Parker Adey | Talk: The Art of Braiding Algorithms

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Talk: The Art of Braiding Algorithms

This talk was given at the<br>Relatorium<br>online seminar on July 10th 2026.<br>Many thanks to our host,<br>Irfan Alam<br>for inviting us.<br>Our talks page at ResearchSeminars is here.<br>It was a rehearsal for our<br>upcoming presentation<br>upcoming presentation at<br>Bridges.

The slides are available here:<br>relatorium-slides.pdf.

Abstract: This workshop explores string figures as algorithmic art. We share a novel application of braid groups to analyze string figure algorithms. Participants will engage in hands-on exploration with real string. We&rsquo;ll talk about relevant braid theory. We&rsquo;ll also reflect on the role of notation in mathematics.

During the question period, I made reference to a paper by Joan Birman.<br>Birman and Menasco&rsquo;s Theorem 1 addresses, at the highest level of generality possible, the question:<br>&ldquo;What moves do you need to generate all possible string figures?&rdquo;

Joan S. Birman and William W. Menasco (1992)<br>Studying links via closed braids. V. The unlink<br>Trans. Amer. Math. Soc. 329 (1992), 585-606<br>DOI: https://doi.org/10.1090/S0002-9947-1992-1030509-1

This workshop requires each participant to have a closed loop of string. You&rsquo;ll need to make your own at home before the talk. Generally, a good length of string for someone is the distance between their finger tips when their arms are fully extended side-to-side. We encourage people making loops at home to experiment with longer and shorter loops using a variety of materials. Polyester string can be made into loops by melting the ends together and is available in a variety of colours at a low cost. However, any old string will do!

Published: Jul 10, 2026 @ 14:47.

Last Modified: Jul 13, 2026 @ 16:45.

Tags

#talk

#braids

#loop braids

#string figures

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Week Notes 65: Relatorium Seminar

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Thanks for reading!<br>If you have any comments or questions about the content, please let me know.<br>Anyone can contact me by email.