Swarthmore College Department of Computer Science

Sigma Xi Lecture by Daniel Rockmore, associate professor of mathematics and computer science at Dartmouth College

The FFT - An Algorithm the Whole Family Can Use
Tuesday, Apr 24 2007
8:00 pm in Science Center 101

Abstract

The Fast Fourier Transform or "FFT" is one of the most ubiquitous algorithms in all of computational mathematics. In this talk we'll explore the FFT from its astronomical origins in the prediction of celestial orbits, to its modern instantiation as the primary tool of digital signal processing, and then move on to its generalizations as a basic scheme for data analysis in the presence of symmetry - i.e., group theory. We'll see how this more general framework has proved useful in a variety of areas including biology, robotics, and even quantum computing.