lunch.
: The direction of water flow now indicates the direction to walk to
: the exit at all points in the maze. You do know where your towel is
: don't you?

Actually, I had considered hooking up a (largish) vacuum cleaner to the 
exit and fishing in a ribbon line... this would also lead fairly directly to 
the exit.  However, the problem then becomes - how to accomplish this 
type of maze solution with programming.  Ideas?

n.b.  BTW, the towel is still laying over the floor grate waiting to 
catch the gaggle fish when it is ejected.
