Maxim Kontsevich a défini un invariant $Z$ des sphères d'homologie rationnelle orientées de dimension $3$ en 1992, en poursuivant l'étude initiée par Edward Witten du développement perturbatif de la théorie de Chern-Simons.L'invariant $Z$ de Kontsevich est gradué. Il s'écrit $Z=(Z_n)_{nin NN }$, où $Z_n$ prend ses valeurs dans un espace $CA_n$ engendré par des diagrammes trivalents à $2n$ sommets appelésdiagrammes de Feynman-Jacobi de degré $n$.L'invariant $Z$ apparait d'abord comme un invariant $Z(M,tau)$ des sphères d'homologie rationnelle $M$ de dimension $3$ munies d'une parallélisation $tau$.Il est l'exponentielle d'un invariant $z(M,tau)=(z_n(M,tau))_{nin NN }$dont la partie de degré $n$ compte algébriquement les plongements des diagrammes de Feynman-Jacobi connexes à $2n$ sommets assujettis à vérifier certaines conditions.On peut associer un invariant homotopique entier $p_1(tau)$ aux parallélisations $tau$ des variétés orientées de dimension $3$, et il existe un élément $beta=(beta_n)_{nin NN}$ de $CA_n$ appelé anomalie tel que$$z_n(M,tau)-p_1(tau)beta_n$$ soit indépendant de $tau$ et noté $z_n(M)$.$$Z(M)=expleft((z_n(M))_{nin NN}right).$$On sait depuis l'introduction de cette constante par Greg Kuperberg et Dylan Thurston en 1999 que $beta_n=0$ si $n$ est pair et que $beta_1 neq 0$.Cette thèse porte sur le calcul de la première valeur inconnue $beta_3$. Elle en présente des expressions très simplifiées et implémentables sur ordinateur. / The Kontsevich invariant $Z$ of rational homology $3-$ sphere was constructed by Maxim Kontsevich in 1992 using configuration space integrals.This invariant is graduated. It can be written as $Z=(Z_n)_{nin NN}$, where $Z_n$ values in the space $mathcal{A}_n$ of jacobi diagram with order $n$. A Jacobi diagram with order $n$ is a trivalent graph with $2n$ vertices. At a first point, we can see $Z$ as an invariant $Z(M,tau)$ of rational homology $3-$spheres equipped with a trivialisation $tau$ so that $Z$ is the exponential of an invariant $z(M,tau)=(z_n(M,tau))_{ninNN}$. In fact, we can say that $z_n(M,tau)$ counts the number of embeddings of connected jacobi diagrams with order $n$ with some additionnal conditions. We can associate an homotopic integer invariant $p_1(tau)$ to each trivialisation $tau$ of oriented $3-$manifolds and it exists $beta=(beta_n)_{ninNN}$, where $beta_ninmathcal{A}_n$ that is called anomaly so that $$z_n(M,tau) - p_1(tay)$$ is independant of $tau$. We name it $z_n(M)$ and $$Z(M)=exp((z_n(M)_{nin NN})).$$Greg Kuperberg and Dylan Thurston introduced this constant in 1999. We already know that $beta_n=0$ if $n$ is even and $beta_1neq 0$. This thesis is about the computation of $beta_3$. It describes simplified expressions of $beta_3$, and this expressions can be compute with a computer.

Legged robots have the potential to cover terrain not accessible to wheel-based robots and vehicles. This makes them better suited to perform tasks, such as search and rescue, in real-world unstructured environments. Pneumatically-actuated, compliant robots are also more suited than their rigid counterparts to work in real-world unstructured environments with humans where unintentional contact may occur. This thesis seeks to combine the benefits of these two type of robots by implementing design methods to aid in the design choice of a 16 degree of freedom (DoF) compliant, continuum-joint quadruped. This work focuses on the design optimization, especially the definition of design metrics, for this type of robot. The work also includes the construction and closed-loop control of a four-DoF continuum-joint leg used to validate design methods.We define design metrics for legged robot metrics that evaluate their ability to traverse unstructured terrain, carry payloads, find stable footholds, and move in desired directions. These design metrics require a sampling of a legged-robot's complete configuration space. For high-DoF robots, such as the 16-DoF in evaluated in this work, the evaluation of these metrics become intractable with contemporary computing power. Therefore, we present methods that can be used to simplify and approximate these metrics. These approximations have been validated on a simulated four-DoF legged robot where they can tractably be compared against their full counterparts.Using the approximations of the defined metrics, we have performed a multi-objective design optimization to investigate the ten-dimensional design space of a 16-DoF compliant, continuum-joint quadruped. The design variables used include leg link geometry, robot base dimensions, and the leg mount angles. We have used an evolutionary algorithm as our optimization method which converged on a Pareto front of optimal designs. From these set of designs, we are able to identify the trade-offs and design differences between robots that perform well in each of the different design metrics. Because of our approximation of the metrics, we were able to perform this optimization on a supercomputer with 28 cores in less than 40 hours.We have constructed a 1.3 m long continuum-joint leg from one of the resulting quadruped designs of the optimization. We have implemented configuration estimation and control and force control on this leg to evaluate the leg payload capability. Using these controllers, we have conducted an experiment to compare the leg's ability to provide downward force in comparison with its theoretical payload capabilities. We then demonstrated how the torque model used in the calculation of payload capabilities can accurately calculate trends in force output from the leg.

Neste trabalho, nos concentramos no estudo da topologia da fibração de Milnor associada a um germe de aplicação polinomial f : (Rn , 0) → (Rp , 0) com uma singularidade isolada na origem. O primeiro resultado é uma extensão da caracterização de germes de aplicações triviais nos pares de dimensões (n; p) quando n - p = 3: Uma caracterização inicial foi apresentada por Church e Lamotke em 1975. O segundo resultado é a caracterização de NS-pares (S5 , K2), usando a topologia de espaços de configuração. Como uma consequência desta caracterização, mostramos a existência de germe de aplicação polinomial real nos pares de dimensões (6; 3) com uma singularidade isolada na origem tal que sua fibra de Milnor não é difeomorfa a um disco. A existência desses exemplos coloca um fim ao problema da não-trivialidade proposto por Milnor em 1968 e além disso, nos permite apresentar um novo resultado sobre a topologia da fibra de Milnor real nos pares de dimensões (2n; n) e (2n + 1; n); n ≥ 3: Tal resultado garante a existência de germes de aplicações polinomiais (Rn , 0) → (Rp, 0); n ≥ p ≥ 2; com uma singularidade isolada na origem tais que suas fibras de Milnor têm o tipo de homotopia de um buquê de um número positivo de esferas. / In this work, we focus on the study of the topology of the Milnor fibration associated with a polynomial map germ f : (Rn , 0) → (Rp , 0) with an isolated singularity at the origin. The first result is an extension of the characterization of trivial map germs in the pairs of dimensions (n; p) when n - p = 3: An initial characterization was presented by Church and Lamotke in 1975. The second result is a characterization of NS-pairs (S5 , K2), using the topology of configuration spaces. As a consequence of this characterization, we show the existence of real polynomial map germs in the pairs of dimensions (6; 3) with an isolated singularity at the origin such that its Milnor fibers are not diffeomorphic to a disc. The existence of such examples ends a non-triviality problem posed by Milnor in 1968 and furthermore, it allows us to show a new result about the topology of the real Milnor fibers in the pairs of dimensions (2n; n) and (2n + 1; n); n ≥ 3. This result ensure the existence of polynomial map germs (Rn , 0) → (Rp, 0); n ≥ p ≥ 2; with an isolated singularity at the origin such that its Milnor fibers has the homotopy type of a bouquet of a positive number of spheres.

The Multi-Layer Perceptron (MLP) is one of the most widely applied and researched Artificial Neural Network model. MLP networks are normally applied to performing supervised learning tasks, which involve iterative training methods to adjust the connection weights within the network. This is commonly formulated as a multivariate non-linear optimization problem over a very high-dimensional space of possible weight configurations. Analogous to the field of mathematical optimization, training an MLP is often described as the search of an error surface for a weight vector which gives the smallest possible error value. Although this presents a useful notion of the training process, there are many problems associated with using the error surface to understand the behaviour of learning algorithms and the properties of MLP mappings themselves. Because of the high-dimensionality of the system, many existing methods of analysis are not well-suited to this problem. Visualizing and describing the error surface are also nontrivial and problematic. These problems are specific to complex systems such as neural networks, which contain large numbers of adjustable parameters, and the investigation of such systems in this way is largely a developing area of research. In this thesis, the concept of the error surface is explored using three related methods. Firstly, Principal Component Analysis (PCA) is proposed as a method for visualizing the learning trajectory followed by an algorithm on the error surface. It is found that PCA provides an effective method for performing such a visualization, as well as providing an indication of the significance of individual weights to the training process. Secondly, sampling methods are used to explore the error surface and to measure certain properties of the error surface, providing the necessary data for an intuitive description of the error surface. A number of practical MLP error surfaces are found to contain a high degree of ultrametric structure, in common with other known configuration spaces of complex systems. Thirdly, a class of global optimization algorithms is also developed, which is focused on the construction and evolution of a model of the error surface (or search spa ce) as an integral part of the optimization process. The relationships between this algorithm class, the Population-Based Incremental Learning algorithm, evolutionary algorithms and cooperative search are discussed. The work provides important practical techniques for exploration of the error surfaces of MLP networks. These techniques can be used to examine the dynamics of different training algorithms, the complexity of MLP mappings and an intuitive description of the nature of the error surface. The configuration spaces of other complex systems are also amenable to many of these techniques. Finally, the algorithmic framework provides a powerful paradigm for visualization of the optimization process and the development of parallel coupled optimization algorithms which apply knowledge of the error surface to solving the optimization problem.

Neste trabalho, nos concentramos no estudo da topologia da fibração de Milnor associada a um germe de aplicação polinomial f : (Rn , 0) → (Rp , 0) com uma singularidade isolada na origem. O primeiro resultado é uma extensão da caracterização de germes de aplicações triviais nos pares de dimensões (n; p) quando n - p = 3: Uma caracterização inicial foi apresentada por Church e Lamotke em 1975. O segundo resultado é a caracterização de NS-pares (S5 , K2), usando a topologia de espaços de configuração. Como uma consequência desta caracterização, mostramos a existência de germe de aplicação polinomial real nos pares de dimensões (6; 3) com uma singularidade isolada na origem tal que sua fibra de Milnor não é difeomorfa a um disco. A existência desses exemplos coloca um fim ao problema da não-trivialidade proposto por Milnor em 1968 e além disso, nos permite apresentar um novo resultado sobre a topologia da fibra de Milnor real nos pares de dimensões (2n; n) e (2n + 1; n); n ≥ 3: Tal resultado garante a existência de germes de aplicações polinomiais (Rn , 0) → (Rp, 0); n ≥ p ≥ 2; com uma singularidade isolada na origem tais que suas fibras de Milnor têm o tipo de homotopia de um buquê de um número positivo de esferas. / In this work, we focus on the study of the topology of the Milnor fibration associated with a polynomial map germ f : (Rn , 0) → (Rp , 0) with an isolated singularity at the origin. The first result is an extension of the characterization of trivial map germs in the pairs of dimensions (n; p) when n - p = 3: An initial characterization was presented by Church and Lamotke in 1975. The second result is a characterization of NS-pairs (S5 , K2), using the topology of configuration spaces. As a consequence of this characterization, we show the existence of real polynomial map germs in the pairs of dimensions (6; 3) with an isolated singularity at the origin such that its Milnor fibers are not diffeomorphic to a disc. The existence of such examples ends a non-triviality problem posed by Milnor in 1968 and furthermore, it allows us to show a new result about the topology of the real Milnor fibers in the pairs of dimensions (2n; n) and (2n + 1; n); n ≥ 3. This result ensure the existence of polynomial map germs (Rn , 0) → (Rp, 0); n ≥ p ≥ 2; with an isolated singularity at the origin such that its Milnor fibers has the homotopy type of a bouquet of a positive number of spheres.

La génération de chemins lisses pour les voitures intelligentes est l’une des conditions les plus importantes pour faire accepter et faciliter la navigation autonome de ces véhicules. Cette thèse propose plusieurs méthodes de génération de chemins lisses pour les véhicules non-holonomes qui permet une continuité intrinsèque de la courbure de navigation et offre par ailleurs une flexibilité accrue pour diverses conditions aux limites. Le chemin de courbure continue est construit en composant plusieurs clothoids, comprenant notamment des segments de lignes et/ou d’arcs, et où chaque clothoid est obtenue par une régulation appropriée de ses paramètres. À partir de ces propriétés, le chemin obtenu est nommé pCCP (parametric Continuous Curvature Path). Le pCCP fournit un diagramme de courbure qui facilite une commande en orientation du véhicule, ce qui permet d'obtenir une évolution lisse de sa trajectoire. Le problème du pCCP local est défini par des configurations initiales et finales (caractérisées pour chacune par une posture et un angle de braquage). Le problème a été étendu pour être aussi général que possible en incluant plusieurs cas. La génération locale de pCCPs, pour des cibles statiques, est spécifiquement décrite, les problèmes ont été divisés en trois problèmes et chaque problème a été décomposé par la suite en plusieurs sous-classes possibles. Pour avoir une flexibilité importante des pCCPs proposés, des cibles dynamiques ont été considérées, obtenant ainsi le dynamic-pCCP (d-pCCP). Un cadre simple mais efficace pour analyser l'état futur de l'évitement des obstacles est appliqué en configuration 4D (3D avec l’ajout d’un axe temporel) en mettant en exergue deux manoeuvres d’évitement possibles, car les évolutions avant et arrière sont appliquées et validées avec plusieurs exemples. Selon une méthodologie similaire pour atteindre les critères de performance liés à la génération des pCCPs, le h-CCP (pour human-pCCP) est proposé en utilisant des modèles expérimentaux comportementaux d’échantillons de conducteurs humains. À partir de quelques sous-expériences, le modèle de conduite humain pour l’évitement d’obstacles, les changements de voie et les mouvements en virage sont extraits et ces modèles ont été inclus pour créer ainsi le h-CCP (obtenu d’une manière similaire au pCCP mais avec différents critères d’optimisation) qui permet d’améliorer considérablement le confort des passagers. / Smooth path generation for car-like vehicles is one of the most important requisite to facilitate the broadcast use of autonomous navigation. This thesis proposes a smooth path generation method for nonholonomic vehicles which has inherently continuity of curvature and having important flexibility for various boundary conditions. The continuous curvature path is constructed by composing multiple clothoids including lines and/or arc segments, and where each clothoid is obtained by parameter regulation. From those properties the path is named pCCP (parametric Continuous Curvature Path) and provides curvature diagram which facilitates a smooth steering control for path following problem. Local pCCP problem is defined by initial and final tuple configurations (vehicles posture and steering angle). The problem is expanded to be as general as possible by including several cases. The local pCCP generation for steady target pose is specifically described, where the problem is divided into three problems and each problem is also decomposed into several sub-cases. To give more flexibility to the proposed pCCP, dynamic target is considered to obtain dynamic-pCCP (d-CCP). A simple but efficient framework to analyze the future status of obstacle avoidance is applied in 4D (3D with the addition of time axis) configuration and two avoidance maneuvers as front and rear avoidance are applied and validated with several examples. Under the similar methodology in performance criteria of pCCP generation, the human-CCP (h-CCP) is derived from experimental patterns of human driver samples. From several subexperiments, human driving pattern for obstacle avoidance, lane change and cornering motion are extracted and those pattern were included to make the h-CCP (which is obtained with similar way as pCCP but with different optimization criteria) to enhance considerably the passenger comfort.

Spatial structures shape human behaviour, or in the words of Bill Hillier – human behaviour does not simply happen in space, it takes on specific spatial forms. How staff interacts in a cellular office differs significantly from the patterns emerging in an open-plan environment. Therefore the dissertation ‘The Space-Organisation Relationship’ analyses how exactly spatial configuration shapes collective behaviours in knowledge-intensive workplace environments. From an extensive literature review it becomes clear that only few insights exist on the relationship between spatial structures and organisational behaviour, despite several decades of intensive research. It is argued that the discourse suffers from disciplinary boundaries; a lack of rigorous research designs; as well as incoherent and outdates studies. Founded on this diagnosis, the dissertation puts up two contrary hypotheses to explain the current state of knowledge: on the one hand it could be argued that hardly any coherent results were found due to the incoherent use of methods and metrics. If this was true it would mean that different organisations would react comparably to similar spatial configurations, if the same methods were used. On the other hand it could be hypothesised that it was inherently impossible to achieve coherent results even with the use of consistent methods, since each space-organisation relationship was unique. To investigate these ideas further, the dissertation employs a combination of qualitative and quantitative methods, embedded within an explorative research design. Both a comparative analysis of different cases and an in-depth study to understand specific organisational behaviours were aimed at by conducting three intensive case studies of knowledge-intensive workplaces: 1) A University, 2) A Research Institute, 3) A Media Company, all of them accommodated in varying spatial structures. Based on a multi-layered analysis of empirical evidence, the dissertation concludes that the relationship between spatial configuration and organisational behaviours can be described by two principles. Firstly, evidence of generic function was found for example between spatial configuration, the placement of attractors, and collective movement flows. These influences are based on general anthropological behaviours and act independently of specific organisational cultures; yet they are rarely found. Secondly, the majority of evidence, especially on more complex organisational constructs such as knowledge flow, organisational cultures and identity suggests that the space-organisation relationship is shaped by the interplay of spatial as well as transpatial solidarities. This means that relationships between people may be formed by either spatial or social proximity. Transpatial relations can overcome distances and are grounded in social solidarities; as such they are not motivated by spatial structures, even though they often mirror spatial order. In essence organisations may react uniquely to comparable spatial configurations. Those two principles – generic function as well as spatial and transpatial solidarities – come in many different forms and jointly shape the character of the space-organisation relationship. This means both hypotheses are true to a degree and apply to different aspects of the space-organisation relationship.:Acknowledgements Table of Contents 1. Introduction – Space and Organisation 2. Literature Review – Space as Intangible Asset of an Organisation 2.1. Organisation Theory – Key Themes and Strands 2.2. Organisation and Space – The Forerunners 2.3. Organisation and Space – The Early Works (1960’s-1980’s) 2.3.1. Contributions Summarising the Discourse 2.3.2. Contributions Providing More Empirical Evidence 2.3.3. The Other Side of the Coin: Neglecting the Role of Physical Space 2.4. Organisation and Space – The Lean Years (1980s-1990s) 2.4.1. Continuous Neglect of Space as an Influence 2.4.2. Filling the Gaps in the Common Knowledge on Space and Organisations 2.4.3. Space Syntax as a New Emerging Theory 2.5. Organisation and Space – Recent Rediscoveries (1995 onwards) 2.5.1. Organisational Behaviour 2.5.2. Organisational Constitutions 2.6. Organisation and Space – Conclusions on a Fragmentary Evidence Base 2.6.1. Disciplinary Boundaries and Disciplinary Cultures 2.6.2. Speculative Presumptions 2.6.3. Vague Operationalisation 2.6.4. Contradictory Evidence 2.6.5. Outdated Studies Lacking Further Articulation 2.6.6. Conclusions 3. Methodology 3.1. Research Design – Inductive and Deductive Approaches 3.2. Case Study Research 3.3. Qualitative Methods 3.3.1. Structured Short Interviews 3.3.2. Semi-Structured In-Depth Interviews 3.3.3. Ethnographic Space Observations 3.3.4. Analysis of Written Documents 3.4. Quantitative Methods 3.4.1. Standardised Online Questionnaires 3.4.2. Space Syntax Analysis 3.4.3. Structured Space Observations 4. Introduction to the Case Studies 4.1. University School – High Quality Teaching and World-Leading Research 4.2. Research Institute – An International Location for Theoretical Physics 4.3. Media Corporation – Business To Business Magazines and Services 4.4. Overview of the Cases 5. Spatial Configuration – The Integration of Buildings, Spaces and Functions 5.1. Spatial Configuration 5.1.1. University School – Pre 5.1.2. University School – Post 5.1.2. Research Institute 5.1.3. Media Corporation: Publisher C – Pre 5.1.4. Media Corporation: Publisher R – Pre 5.1.5. Media Corporation: Information Business W – Pre 5.1.6. Media Corporation: Events Organiser K – Pre 5.1.7. Media Corporation – Post 5.1.8. Spatial Configuration – A Comparative Overview of All Buildings 5.1.9. The Case of Satellite Offices and their Configurational Implications for the Organisations 5.2. Spatial Strategies – Distribution of Resources 5.2.1. Spatial Integration of Facilities and Functions 5.2.2. Distance and Proximity 5.3. Conclusions on the Building Potentials of Configurations-in-Use 6. Organisational Behaviour in Space – Movement Flows and Co-Presence 6.1. Collective Patterns of Movement 6.2. Density of Movement 6.3. Presence and Co-Presence: Intensity of Activities 6.3.1. Publisher C – From Four Separated Floors into One Compact Space 6.3.2. Publisher R – Increasing Interaction Dynamics 6.3.3. Information Business W – Changed Environments in the Same Building 6.3.4. Events Organiser K – The Loss of an Intimate Workplace 6.3.5. Conclusions on Co-Presence and Interactivity 6.4. Conclusions on Spatialised Organisational Behaviours 7. The Space-Organisation Relationship 7.1. How Spatial Configuration-in-Use Shapes Collective Patterns of Movement 7.1.1. Strong and Weakly Programmed Movement – Spatial Configuration as an Influence on the Distribution of Movement in Complex Buildings 7.1.2. Movement and Encounter – Attractors in Space 7.2. How Movement Density Drives Interactivity 7.3. How Proximity Governs Interaction Patterns and Network Densities 7.3.1. Distances between Individuals and Resulting Patterns of Contact 7.3.2. Distances between Individuals – Adjacencies and Neighbourhoods in the Office 7.3.3. Distances within Teams – Evolving Networks of Interaction 7.3.4. Conclusions on Proximity and Interaction 8. Discussion and Conclusions 8.1. Space as Generic Function 8.1.1. Movement as Generic Function in Office Spaces 8.1.2. Generic Function – Contradicting Human Agency? 8.2. Spatiality and Transpatiality 8.2.1. The Preference of Spatial over Transpatial Modes 8.2.2. The Preference of Transpatial over Spatial Modes 8.2.3. Balance and Imbalance of Spatiality and Transpatiality 8.2.4. Different Scales of Spatiality and Transpatiality 8.2.5. Conclusions: Spatial and Transpatial Organisations 8.3. The Interplay between Generic Function and Spatiality/Transpatiality 8.4. Final Conclusions and Future Research Appendix A: How to Construct Netgraphs from Questionnaire Data Appendix B: Used Documents Appendix C: List of Figures Appendix D: List of Tables References / Raumstrukturen beeinflussen menschliches Handeln, oder in den Worten von Bill Hillier – menschliches Verhalten findet nicht nur zufällig im Raum statt, sondern nimmt eine spezifisch räumliche Form an. Das Interaktionsverhalten von Mitarbeitern in einem Zellenbüro beispielsweise unterscheidet sich grundlegend von den Mustern, die sich in einem Großraumbüro entwickeln. Die vorliegende Dissertation „The Space-Organisation Relationship“ beschäftigt sich daher mit der Frage, wie sich die Verbindung zwischen Raumkonfiguration und kollektivem Verhalten einer Organisation in wissensintensiven Arbeitsprozessen gestaltet. Aus der Literatur wird ersichtlich, dass trotz einiger Jahrzehnte intensiver Forschung nur wenige gesicherte Erkenntnisse existieren zur Frage, wie sich Raumstrukturen auf organisationales Verhalten auswirken. Der Diskurs zeigt deutliche Schwächen durch disziplinäre Grenzen, einen Mangel an wissenschaftlich fundierten Studien, sowie inkohärente und teils veraltete Ergebnisse. Um den aktuellen Kenntnisstand zum Verhältnis von Raum und Organisation zu erklären, stellt die Arbeit zwei entgegengesetzte Hypothesen auf: zum einen wird angenommen, dass der Mangel an vergleichenden Studien sowie methodische Schwächen verantwortlich sind für die uneindeutige Beweislage. Sollte dies der Fall sein, müssten in vergleichenden Studien mit gleichem Methodenansatz übereinstimmende Ergebnisse zu finden sein. Dies würde nahe legen, dass jede Organisation als Kollektiv gleich oder zumindest ähnlich auf vergleichbare Raumstrukturen reagiere. Zum anderen wird die entgegengesetzte Hypothese aufgestellt, dass der Charakter und die inhärente Komplexität des Wissensgebietes exakte Aussagen per se unmöglich mache. Dies könnte verifiziert werden, wenn unterschiedliche Organisationen unterschiedlich auf vergleichbare Raumstrukturen reagieren würden, obwohl dieselben wissenschaftlich fundierten Methoden angewendet wurden. Um dies zu überprüfen benutzt die vorliegende Dissertation eine Kombination aus quantitativen und qualitativen Methoden, eingebettet in einen explorativen Forschungsaufbau, um sowohl vergleichende Analysen zwischen Organisationen durchführen, als auch tiefergehende Interpretationen zu spezifischem organisationalem Verhalten anstellen zu können. Die Arbeit stützt sich auf drei intensive Fallstudien unterschiedlicher wissensintensiver Tätigkeiten – einer Universität, einem Forschungsinstitut, und einem Medienunternehmen, die in jeweils unterschiedlichen räumlichen Strukturen agieren (Zellenbüros, Gruppenbüros, Kombibüros, Großraumbüros). Aufbauend auf der vielschichtigen Analyse empirischer Ergebnisse kommt die Dissertation zur Erkenntnis, dass sich das Verhältnis zwischen Raumkonfiguration und organisationalem Verhalten durch zwei Prinzipien beschreiben lässt. Einerseits sind so genannte generische Einflüsse festzustellen, zum Beispiel zwischen Raumkonfiguration, der Platzierung von Ressourcen und Bewegungsmustern. Diese generischen Einflüsse gehen auf grundlegende menschliche Verhaltensmuster zurück und agieren im Wesentlichen unabhängig von spezifischen Organisationskulturen. Allerdings sind sie selten, und nur wenige Faktoren können als generisch angenommen werden. Andererseits ist die überwiegende Mehrheit der Raum-Organisations-Beziehungen bestimmt vom Wechsel zwischen räumlicher und so genannter trans-räumlicher Solidarität, das heißt Beziehungen zwischen Individuen können sich entweder auf räumliche oder soziale Nähe stützen. Trans-räumliche Beziehungen, die sich aufgrund von sozialer Nähe entfalten können beispielsweise Entfernungen überwinden, und sind daher in erster Linie nicht räumlich motiviert, auch wenn sie sich oft in räumlichen Ordnungen widerspiegeln. Diese beiden Prinzipien – generische Einflüsse sowie räumliche und trans-räumliche Funktionsweisen – treten in vielschichtigen Formen auf und bestimmen den Charakter des Verhältnisses zwischen Raum und Organisation. Damit treffen beide der aufgestellten Hypothesen auf unterschiedliche Aspekte und Teilbereiche des Raum-Organisations-Zusammenhangs zu.:Acknowledgements Table of Contents 1. Introduction – Space and Organisation 2. Literature Review – Space as Intangible Asset of an Organisation 2.1. Organisation Theory – Key Themes and Strands 2.2. Organisation and Space – The Forerunners 2.3. Organisation and Space – The Early Works (1960’s-1980’s) 2.3.1. Contributions Summarising the Discourse 2.3.2. Contributions Providing More Empirical Evidence 2.3.3. The Other Side of the Coin: Neglecting the Role of Physical Space 2.4. Organisation and Space – The Lean Years (1980s-1990s) 2.4.1. Continuous Neglect of Space as an Influence 2.4.2. Filling the Gaps in the Common Knowledge on Space and Organisations 2.4.3. Space Syntax as a New Emerging Theory 2.5. Organisation and Space – Recent Rediscoveries (1995 onwards) 2.5.1. Organisational Behaviour 2.5.2. Organisational Constitutions 2.6. Organisation and Space – Conclusions on a Fragmentary Evidence Base 2.6.1. Disciplinary Boundaries and Disciplinary Cultures 2.6.2. Speculative Presumptions 2.6.3. Vague Operationalisation 2.6.4. Contradictory Evidence 2.6.5. Outdated Studies Lacking Further Articulation 2.6.6. Conclusions 3. Methodology 3.1. Research Design – Inductive and Deductive Approaches 3.2. Case Study Research 3.3. Qualitative Methods 3.3.1. Structured Short Interviews 3.3.2. Semi-Structured In-Depth Interviews 3.3.3. Ethnographic Space Observations 3.3.4. Analysis of Written Documents 3.4. Quantitative Methods 3.4.1. Standardised Online Questionnaires 3.4.2. Space Syntax Analysis 3.4.3. Structured Space Observations 4. Introduction to the Case Studies 4.1. University School – High Quality Teaching and World-Leading Research 4.2. Research Institute – An International Location for Theoretical Physics 4.3. Media Corporation – Business To Business Magazines and Services 4.4. Overview of the Cases 5. Spatial Configuration – The Integration of Buildings, Spaces and Functions 5.1. Spatial Configuration 5.1.1. University School – Pre 5.1.2. University School – Post 5.1.2. Research Institute 5.1.3. Media Corporation: Publisher C – Pre 5.1.4. Media Corporation: Publisher R – Pre 5.1.5. Media Corporation: Information Business W – Pre 5.1.6. Media Corporation: Events Organiser K – Pre 5.1.7. Media Corporation – Post 5.1.8. Spatial Configuration – A Comparative Overview of All Buildings 5.1.9. The Case of Satellite Offices and their Configurational Implications for the Organisations 5.2. Spatial Strategies – Distribution of Resources 5.2.1. Spatial Integration of Facilities and Functions 5.2.2. Distance and Proximity 5.3. Conclusions on the Building Potentials of Configurations-in-Use 6. Organisational Behaviour in Space – Movement Flows and Co-Presence 6.1. Collective Patterns of Movement 6.2. Density of Movement 6.3. Presence and Co-Presence: Intensity of Activities 6.3.1. Publisher C – From Four Separated Floors into One Compact Space 6.3.2. Publisher R – Increasing Interaction Dynamics 6.3.3. Information Business W – Changed Environments in the Same Building 6.3.4. Events Organiser K – The Loss of an Intimate Workplace 6.3.5. Conclusions on Co-Presence and Interactivity 6.4. Conclusions on Spatialised Organisational Behaviours 7. The Space-Organisation Relationship 7.1. How Spatial Configuration-in-Use Shapes Collective Patterns of Movement 7.1.1. Strong and Weakly Programmed Movement – Spatial Configuration as an Influence on the Distribution of Movement in Complex Buildings 7.1.2. Movement and Encounter – Attractors in Space 7.2. How Movement Density Drives Interactivity 7.3. How Proximity Governs Interaction Patterns and Network Densities 7.3.1. Distances between Individuals and Resulting Patterns of Contact 7.3.2. Distances between Individuals – Adjacencies and Neighbourhoods in the Office 7.3.3. Distances within Teams – Evolving Networks of Interaction 7.3.4. Conclusions on Proximity and Interaction 8. Discussion and Conclusions 8.1. Space as Generic Function 8.1.1. Movement as Generic Function in Office Spaces 8.1.2. Generic Function – Contradicting Human Agency? 8.2. Spatiality and Transpatiality 8.2.1. The Preference of Spatial over Transpatial Modes 8.2.2. The Preference of Transpatial over Spatial Modes 8.2.3. Balance and Imbalance of Spatiality and Transpatiality 8.2.4. Different Scales of Spatiality and Transpatiality 8.2.5. Conclusions: Spatial and Transpatial Organisations 8.3. The Interplay between Generic Function and Spatiality/Transpatiality 8.4. Final Conclusions and Future Research Appendix A: How to Construct Netgraphs from Questionnaire Data Appendix B: Used Documents Appendix C: List of Figures Appendix D: List of Tables References

This project investigated the implementation and evaluation of various collision-free path planning algorithms for the Saab Seaeye eM1-7 6-DOF Electric Manipulator (eManip). The primary goal was to enhance the autonomous performance of the eManip by integrating efficient path planning methodologies, ultimately ensuring the avoidance of collisions and manipulator singularities during underwater operations. Key algorithms examined included the Rapidly-exploring Random Trees (RRT) algorithm and its enhanced variants. Through simulation tests in MATLAB and Gazebo, metrics such as planning time, path length, and the number of explored nodes were evaluated. The results highlighted the robustness of Goal-biased and Bidirectional RRT* (Gb-Bd-RRT*), which consistently performed well across various environments. The research also highlighted the correlation between algorithm effectiveness and specific task attributes, emphasizing their adaptability to complex environments. This research contributes valuable insights into the effectiveness of path planning algorithms, informing the selection and integration of viable strategies for 6-DOF robotic manipulators.

Cette thèse est divisée en trois parties. Dans la première, on étudie des systèmes articulés (mécanismes formés de tiges rigides) dont l'espace ambiant n'est pas le plan, mais diverses variétés riemanniennes. On étudie la question de l'universalité des mécanismes : cette notion correspond à l'idée que toute courbe serait tracée par un sommet d'un mécanisme, et que toute variété différentiable serait l'espace de configuration d'un mécanisme. On étend les théorèmes d'universalité au plan de Minkowski, au plan hyperbolique et enfin à la sphère.Toute surface dans R^3 peut être aplatie selon l'axe des z, et la surface aplatie s'approche d'une table de billard dans R^2. Dans la seconde partie, on montre que, sous certaines hypothèses, le flot géodésique de la surface converge localement uniformément vers le flot de billard. De plus, si le billard est dispersif, les propriétés chaotiques du billard remontent au flot géodésique : on montre qu'il est alors Anosov. En appliquant ce résultat à la théorie des systèmes articulés, on obtient un nouvel exemple de systèmes articulé Anosov, comportant cinq tiges.Dans la troisième partie, on s'intéresse aux variétés munies de connexions localement métriques, c'est-à-dire de connexions qui sont localement des connexions de Levi-Civita de métriques riemanniennes ; on donne dans ce cadre un analogue du théorème de décomposition de De Rham, qui s'applique habituellement aux variétés riemanniennes. Dans le cas où une telle connexion préserve une structure conforme, on montre que cette décomposition comporte au plus deux facteurs ; de plus, lorsqu'il y a exactement deux facteurs, l'un des deux est l'espace euclidien R^q. La démonstration des résultats de cette partie passe par l'étude des feuilletages munis d'une structure de similitude transverse. Sur ces feuilletages, on montre un résultat de rigidité qui peut être vu indépendamment des autres: ils sont soit transversalement plats, soit transversalement riemanniens. / This thesis is divided into three parts. In the first part, we study linkages (mechanisms made of rigid rods) whose ambiant space is no longer the plane, but various Riemannian manifolds. We study the question of the universality of linkages: this notion corresponds to the idea that every curve would be traced out by a vertex of some linkage, and that any differentiable manifold would be the configuration space of some linkage. We extend universality theorems to the Minkowski plane, the hyperbolic plane, and finally the sphere.Any surface in R^3 can be flattened with respect to the z-axis, and the flattened surface gets close to a billiard table in R^2. In the second part, we show that, under some hypotheses, the geodesic flow of the surface converges locally uniformly to the billiard flow. Moreover, if the billiard is dispersing, the chaotic properties of the billiard also apply to the geodesic flow: we show that it is Anosov in this case. By applying this result to the theory of linkages, we obtain a new example of Anosov linkage, made of five rods.In the third part, we first consider manifolds with locally metric connections, that is, connections which are locally Levi-Civita connections of Riemannian metrics; we give in this framework an analog of De Rham's decomposition theorem, which usually applies to Riemannian manifolds. In the case such a connection also preserves a conformal structure, we show that this decomposition has at most two factors; moreover, when there are exactly two factors, one of them is the Euclidean space R^q. The proofs of the results of this part use foliations with transverse similarity structures. On these foliations, we give a rigidity theorem of independant interest: they are either transversally flat, or transversally Riemannian.