← Back to catalogue
Research draft

relative direction

vr.tr.relative-direction · XCT.QLT

Let an agent handle relative directions by reference frame, conventions and translation into absolute directions.

Thing Registry Cross-cutting context

Research draft, second pass

A second pass drafted this model: the structure a model of this thing needs, and what is known about it in the world. The line under this one says how the second half was obtained - researched against sources, or recalled without web access, in which case nothing here was read anywhere and every claim is a lead to verify. Unreviewed either way.

written by Claude from model knowledge without web access - no source was read, every claim is a lead to verify

Researched by: Claude

Purpose and description

Let an agent handle relative directions by reference frame, conventions and translation into absolute directions.

A direction defined relative to an observer or object, such as left, right, forward, backward, up and down, as opposed to absolute directions such as north and south; related systems include points of sail and traffic direction.

What it is for: Giving and following directions and describing orientation.

It can be give clear directions; convert relative to absolute directions; handle left and right conventions; describe orientation in sailing or traffic.

Distinguishing features

Depends on the reference point

Changes as the observer turns

Contrasted with absolute directions

Language conventions differ

What it looks like

Words and arrows indicating direction relative to a viewpoint.

How it is recognised

Left, right, ahead, behind

Port and starboard at sea

Some languages prefer absolute directions

Related models

is a kind of - category

direction and property

is contrasted with - absolute

cardinal direction

depends on - basis

reference frame

is used in - application

navigation

In practice

Families and kinds

egocentric directions: left, right, front, back

vertical directions: up, down

nautical directions: port, starboard, bow, stern

traffic directions

points of sail

Standards and regulation

Rules of the road on driving side

COLREGs for maritime directions

Failure modes and hazards

Left-right confusion in instructions

Ambiguous reference points

Wrong side of the road for visitors

Also called

crystallographic orientationAxiallydirection of trafficabsolute directionpoints of sailnorth-southsource of accepted entityeast-westpage orientationeast-southecliptic longitudethe normPatient, person undergoing surgerything arg1 is too old forapologize forStart pointstarting point before titrationthing being avoidedstart pointbecause-of, why does arg 0 begrudge arg 1?Tissue/Patientstart statecause, misdeedbreak fromprison, etcablative, brought-frompressure, weight, etcposition, budged fromsource, giverpsych instrumentsource, broken off of(from) whence?material, start stategrounds, reason for approvalRemoved from (e.g. from bloodstream/patient)group or sourceclipped fromcoimmunoprecipitated from, solutionIndication/purpose/causeone (or both) location(s), start point

+559

Where this came from

wikidata · CC0 1.0

Drafted structure

Bundle to layer to finding to question, as the second pass will find it: 4 bundles · 8 layers · 8 findings · 16 questions.

Frame Reference.

Reference defines direction.

Reference

Viewpoint.

Reference

Reference frame.

  1. Relative to whom or what is the direction given? definition
  2. Is the reference clear? boundary

Absolute

Conversion.

Absolute

Absolute conversion.

  1. What absolute direction does it correspond to? measurement
  2. Which way is the observer facing? definition
Directions Giving them.

Clear directions help.

Clarity

Instructions.

Clarity

Clear directions.

  1. How can directions be made unambiguous? action
  2. Should landmarks be added? action

Accessibility

Needs.

Accessibility

Accessible directions.

  1. Are directions usable by blind or low-vision people? boundary
  2. Do they use clock-face or tactile cues? definition
Domains Special systems.

Domains have conventions.

Nautical

Port and starboard.

Nautical

Nautical directions.

  1. Which nautical terms apply? definition
  2. Why are they used instead of left and right? definition

Traffic

Driving side.

Traffic

Traffic direction.

  1. Which side of the road is traffic on here? provenance
  2. What should visitors watch for? action
Language Cultures.

Languages differ.

Systems

Relative or absolute.

Systems

Linguistic systems.

  1. Does the language prefer relative or absolute directions? provenance
  2. How does that affect translation? boundary

Confusion

Left-right.

Confusion

Left-right confusion.

  1. How can left-right confusion be reduced in safety-critical tasks? action
  2. Which checks help? action

What the second pass must settle

  • Should nautical directions be separate entries?
  • How should language differences be recorded?
  • How should reference frames be specified?