[Manifolds](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manifold#Charts.2C_atlases.2C_and_transition_maps) and [charts](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manifold#Charts.2C_atlases.2C_and_transition_maps) are intimately linked concepts. We are only interested here in [differentiable manifolds](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Differentiable_manifold#Definition), continuous spaces that can be locally approximated *at any point* using a local vector space, called the [tangent space](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tangent_space). A *chart* is an invertible map from the manifold to the vector space.
In GTSAM we assume that a manifold type can yield such a chart at any point, and we require that a functor `defaultChart` is available that, when called for any point on the manifold, returns a Chart type. Hence, the functor itself can be seen as an *Atlas*.
In detail, we ask the following are defined for a MANIFOLD type:
* values:
*`dimension`, an int that indicates the dimensionality *n* of the manifold. In Eigen-fashion, we also support manifolds whose dimenionality is only defined at runtime, by specifying the value -1.
* functors:
*`defaultChart`, returns the default chart at a point p
* types:
*`TangentVector`, type that lives in tangent space. This will almost always be an `Eigen::Matrix<double,n,1>`.
For many differential manifolds, an obvious mapping is the `exponential map`, which associates straight lines in the tangent space with geodesics on the manifold (and it's inverse, the log map). However, there are two cases in which we deviate from this:
* Sometimes, most notably for *SO(3)* and *SE(3)*, the exponential map is unnecessarily expensive for use in optimization. Hence, the `defaultChart` functor returns a chart that is much cheaper to evaluate.
* While vector spaces (see below) are in principle also manifolds, it is overkill to think about charts etc. Really, we should simply think about vector addition and subtraction. Hence, while a `defaultChart` functor is defined by default for every vector space, GTSAM will never call it.
A [group](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Group_(mathematics)) should be well known from grade school :-), and provides a type with a composition operation that is closed, associative, has an identity element, and an inverse for each element.
* values:
*`identity`
* valid expressions:
*`compose(p,q)`
*`inverse(p)`
*`between(p,q)`
* invariants:
*`compose(p,inverse(p)) == identity`
*`compose(p,between(p,q)) == q`
*`between(p,q) == compose(inverse(p),q)`
We do *not* at this time support more than one composition operator per type. Although mathematically possible, it is hardly ever needed, and the machinery to support it would be burdensome and counter-intuitive.
Also, a type should provide either multiplication or addition operators depending on the flavor of the operation. To distinguish between the two, we will use a tag (see below).
GTSAM Types start with Uppercase, e.g., `gtsam::Point2`, and are models of the TESTABLE, MANIFOLD, GROUP, LIE_GROUP, and VECTOR_SPACE concepts.
`gtsam::traits` is our way to associate these concepts with types, and we also define a limited number of `gtsam::tags` to select the correct implementation of certain functions at compile time (tag dispatching).
We will not use Eigen-style or STL-style traits, that define *many* properties at once. Rather, we use boost::mpl style meta-programming functions to facilitate meta-programming, which return a single type or value for every trait.
Traits allow us to play with types that are outside GTSAM control, e.g., `Eigen::VectorXd`. However, for GTSAM types, it is perfectly acceptable (and even desired) to define associated types as internal types, as well, rather than having to use traits internally.
* Values: `gtsam::traits::someValue<T>::value`, i.e., they are mixedCase starting with a lowercase letter and define a `value`, *and* a `value_type`. For example:
* Functors: `gtsam::traits::someFunctor<T>::type`, i.e., they are mixedCase starting with a lowercase letter and define a functor (i.e., no *type*). The functor itself should define a `result_type`. A contrived example
By *inherting* the trait from the functor, we can just use the [currying](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Currying) style `gtsam::traits::manhattan<Point2>℗(q)`. Note that, although technically a functor is a type, in spirit it is a free function and hence starts with a lowercase letter.
