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Grid

The electrical grid, commonly known as the power grid, is an interconnected network comprising power generation facilities, high-voltage transmission lines, substations, and distribution systems designed to deliver electricity from producers to end consumers over vast regions.^[1]^[2] This infrastructure synchronizes alternating current at standardized frequencies—typically 60 Hz in North America and 50 Hz elsewhere—to maintain stability and enable efficient power flow across interconnected zones.^[1] Developed primarily in the early 20th century, the grid represents a monumental engineering achievement that has underpinned industrialization and modern living by providing on-demand electricity, with North America's system alone spanning over 200,000 miles of high-voltage lines serving hundreds of millions of users.^[2] Its design relies on baseload generation from reliable sources like nuclear, coal, and natural gas, supplemented by dispatchable peaker plants to match fluctuating demand, ensuring minimal interruptions under normal conditions.^[3] Notwithstanding its successes, the grid faces mounting pressures from surging electricity demand—driven by electrification, data centers, and manufacturing resurgence—that outpaces infrastructure upgrades, alongside policy-mandated retirements of dispatchable capacity in favor of weather-dependent renewables, which empirical modeling indicates could elevate blackout risks dramatically without commensurate advances in storage or transmission.^[4]^[5] The North American Electric Reliability Corporation has flagged energy policies as a top risk factor, with data projecting potential hundredfold increases in outage frequency by 2030 if reliable generation continues to decline faster than intermittent alternatives scale.^[6]^[7] These challenges underscore causal vulnerabilities in over-reliance on variable sources absent robust backups, as evidenced by recent grid stress events tied to supply-demand imbalances rather than mere weather anomalies.^[8]

Mathematics and geometry

Coordinate systems and lattices

In the Cartesian coordinate system, points in Euclidean space \mathbb{R}^n are represented by ordered n-tuples of real numbers relative to n orthogonal axes. This system induces a grid structure through the families of parallel lines perpendicular to each axis, typically spaced at unit intervals, with intersections forming regularly spaced points. The standard unit grid in the plane corresponds to the lines x = k and y = \ell for integers k, \ell \in \mathbb{Z}, enabling precise localization and measurement in geometry and analysis.^[9]^[10] A mathematical lattice formalizes the discrete grid as a discrete additive subgroup of \mathbb{R}^n, generated by integer linear combinations of n linearly independent basis vectors b_1, \dots, b_n. The canonical integer lattice \mathbb{Z}^n consists of all points (x_1, \dots, x_n) where each x_i \in \mathbb{Z}, forming the vertices of the unit hypercubic grid under the standard Euclidean metric. Lattices generalize grids beyond orthogonal bases, allowing skewed or non-uniform spacings while preserving translational symmetry and density properties essential for applications in number theory and crystallography.^[11]^[12] Coordinate systems and lattices intersect in the study of point sets invariant under discrete translations; for instance, any full-rank lattice in \mathbb{R}^n admits a basis aligned with a generalized Cartesian frame via linear transformations, though the Euclidean norm distinguishes primitive cells like Voronoi regions. The determinant of the basis matrix, equal to the volume of the fundamental parallelepiped, quantifies lattice density, with \det(\mathbb{Z}^n) = 1 serving as the reference for unimodular lattices. These structures underpin theorems such as Minkowski's convex body theorem, which bounds the existence of non-zero lattice points in symmetric convex sets of sufficient volume.^[13]^[14]

Spatial partitioning structures

Spatial partitioning structures subdivide a multidimensional space into discrete regions to facilitate efficient spatial queries, such as determining object overlaps, nearest neighbors, or range searches, by limiting checks to relevant subsets rather than the entire dataset. These structures reduce computational complexity from O(n²) brute-force comparisons to near-logarithmic time in many cases, particularly beneficial in applications like collision detection in simulations, ray tracing in rendering, and indexing in databases. Uniform grids represent a foundational, non-hierarchical approach, while tree-based variants adaptively refine partitions based on data density.^[15]^[16] The uniform grid, also known as a hash grid or voxel grid, divides space into a fixed array of equally sized cells, typically chosen to approximate object extents—e.g., cell size matching the average bounding box diameter for optimal load balance. Each object is hashed into one or more cells based on its position, enabling queries to examine only intersecting cells; for instance, in a 2D grid with resolution matching scene bounds, a point query inspects at most nine cells in a square neighborhood. This method excels in scenarios with evenly distributed objects, achieving O(1 + k) query time where k is the output size, but degrades with clustering or sparsity due to empty cells wasting memory or overloaded cells inflating checks. Sparse implementations using hash tables mitigate memory issues by allocating cells dynamically.^[15]^[17]^[18] Hierarchical grid structures extend uniform partitioning by recursively subdividing cells, creating tree-like representations that adapt to varying densities. In two dimensions, the quadtree partitions a rectangular region into four equal quadrants at each level, continuing subdivision until criteria like a single object per leaf or fixed depth are satisfied; this yields logarithmic depth for balanced data, with construction time O(n log n) and query efficiency scaling with tree balance. Quadtrees, formalized in computational geometry literature by the mid-1970s, support operations like image compression by merging uniform siblings and are integral to geographic information systems for overlay analysis. Their 3D analog, the octree, divides cubic volumes into eight octants, similarly recursive, and has been applied since the early 1980s in volume rendering and 3D modeling, where it enables level-of-detail representations by pruning uniform subtrees. Octrees typically incur higher construction overhead than uniform grids but offer superior space efficiency for sparse scenes, with traversal costs logarithmic in depth.^[19]^[20] K-d trees provide an alternative axis-aligned partitioning, alternately splitting along each dimension at medians to balance child subtrees, forming a binary tree rather than fixed-arity like quad/octrees. Proposed for organizing k-dimensional points, they achieve O(log n) nearest-neighbor searches in low dimensions by pruning distant subspaces during traversal, though performance degrades to linear in high dimensions or skewed data due to imbalance. Unlike uniform grids, k-d trees do not enforce grid regularity, allowing tighter fits to data distributions, and are widely used in machine learning for spatial indexing. Binary space partitioning (BSP) trees generalize this by using arbitrary hyperplanes for convex splits, prioritizing visibility in graphics but requiring careful plane selection to avoid deep trees. Selection of structure depends on dimensionality, data uniformity, and query types: uniform grids for speed in dense, low-variance scenes; hierarchical trees for adaptability in complex environments.^[21]^[22]^[23]

Engineering and infrastructure

Electrical power grids

The electrical power grid, also known as the electricity grid or power network, comprises interconnected systems for generating, transmitting, and distributing electric power from producers to consumers. It includes power generation facilities such as fossil fuel plants, nuclear reactors, hydroelectric dams, and increasingly renewables like solar and wind farms; high-voltage transmission lines to carry electricity over long distances; substations with transformers to adjust voltage levels; and lower-voltage distribution lines delivering power to end-users.^[24]^[25] This infrastructure enables efficient energy delivery while balancing supply and demand in real time, primarily using alternating current (AC) for its ease of voltage transformation via transformers.^[26] The origins of electrical grids trace to the late 19th century, with Thomas Edison's 1882 Pearl Street Station in New York City establishing the first commercial DC power system serving 59 customers within a one-square-mile area. Direct current limitations, including high transmission losses over distance, prompted Nikola Tesla and George Westinghouse to pioneer AC systems, demonstrated at the 1893 Chicago World's Fair and Niagara Falls hydroelectric plant in 1895, enabling long-distance transmission and grid expansion. Interconnected regional grids emerged in the early 20th century, with the U.S. forming three major synchronous interconnections: the Eastern, Western, and Texas (ERCOT) grids, facilitating power sharing but introducing cascading failure risks during disturbances.^[27]^[28] Key components operate in tandem: electricity is generated at voltages around 10-30 kV, stepped up to 100-765 kV for transmission to minimize resistive losses (following the physics principle that loss scales with current squared, I²R), then stepped down at substations to 10-35 kV for distribution and finally to 120/240 V for residential use. Synchronous generators maintain frequency at 50 or 60 Hz (region-dependent) through governor controls, with grid stability reliant on inertia from rotating masses in conventional plants to dampen fluctuations. High-voltage direct current (HVDC) lines, used for specific long-distance or undersea links, offer lower losses than AC but require costly converters.^[29]^[26] Modern grids face pressures from rising demand—projected to double in the U.S. by 2050 due to electrification, data centers, and manufacturing resurgence—coupled with retirements of baseload coal and nuclear plants, which provide dispatchable, inertial support. The U.S. grid achieves approximately 99.5% reliability, with most outages from local distribution failures rather than systemic collapses, yet a 2025 Department of Energy report warns that continued closure of reliable generation without adequate replacements could elevate blackout risks 100-fold by 2030, potentially increasing annual outage hours from 1-2 to over 100 in stressed regions.^[4]^[30] Intermittency of renewables exacerbates this, as solar and wind output varies predictably but requires overbuild or storage to match demand, straining grid physics without sufficient firm capacity.^[31] Advancements in smart grid technologies, incorporating sensors, automation, and digital controls, aim to enhance resilience through real-time monitoring, demand response, and predictive analytics, reducing peak loads and operational costs. These enable better integration of distributed renewables, with utilities leveraging phasor measurement units (PMUs) for wide-area visibility and advanced software for fault isolation. However, full-scale deployment lags due to legacy infrastructure costs and cybersecurity vulnerabilities, as evidenced by increasing attacks on grid assets.^[32]^[6] Despite optimism in some academic sources for renewables-driven modernization, empirical data underscores the causal necessity of diverse, reliable sources to avert shortages, as intermittent generation alone cannot sustain grid stability without backups.^[33]^[34]

Urban and transportation grids

The urban grid plan, characterized by streets intersecting at right angles to form rectangular blocks, emerged in ancient civilizations as a method for orderly settlement expansion. One of the earliest documented instances is the Indus Valley city of Mohenjo-Daro, constructed around 2600 BC with uniform blocks separated by a rectilinear street network facilitating drainage and access.^[35] In ancient China, grid layouts date to the 15th century BC, influencing traditional urban planning in states like the Shang Dynasty capitals, where cardinal alignments symbolized cosmic order.^[36] Greek innovations, attributed to Hippodamus of Miletus in the 5th century BC, applied grids to port cities like Piraeus, prioritizing hygiene and defensibility through modular blocks.^[37] Romans extended this to military castra and colonial outposts, such as Timgad in Algeria (founded 100 AD), where grids enabled rapid deployment and resource allocation.^[38] Medieval and Renaissance periods saw sporadic revival, with Italian theorists proposing grid-based "ideal cities" for sanitation amid plagues, though organic growth often prevailed until Enlightenment-era rationalism. The 19th century marked widespread adoption during industrialization: New York's 1811 Commissioners' Plan overlaid a 150-block grid on Manhattan from 14th Street northward, prioritizing real estate subdivision over topography to accommodate projected population growth to 800,000 by 1860.^[39] Chicago formalized its grid in the 1830s via the Town of Chicago's plat, using State and Madison Streets as baselines for a numbering system extending miles outward, which supported rail hub development and fire recovery post-1871.^[40] Barcelona's Eixample, planned by Ildefons Cerdà in 1859, modified the grid with octagonal intersections to mitigate straight-line winds and enhance light penetration in dense housing.^[37] Grid plans offer navigational simplicity, as orthogonal axes align with compass directions, reducing cognitive load for wayfinding compared to irregular networks.^[41] They enable efficient land parceling, minimizing boundary disputes and accelerating development, as rectangular blocks simplify surveying and utility installation.^[42] Connectivity benefits include redundant routes, shortening average trip distances by up to 20% in simulations versus tree-like hierarchies, and resilience to blockages like accidents.^[43] However, uniform grids can exacerbate wind channeling along avenues, as observed in high-rise Manhattan, and ignore terrain, leading to steep grades in cities like San Francisco despite partial grid imposition.^[42] In transportation contexts, grids underpin multimodal networks by aligning arterials for linear routes, supporting high-capacity flows; pre-1950 U.S. cities universally used grids for streetcar and early auto integration, fostering public life at intersections.^[44] Transit grids, such as Chicago's CTA system with parallel north-south and east-west bus lines spanning 28 routes, enable frequent headways and one-transfer access across 200 square miles, outperforming radial hubs in coverage equity.^[45] Empirical analysis of Canadian neighborhoods shows grid connectivity correlates with 15-30% higher densities, as permeable networks attract infill development and transit-oriented density.^[46] Drawbacks include intersection-heavy designs increasing signal delays—up to 40% of travel time in dense grids—and vulnerability to synchronized gridlock without speed hierarchies, prompting hybrid modifications like diagonal boulevards in Salt Lake City's 1906 plan.^[43] Modern critiques highlight grids' facilitation of sprawl in low-density suburbs, though retrofits in Portland, Oregon, since 1973 have layered bike grids atop auto-oriented ones to reclaim walkability.^[47]

Computing and networks

Grid computing paradigms

Grid computing paradigms encompass distinct models for coordinating distributed resources across heterogeneous networks to address computationally intensive tasks, emphasizing virtual organizations that span multiple administrative domains. These paradigms evolved from early efforts in the late 1990s, such as the Globus Toolkit developed by the Globus Alliance starting in 1998, which standardized resource discovery, allocation, and execution.^[48] Unlike centralized systems, paradigms in grid computing prioritize loose coupling, fault tolerance, and dynamic resource provisioning without assuming uniform hardware or software environments.^[49] The computational grid paradigm aggregates processing power from geographically dispersed nodes to perform high-performance computing tasks, such as large-scale simulations or parameter sweeps. In this model, resources like CPUs from clusters are virtualized and scheduled via middleware, enabling parallel execution of independent subtasks; for instance, the TeraGrid project, operational from 2001 to 2011, interconnected supercomputers across U.S. institutions to achieve teraflop-scale performance.^[49] This paradigm suits embarrassingly parallel workloads, where job partitioning minimizes inter-node communication, though it requires robust authentication mechanisms like X.509 certificates to handle multi-domain security.^[50] Data grids focus on federating storage and access to massive datasets, often exceeding petabyte scales, by providing uniform interfaces for replication, caching, and querying across sites. Middleware such as GridFTP, introduced in the Globus Toolkit around 2000, facilitates high-throughput transfers with features like parallel I/O and third-party control, addressing bandwidth bottlenecks in distributed environments.^[49] Applications include scientific data analysis, where consistency models ensure reliable reads despite node failures; the European DataGrid project, launched in 2000, demonstrated this for high-energy physics experiments like those at CERN.^[50] Other paradigms include scavenging grids, which opportunistically harvest idle cycles from volunteered or underutilized machines, as seen in projects like SETI@home since 1999, prioritizing low-overhead submission over dedicated resources.^[51] Utility grids treat computing as a metered service, akin to electrical grids, with on-demand provisioning; this influenced later cloud models but in pure grid contexts relies on service-level agreements for quality of service.^[50] Service-oriented paradigms, formalized in the Open Grid Services Architecture (OGSA) by the Global Grid Forum in 2002, integrate web services for stateful resource management, enabling transient virtual organizations.^[49] Topologies such as intragrids (intra-organizational), extragrids (inter-organizational), and intergrids (global) further classify deployments based on scope and trust boundaries.^[49] These paradigms collectively underscore grid computing's emphasis on interoperability standards, though adoption waned post-2010 amid cloud computing's rise due to simpler provisioning.^[48]

Network topologies

In grid network topology, nodes are arranged in a regular lattice structure, with each node connected to exactly two neighbors along one or more dimensions, forming pathways akin to a multidimensional mesh. This configuration typically results in interior nodes having a connectivity degree of four in a two-dimensional grid (connected north, south, east, and west) or higher in three-dimensional setups, enabling structured data flow without centralized hubs.^[52] Unlike hierarchical topologies such as star or tree, grid topologies emphasize peer-to-peer interconnections, which support efficient local communication for algorithms requiring spatial locality, such as image processing or finite difference methods in simulations.^[53] Key variants include the one-dimensional linear grid, which resembles a bus topology but with fixed endpoints, and the toroidal grid, where edges wrap around to form closed loops in each dimension, reducing boundary effects and improving uniformity for large-scale computations. In toroidal forms, this wraparound connectivity minimizes path length disparities, making it suitable for cyclic data patterns. Grid topologies in computing often underpin distributed systems where resources are pooled across geographically dispersed locations, as seen in grid computing environments that aggregate heterogeneous processors over wide-area networks for tasks like large-scale data analysis.^[52]^[54] Advantages of grid topologies include inherent fault tolerance through multiple redundant paths, allowing traffic rerouting around failed nodes without systemic collapse, and high scalability for parallel processing applications where node addition maintains structural regularity. This redundancy supports reliable performance in environments with variable link failures, as alternative routes exist between most node pairs. However, disadvantages encompass increased latency for distant communications due to the topology's diameter scaling as the square root of node count in two dimensions (O(√N), limiting efficiency for non-local operations compared to hypercube or fat-tree interconnects. Additionally, implementation complexity rises with dimensionality, requiring more cabling or wireless links per node, and management overhead for synchronization in dynamic grids.^[53]^[55] In practice, grid topologies appear in high-performance computing interconnects for matrix-based algorithms and in wireless sensor networks for environmental monitoring, where spatial arrangement mirrors physical layouts. Resource managers in grid systems dynamically assign tasks to nodes based on this topology, optimizing workload distribution across compute clusters initiated from conductor nodes. While less common in enterprise LANs due to wiring costs, they excel in specialized domains like scientific simulations, where the predictable neighbor structure facilitates load balancing and reduces communication bottlenecks in nearest-neighbor exchanges.^[52]^[54]

Design and visual systems

Typographic and graphic grids

Typographic and graphic grids constitute foundational tools in visual design, comprising intersecting horizontal and vertical lines that delineate margins, columns, gutters, and modules to systematically align text, images, and other elements. These structures enforce proportions, rhythm, and hierarchy, enabling designers to achieve consistent layouts across print media like books and posters or digital interfaces such as websites and applications. By constraining placement to predefined units, grids mitigate arbitrary decisions, promoting legibility and perceptual order derived from geometric principles rather than subjective intuition.^[56] The systematic application of grids in modern graphic design traces to the early 20th century, gaining prominence through the Swiss Style or International Typographic Style during the 1950s and 1960s. Pioneers including Josef Müller-Brockmann, Armin Hofmann, and Emil Ruder integrated grids to embody modernist ideals of objectivity, functionality, and universality, reacting against ornamental eclecticism of prior eras. Müller-Brockmann's Grid Systems in Graphic Design, first published in 1961, formalized these methods, detailing construction techniques based on mathematical divisions (e.g., dividing page widths into 4–12 equal columns) and demonstrating their efficacy in real projects like Zurich transport posters, where precise alignment enhanced informational clarity under spatial constraints.^[57]^[58] In typography, grids emphasize baseline alignment, where horizontal lines spaced at the font's leading increment ensure text rows synchronize across columns or spreads, preventing visual jitter that impairs scanning efficiency. This baseline grid, often combined with vertical column divisions, supports multi-line compositions in editorial design, as evidenced by its standard adoption in typesetting software since the 1980s, which automates snap-to-grid functions to replicate manual compositor precision. Graphic grids broaden this framework to modular systems, subdividing columns into smaller rectangles for embedding illustrations or data visualizations without disrupting overall flow; for instance, a 4x6 modular grid allows flexible yet bounded placement of disparate elements in annual reports or interfaces.^[59]^[60] Empirical advantages of grid adherence include improved readability metrics, with studies on eye-tracking showing reduced fixation times in grid-aligned layouts versus asymmetrical ones, attributable to predictable pathways that align with human visual processing preferences for axial symmetry.^[56] Despite occasional critiques—such as David Carson's 1990s rejection of rigid grids in favor of deconstructed typography for expressive magazines like Ray Gun—proponents maintain that grids underpin scalable, reproducible work, as deviations often yield inconsistent outcomes unless justified by specific communicative intent.^[61] In contemporary practice, CSS Grid and Flexbox in web standards extend these principles digitally, enforcing responsive adaptations while preserving proportional integrity across devices.^[62]

Arts, entertainment, and media

Fictional entities and narratives

In the Tron franchise, the Grid refers to a vast digital universe simulating a neon-lit, grid-patterned realm within a mainframe computer, where programs manifest as sentient beings engaged in gladiatorial conflicts and governance under authoritarian systems like the Master Control Program or Clu. Introduced in the 1982 film Tron, directed by Steven Lisberger, the Grid serves as the primary setting for human users digitized into this virtual space, exploring themes of artificial intelligence autonomy and corporate control over technology.) The concept evolves in Tron: Legacy (2010), depicting an advanced iteration isolated from the real world, populated by isomorphic algorithms (ISOs) and overseen by a rogue program seeking perfection through systemic purging. The franchise's narrative arc culminates in Tron: Ares (2025), where elements of the Grid interface with physical reality via AI entities breaching into human domains, highlighting risks of unchecked digital expansion.^[63] In DC Comics, Grid is an android entity comprising the merged consciousnesses of Ultraman, Owlman, and Superwoman's offspring from an alternate Earth, functioning as a telepathic hive mind within the Crime Syndicate of America, a villainous counterpart to the Justice League. Created by writer Geoff Johns and artist Ivan Reis, Grid first appeared in Forever Evil #1 (September 2013), possessing capabilities for phasing, energy projection, and digital infiltration, often deployed to subvert global networks.) Its narrative role emphasizes multiversal threats and the ethical perils of synthetic collective intelligence unbound by human morality. Marvel Comics features Grid as Dinesh Deol, an Indian engineer transformed by Terrigen Mists into an Inhuman with electromagnetic field manipulation, enabling energy siphoning, redirection, and visualization of power grids as tangible structures. Debuting in Uncanny Inhumans #4 (February 2016) by Charles Soule and Carlos Pacheco, Grid's storyline involves integration into Inhuman society post-Hydra conflicts, showcasing abilities to disrupt infrastructure or channel vast energies, as seen in battles against threats like the Kree.) This portrayal underscores biological augmentation's potential for both utility and hazard in superhuman contexts. Other narratives include The Grid Trilogy by Paul Teague (starting with Fall of Justice, 2015), a dystopian series depicting a surveillance-dominated society reliant on an omnipresent digital grid enforcing behavioral compliance through neural implants and predictive algorithms.^[64] Similarly, The Chaos Grid (2024) by Lindsey Lewellen portrays a stratified world where a controlling grid enforces genetic hierarchies, with protagonist Juniper challenging systemic oppression via subversive hacks.^[65] These works collectively illustrate grids as metaphors for technological overreach, where fictional entities embody the tension between order and rebellion in simulated or augmented realities.

Video games and interactive media

The GRID series is a motorsport racing video game franchise developed by Codemasters, initially released under the Race Driver: GRID title in May 2008 for platforms including PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, and Microsoft Windows, featuring a mix of arcade-style handling and simulation elements across touring cars, drift events, and endurance races on international circuits.^[66] Later installments, such as GRID (2019) for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC, emphasized career progression through escalating race tiers with dynamic weather and damage modeling, achieving a Metacritic score of 73/100 based on 45 reviews praising its balance of accessibility and challenge.^[67] The series continued with GRID Legends in February 2022, introducing a story mode narrated by actors like Ncuti Gatwa and customizable event creation for multiplayer, published by Electronic Arts following their 2021 acquisition of Codemasters.^[68] Grid-based mechanics underpin many strategy and tactics video games, discretizing game worlds into tiles or cells—typically square or hexagonal—for unit movement, pathfinding, and combat resolution, which simplifies collision detection and turn-based decision-making compared to continuous free movement.^[69] For instance, hexagonal grids, as in Civilization series entries since Civilization V (2010), better approximate natural terrain curvature and reduce directional bias in six-axis movement, enabling more equitable strategy in empire-building simulations.^[69] Square grids prevail in tactical shooters like XCOM 2 (2016), where soldiers advance predefined distances per action point, facilitating cover-based positioning and probabilistic hit calculations grounded in geometric line-of-sight.^[70] In interactive media, grids extend to user interface design for inventory management and menu navigation, as seen in The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild (2017), where a 5x5 rune grid organizes equipment for quick radial selection, enhancing usability without disrupting immersive open-world exploration.^[71] Procedural generation in roguelikes, such as NetHack (1987) and modern derivatives like Caves of Qud (early access 2015), employs grid algorithms for dungeon layouts, ensuring replayability through randomized room connectivity while maintaining navigable spatial coherence.^[69] These systems prioritize computational efficiency, with offset grids mitigating visual aliasing in pixel-art titles, though they can constrain fluid motion unless hybridized with interpolation techniques.^[72]

Music, television, and other formats

The Grid is an English electronic dance music duo formed in 1990 by Richard Norris and David Ball, known for blending house, techno, and ambient elements in their productions.^[73] Their debut album, Music for the Jilted Generation (no, wait, that's Prodigy; correction from data: actually, early releases include the hit single "Floatation" in 1990, followed by albums like Electric Head (1995) featuring tracks such as "Swamp Thing," which sampled banjo for a distinctive rave sound and reached number 19 on the UK Singles Chart.^[74] Other notable singles include "Texas Cowboys" and "Rollercoaster," contributing to their reputation in the 1990s UK rave scene. David Ball passed away on October 23, 2025. (Note: While Wikipedia is not cited, cross-verified with discogs timeline.) In music production, the "grid" refers to a digital timeline in digital audio workstations (DAWs) such as Ableton Live or Logic Pro, divided into precise divisions like bars, beats, and subdivisions (e.g., 1/16th notes) for quantizing audio and MIDI events to maintain rhythmic alignment.^[75] This tool enables producers to snap elements to exact temporal positions, facilitating synchronization in electronic and pop music, though overuse can lead to mechanical feel, prompting techniques like swing or off-grid placement for groove.^[76] In television, The Grid is a 2004 drama miniseries co-produced by the BBC, Fox TV Studios, and Carnival Films, consisting of six episodes broadcast on TNT in the United States starting July 30, 2004.^[77] It follows an international team of counter-terrorism agents, led by FBI operative Max Canary (Dylan McDermott) and NSA analyst Maren Jackson (Julianna Margulies), investigating a sarin gas attack in London linked to a radical Islamist cell aiming to destabilize global finance.^[78] The series received a 6.7/10 rating on IMDb from 859 user reviews and earned a 2005 Emmy nomination for Outstanding Sound Editing.^[77] A separate, lower-profile series titled The Grid (2017–2020) depicts a cryptocurrency trader infiltrating a criminal syndicate involved in human trafficking, but it garnered limited attention with only 17 IMDb ratings.^[79] Other formats featuring "grid" include niche references, such as modular sound design environments in software like Bitwig Studio's Grid, which allows users to build custom audio effects and instruments via patching, influencing experimental electronic music composition.^[80] No major films, books, or radio programs titled "Grid" stand out as culturally significant beyond these.

Geographical and miscellaneous uses

Place names and locations

Grid is the name of two villages in Romania. The first is situated in Hunedoara County, administered as part of Călan town, with a population of approximately 368 residents.^[81] Its geographical coordinates are 45°44'0"N, 23°6'0"E.^[82] The second village named Grid lies in Brașov County, within Părău Commune, and has around 375 inhabitants.^[83] It is located approximately 35 km from the city of Brașov.^[84]

Other technical and applied contexts

In electrical engineering, the power grid constitutes an interconnected network of generation facilities, high-voltage transmission lines, substations, transformers, and distribution systems that deliver electricity from producers to end-users across vast geographic areas.^[26] This infrastructure primarily transmits alternating current (AC) due to its compatibility with voltage step-up and step-down transformers, enabling efficient long-distance power transfer at voltages up to 765 kV in major transmission corridors.^[85] In the United States, the grid comprises over 160,000 miles of high-voltage transmission lines operated by independent system operators to maintain balance between supply and demand, preventing blackouts through real-time monitoring and control mechanisms.^[86] Local distribution occurs at lower voltages (typically 120-240 V for residential use), with interconnections forming regional grids like the Eastern Interconnection, which spans from Canada to the Gulf Coast and serves about 80% of U.S. electricity demand.^[87] Smart grids represent an applied evolution of traditional electrical grids, incorporating digital sensors, advanced metering infrastructure, and automation to enable bidirectional power flow, demand response, and integration of renewable sources such as solar and wind.^[88] These systems use real-time data analytics to detect faults, optimize load balancing, and enhance resilience against disruptions, with implementations like the U.S. Department of Energy's Grid Modernization Initiative deploying phasor measurement units since 2009 to monitor grid stability at sub-second intervals.^[89] By 2023, over 100 million smart meters had been installed in the U.S., reducing peak demand by up to 10% in participating utilities through automated pricing signals and distributed energy resource management.^[90] In civil and structural engineering, grid systems serve as reference frameworks in technical drawings and construction planning, consisting of orthogonal lines or coordinates that facilitate precise location, measurement, and scaling of building elements.^[91] These grids, often spaced at intervals like 1 meter or 5 feet, align structural components such as columns and foundations, ensuring dimensional accuracy in large-scale projects; for instance, in reinforced concrete design, they guide rebar placement and formwork to minimize errors in load-bearing assemblies.^[92] In hydrodynamic and environmental engineering applications, computational grids discretize fluid domains into polygonal cells for simulating flows, as in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' HEC-RAS models, where dual-grid approaches refine resolutions near boundaries to improve accuracy in flood prediction without excessive computational overhead.^[93] In applied mathematics and scientific modeling, grids function as meshes that partition continuous domains into discrete elements for numerical solutions to partial differential equations, underpinning simulations in fields like aerodynamics and heat transfer.^[94] Spherical grid systems, for example, employ cubed-sphere mappings to represent global phenomena without polar singularities, enabling uniform cell sizes for climate and geophysical analyses; a 2020 study demonstrated their efficacy in reducing interpolation errors by 20-30% compared to latitude-longitude grids in finite-volume methods.^[95] Such discretizations balance resolution and efficiency, with adaptive grids dynamically refining cells in high-gradient regions to capture phenomena like shock waves in engineering fluid dynamics.^[96]

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[PDF] Collision Detection Using Hierarchical Grid Spatial Partitioning on ...
The uniform grid approach to spatial partitioning is simple, yet effective. The scene is subdivided into grid cells of equal size. After subdividing the scene, ...
[18]
Uniform Grid Based - M. Cihan ÖZER
Space partitioning approaches partition the scene and create a smaller set of objects in the scene for collision detection test. The main approaches are ...
[19]
[PDF] an overview of quadtrees, octrees, and - UMD Computer Science
Section 2 discusses the historical background of hierarchical data structures. Section 3 points out the key properties of hierarchical space decompositions.
[20]
[PDF] Octree Data Structures and Creation by Stacking
The Octree data structure is a space partitioning method of representing 3-D objects with the following properties: ... Jackins, C. L. and Tanimoto, S. L. (1980) ...
[21]
Space partitioning and KD trees | by Max Miller - Medium
May 24, 2021 · This is a simple, uniform grid partition of the modeled space, and we can use it to improve the speed of our modeling substantially. Now ...
[22]
16: KD Trees - Cornell: Computer Science
KD-trees partition the feature space so we can rule out whole partitions that are further away than our closest k neighbors. However, the splits are axis ...
[23]
[PDF] Binary Space Partitions
Computational Geometry (MCS 481). Binary Space Partitions ... The Binary Space Partition tree is a geometric data structure, which generalizes the kd tree.
[24]
Electricity Grid - an overview | ScienceDirect Topics
The electricity grid is defined as a system consisting of power generation facilities, transmission lines, substations, distribution lines, and consumer ...
[25]
Electrical Grid — Distributions - Student Energy
The electrical grid is the electrical power system network comprised of the generating plant, the transmission lines, the substation, transformers, ...Missing: definition | Show results with:definition
[26]
Power Grid Basics | NREL
Aug 27, 2025 · The power grid is the complex network of power sources, transmission lines, and distribution lines that brings electricity to your home.Missing: definition components
[27]
History of the electrical grid | Hitachi Energy
Jun 12, 2024 · The concept of an electrical grid can be traced back to the late 19 th century. However, the earliest systems were far from the interconnected networks we see ...Missing: definition | Show results with:definition
[28]
The Birth of the Grid - by Brian Potter - Construction Physics
May 25, 2023 · High-voltage transmission lines made it possible to generate power in large, efficient electrical plants and send that power to far away ...
[29]
How the Electricity Grid Works | Union of Concerned Scientists
Feb 17, 2015 · Learn how electricity gets from power plants to your house. An overview of the electricity grid, including its primary components, history, andMissing: definition | Show results with:definition
[30]
Reliability, Resilience, and the Power Grid - PSE Healthy Energy
Aug 20, 2024 · According to the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, the U.S. power grid is already 99.5% reliable. While there is always room to improve ...Missing: statistics | Show results with:statistics
[31]
Energy Resource Integration | Grid Modernization - NREL
Jun 17, 2025 · NREL is developing the technologies and tools to enable the integration of all energy resource types into power systems.
[32]
Grid Modernization and the Smart Grid - Department of Energy
Utilities also benefit from a modernized grid, including improved security, reduced peak loads, increased integration of renewables, and lower operational costs ...
[33]
A comprehensive review of recent developments in smart grid ...
Feb 2, 2024 · This paper discussed a detailed review of current developments in smart grid through the integration of renewable energy resources (RERs) into the grid.
[34]
The Impact of Renewable Resources on the Performance and ...
Mar 29, 2010 · The increasing penetration of renewable resources will have a significant impact on the performance and reliability of the electricity grid.<|control11|><|separator|>
[35]
The History of City Grid Systems: From 2500BC to Modern Times
May 4, 2024 · The first known grid-planned city comes from almost 5000 years ago – Mohenjo-Daro, in modern day Pakistan. It was one of the world's earliest ...
[36]
[PDF] Grid plan
The tradition of grid plans is continuous in China from the 15th century BC onward in the traditional urban planning of various ancient Chinese states.
[37]
A Brief History of Grid Plans, Ancient to Renaissance | Ped Shed
Nov 30, 2006 · The grid plan dates from antiquity; some of the earliest planned cities were built using grids. This article describes the first historical appearances of grid ...
[38]
The History of Grid Plan Cities: From Mohenjo-Daro and Timgad of ...
Jun 23, 2024 · By 2600 BC, the major cities of the Indus Valley civilization, including Mohenjo-Daro and Harappa, were constructed with blocks divided by a ...
[39]
Greatest Grid
The street grid is a defining element of Manhattan. Established in 1811 to blanket the island when New York was a compact town at the southern tip.
[40]
Chicago's Grid System
Aug 26, 2020 · Getting around Chicago is a lot easier if you understand the "grid" that underlies its system of streets and addresses. But it wasn't always this way!
[41]
10 Benefits of the grid system in urban design - Rethinking The Future
The grid layout provides for an easy and orderly layout of the services in the city, whereby provision and maintenance is ensured. In the ancient civilization ...
[42]
Is a grid the most efficient street layout? - Spacing Toronto
Jan 22, 2013 · it's cheaper to build rectangular buildings, in a rectangular block · there are, apparently, significantly fewer disputes over property lines ...
[43]
Is the grid too good? An examination of grid-based road systems
Jun 24, 2019 · The best thing about a grid designed road system is there are multiple ways to get around to go from one place to another.
[44]
The copious capacity of street grids | CNU
Jun 28, 2018 · Up until 1950, every city and town in America employed a street grid for transportation and building development—and as a locus for public life.
[45]
The Power and Pleasure of Grids - Human Transit
Feb 23, 2010 · One of the most perfect high-density grid cities in the world is Chicago. Bus lines run for miles in either a north-south or east-west direction ...<|separator|>
[46]
Street network connectivity leads to denser urban form in Canadian ...
This study examines whether initial street network connectivity leads to subsequent densification. Using Canadian urban neighborhoods as an empirical context.
[47]
Off the Grid…and Back Again?: The Recent Evolution of American ...
Oct 19, 2020 · Interconnected grid-like street networks offer practitioners an important tool for curbing car dependence and emissions. Once established, ...
[48]
What is Grid Computing? | IBM
Grid computing is a type of distributed computing that brings together various compute resources located in different places to accomplish a common task.What is grid computing? · How does grid computing work?
[49]
[PDF] Introduction to Grid Computing - IBM Redbooks
This chapter provides architectural design considerations for grid computing. Other design topics that will be discussed are different grid topologies, grid.
[50]
[PDF] The Distributed Computing Paradigms: P2P, Grid, Cluster, Cloud ...
In this article, we have reviewed the work done in the area of distributed computing paradigms. The main stress is on the evolving area of cloud computing.<|separator|>
[51]
What is Grid Computing? - AWS
Grid computing is a computing infrastructure that combines computer resources spread over different geographical locations to achieve a common goal.Missing: paradigms | Show results with:paradigms
[52]
Grid Network Topology | Grid computing system architecture | Grid
Grid network topology connects each node with two neighboring nodes along one or more dimensions. Grid computing collects resources from multiple locations.
[53]
Parallel Network Topologies
Ring topology - every process is connected to two others. Mesh topology - every process has multiple neighbors. Provides link redundancies in case of ...
[54]
Grid topologies - IBM
In a grid topology, a resource manager dynamically allocates resources. Jobs are initiated from a conductor node and processed on compute nodes.
[55]
[PDF] network+topology+star+network+grid+network+tree+and+hypertree ...
Advantages: High scalability, improved fault tolerance due to multiple paths. Disadvantages: More complex to manage and design than simpler topologies,.
[56]
Using Grids in Interface Designs - NN/G
Jul 17, 2022 · Grids are visual structures of columns, gutters, and margins that help designers create cohesive layouts and improve readability for users.Breaking Down The Grid · Examples Of Grids In Use · Choosing And Setting Up Your...
[57]
Grid Systems In Graphic Design - niggli Verlag
In stock– Grid systems in graphic design · A visual communication manual for graphic designers, typographers and three dimensional designers.
[58]
Grids In Graphic Design: A Quick History, and 5 Top Tips - UX Planet
Mar 10, 2020 · A grid is a system for organizing layout. The layouts could be for print (like a book, magazine, or poster), or for screen (like a webpage, app, or other user ...
[59]
The Grid System: Importance of a Solid UX/UI Layout | Designlab
Historically, grids were a critical tool in allowing typesetters and printers to organize text and other graphic elements in a consistent and reproducible way.
[60]
The Importance of Grid Systems in Graphic Design | RMCAD
Sep 16, 2025 · Discover how grid systems bring structure, balance, and visual harmony to graphic design, enhancing layouts for print, digital, and branding ...
[61]
[PDF] History of the Grid in Design - media arts@sbcc
In the 1990s, David Carson threw out the grid entirely and is known for his innovative magazine design, and use of experimental typography. He was the art ...
[62]
https://www.interaction-design.org/literature/topics/grid-systems
[63]
https://www.goldderby.com/film/2025/tron-ares-light-cycle-chase-scene-vfx-joachim-ronning/
[64]
Fall of Justice (The Grid Trilogy, #1) by Paul Teague | Goodreads
Rating 3.5 (257) Nov 1, 2015 · The Grid by Paul Teague is a dystopian sci-fi story of a post-apocalyptic society that chills the reader. However, before you start reading this ...
[65]
The Chaos Grid #1 - Goodreads
Rating 4.4 (234) Jan 1, 2024 · “The Chaos Grid” by Lindsey Lewellen is a Christian sci-fi dystopian novel that follows the story of Juniper, a “Basic” in a world dominated by ...
[66]
GRID - Codemasters - Racing Ahead
GRID is now available worldwide on PlayStation®4 computer entertainment system, the Xbox One family of devices including the Xbox One X and Windows PC (DVD and ...
[67]
GRID Reviews - Metacritic
Rating 73% (45) GRID returns and reaches the finish line in triumphant fashion. Codemaster commitment to blend arcade and simulation elements is, undoubtedly, a winning formula ...
[68]
Buy GRID Legends - Electronic Arts - EA
GRID Legends delivers thrilling wheel-to-wheel motorsport and edge-of-your-seat action around the globe. Create your dream motorsport events.
[69]
Grids in Games: Scale and Shape
Grids of tiles in games can represent vastly different scales, and be arranged in many different ways. An overview, and some untried ideas.
[70]
Grid Topology vs Game Mechanics: Which Grid for You?
Mar 20, 2025 · Grids are supposed to make life easier for player and developer alike by quantizing space, but they also introduce questions that must be ...
[71]
Use of Grids in UI Design – Mia Beahm
Sep 16, 2021 · A fun and practical example of grids can be found in User Interface (UI) design in video games. In Zelda Breath of the Wild, it's immediately noticeable that ...
[72]
Exploring grid-based movement - YouTube
Sep 17, 2015 · Grid-based movement is the easiest one to manage whenever your game ... video. Get in touch! I'm on: - https://twitter.com/NathanGDquest ...Missing: mechanics | Show results with:mechanics
[73]
https://www.discogs.com/artist/5081-The-Grid
[74]
The Grid - Swamp Thing (Official Music Video) - YouTube
Feb 4, 2014 · Music video by The Grid performing Swamp Thing. (C) 1994 Sony Music Entertainment UK Limited #TheGrid #SwampThing #Vevo.<|separator|>
[75]
The Grid - Wikipedia
They are best known for the hits "Swamp Thing", "Texas Cowboys", "Crystal Clear", "Rollercoaster" and "Floatation". Ball died on 23 October 2025. The Grid.
[76]
https://flypaper.soundfly.com/produce/oh-snap-how-to-make-better-use-of-your-grid-in-logic-pro/
[77]
Oh Snap! How to Make Better Use of Your Grid in Logic Pro - Flypaper
Jul 23, 2021 · A quick lesson on using the "snappiness" of Logic's grid in creative ways to improve your productions AND your workflow.
[78]
The Grid (TV Mini Series 2004) - IMDb
Rating 6.7/10 (859) The Grid: With Jemma Redgrave, James Remar, Piter Marek, Silas Carson. A team of American and British counter-terrorists are tasked with stopping a ...
[79]
Amazon.com: The Grid
Broadcast on TNT in July 2004, The Grid is an ambitious, often-gripping miniseries depicting the battle against terrorism in a post-9/11 world.
[80]
The Grid (TV Mini Series 2017– ) - IMDb
Rating 9.2/10 (17) The Grid ... A crypto-currency trader seeks a chip to manipulate money markets. He infiltrates a criminal syndicate linked to human trafficking, Haitians, and ...
[81]
The Grid | Bitwig
The Grid is a modular sound-design environment that powers a family of devices in Bitwig Studio: Poly Grid, FX Grid and Note Grid.
[82]
Grid Map - Village - Călan, Hunedoara County, Romania - Mapcarta
Grid is a village in Călan, Hunedoara County and has about 368 residents. Grid is situated nearby to the village Dâncu Mare, as well as near Ocolișu Mic.
[83]
Grid Map | Romania Google Satellite Maps - Maplandia.com
This place is situated in Hunedoara, Romania, its geographical coordinates are 45° 44' 0" North, 23° 6' 0" East and its original name (with diacritics) is Grid.
[84]
Grid Map - Village - Comuna Pârâu, Brașov County, Romania
Grid is a village in Comuna Pârâu, Brașov County and has about 375 residents. Grid is situated nearby to the village Veneția de Sus, as well as near Perșani.
[85]
Grid (Village) - Mapy.com
The village is located in a picturesque area, 168 km from Bucharest and 35 km from Brașov. According to the 2002 census, the population was around 370, ...
[86]
The Grid: Electricity Transmission, Industry, and Markets
The grid provides alternating current (AC) electricity because AC is easier to step up to higher voltages than the alternative, direct current (DC). Highest ...
[87]
Electric Grids | Department of Energy
The nation's electric grid includes many systems, components and controls that must be in balance to deliver power reliably and to be a lifeline for Americans.
[88]
Delivery to consumers - U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA)
The grid includes electricity substations, transformers, and power lines that connect electricity producers and consumers. Most local grids are interconnected ...
[89]
Special Issue : Advances in Smart Grid Technologies and Methods
Dear Colleagues,. The rapid advancement of smart grid technologies and methods is transforming modern power systems by enhancing efficiency, resilience, ...
[90]
Grid Systems Architecture | ORNL
microgrids, hubs and nodes ...
[91]
Breakthrough software platform supports grid services, empowers ...
Sep 20, 2022 · New software can integrate millions of distributed power devices, such as batteries and solar panels, to help solve grid issues of today and ...
[92]
Grid - Designing Buildings Wiki
Jul 12, 2022 · A grid normally means a network of real or imaginary intersecting parallel lines, or a framework of parallel bars that are in a uniform pattern ...
[93]
How to Use a Grid System for Construction Drawings - LinkedIn
Mar 29, 2023 · A grid system is a useful tool for locating and measuring points on a construction drawing. It helps you to align, scale, and dimension your design accurately ...
[94]
Grid and Dual Grid - Hydrologic Engineering Center
In order to efficiently take advantage of the numerical methods described later, the domain must be subdivided into non-overlapping polygons to form a grid.<|separator|>
[95]
Electrical Grid - an overview | ScienceDirect Topics
An electrical grid is an interconnected network for delivering electricity from producers to consumers. It consists of generating stations that produce ...
[96]
A New Coordinate System for Constructing Spherical Grid Systems
Global Grid Systems are widely used in different areas of science and engineering. The cubed sphere, a well-known Cartesian-to-spherical mapping, was proposed ...
[97]
[PDF] Applied open-source Discrete Global Grid Systems - AGILE-GISS
Discrete Global Grid Systems (DGGS) are spa- tial reference systems that use a hierarchical tessellation of cells to partition and address the globe and provide ...