An exact algorithm for computing the shortest path touring n circles in 2D

This paper introduces the problem of computing the shortest Euclidean path touring n disjoint circles in 2D. The problem is a generalization of Travelling Salesman Problem (TSP) in Euclidean 2D space and is not a purely combinatorial problem. Based on the author´s previous work, this paper proposes an exact algorithm to solve the studied problem. The proposed algorithm can be conducted in layered manufacturing of rapid prototyping, displacement of wireless sensor networks, or other related computer-aided design and manufacturing applications.