/**
 * <p>
 * Interface for environments for robots.
 * 
 * </p>
 * @author     Michael Schuresko
 * @version    %I%, %G%
 * @since      1.0
*/

public interface IEnvironment
{

    /**
     * dimensionality of space in which environment is embedded
     */
    public int getDimensionality();

    /**
     * number of scalar fields over environment
     */
    public int getNumScalars();

    /**
     * Gets a particular field value at a particular location
     */
    public double getFieldVal(int nWhichField, double arrLoc[]);

    /**
     * Gets all field values for a particular location as a vector
     * @param arrLoc array of location at which measurement is taken
     * @return array containing field values at arrLoc 
     */
    public double [] getFieldVals(double arrLoc[]);

    /**
     * Gradient at a particular location for a given field
     * @param nWhichField field to take gradient of
     * @param arrLoc place at which to take gradient
     * @return gradient (of proper dimensionality) as a double []
     */
    public double [] getGradient(int nWhichField, double arrLoc[]);
    
    /**
     * Gradient at a particular location for a given field
     * @param nWhichField field to take gradient of
     * @param arrLoc place at which to take gradient
     * @param arrRslt gradient (of proper dimensionality) as a double []
     */
    public void getGradient(int nWhichField, double arrLoc[],
    		double arrRslt[]);
    
    
    /**
     * Gets boundary interface
     */
    public IBoundary getBoundary();
    
    public IEnvironment makeCopy();
}