Proper topological complexity

Abstract

We introduce and study the proper topological complexity of a given configuration space, a version of the classical invariant for which we require that the algorithm controlling the motion is able to avoid any possible choice of ``unsafe'' area. To make it a homotopy functorial invariant we characterize it as a particular instance of the exterior sectional category of an exterior map, an invariant of the exterior homotopy category which is also deeply analyzed.