Symmetry in Constraint Programming

NEWS
27 Jan 2004

New papers added.
12 Dec 2003

Symmetry website goes live.
12 Dec 2003

Also check out the new site for CP-Pod. The new research group of prominent constraint programming researchers.


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Novel research in action

This site details the growing partnership of researchers looking at symmetry in constraint programming. Those familiar with the discipline of constraint programming will know how invaluable a tool it is for solving many complex problems such as scheduling, timetabling and planning problems as well as hardware verification and resource allocation to name but a few.

Those familiar with constraint programming will also know that the symmetries in constraint satisfaction problems (CSPs) make the difference between problems that we can solve and problems that we can't. Symmetries in CSPs lead to redundant computation where the constraint solver can naively fail to solve the same problem an exponential number of times.

Spread over 3 outstanding research institutions in the UK, we document the work done to provide greater understanding of symmetry in constraint programming and ways in which to overcome it.

Last Update: January 2004