Dec 8, 2014

Mapper - A discrete generalization of the Reeb graph

This is the third of a series of posts on cluster-algorithms and ideas in data analysis.

Mapper is a construction that uses a given cluster-algorithm to associate a simplicial complex to a reference map on a given data set. It was introduced by Carlsson--Mémoli--Singh in [1] and lies at the core of the of the topological data analysis startup Ayasdi. A good reference, I personally enjoyed reading, is [2]. Mapper is closely related to the Reeb graph of a real-valued function on a topological space. Just as the Reeb graph it is able to capture certain topological and geometrical features of the underlying space.