Configuration spaces of convex and embedded polygons in the plane (Q464239)

The literature around the configuration spaces of linkages is quite wide, ranging from interests in topology, computational geometry, and engineering applications, to name a few. This article focuses on \textit{embedded} planar linkages that form a closed polygonal chain with \(n\) links. It is shown that (modulo translation and rotation) the space of such linkages is homeomorphic to \(\mathbb{R}^{n-3}\), and its subspace of \textit{convex} polygonal chains is homeomorphic to the closed ball \(B^{n-3}\).