Final answer:
The correct answer is the 'zone search,' which is a search technique used to cover areas methodically by splitting them into zones and is analogous to urban planning models like the concentric zone model.
Step-by-step explanation:
The search technique described in the question, which can be used in reverse by moving outward from a central point or the center of a room, is known as the zone search. This method is related to various fields including crime scene investigation, systematic search operations, and urban planning. The zone search allows for thorough coverage by dividing the search area into zones and systematically searching each one. In urban planning, this concept parallels the concentric zone model devised by Ernest Burgess, which conceptualizes a city as expanding outward from a central business district into successive zones with distinct characteristics, such as residential areas and commercial zones. The use of such a search method, whether in underwater exploration with mobile guide lines creating corridors or in studying patterns of urban development, allows for an organized and effective examination of an area.