Algorithms for the shape of semialgebraic sets. A new approach (Q4038735)

[For the entire collection see Zbl 0758.00016.] This paper is a very interesting contribution to the study of an important algorithm problem which is to determine the shape of a semi- algebraic set from its syntactical description. While theoretically the problem has been already affirmatively solved and general algorithms for it are designed, the need for more efficient methods for curves and surfaces is clear. The classical approach is based on elimination theory (resultants and Sturm sequence). A very efficient implementation of this approach has been performed recently by \textit{H. Hong} in RISC (Research Institut for Symbolic Computation), Linz, for curves. -- The authors suggest to ``eliminate elimination'' in the sense that rather than computing discriminants, they prefer to compute Gröbner bases of critical points. The paper ends by some very interesting examples. I must remark, though, that the comparison with the elimination method is slightly biased and that if one replaces Sturm sequence by Sturm-Habicht sequences and lexicographical Gröbner bases by Chow forms (also called \(u\) resultant) the advantage of computations proposed by the authors is not as obvious as it seems in the paper.