distance: Switch from median to density estimate

R/utils.R

@@ -40,6 +40,30 @@ num <- function(number, digits) {
   format(round(number, digits = digits), nsmall = digits)
 }
 
+#' Find the densest value in the data.
+#'
+#' This function assumes that data represents a continuous variable and finds
+#' a single value with the highest estimated density. This can be used to
+#' estimate the mode of the data. If there is only one value that value is
+#' returned. If multiple density maxima with the same density exist, their mean
+#' is returned.
+#'
+#' @param data The input data.
+#'
+#' @return The densest value of data.
+#'
+#' @export
+densest <- function(data) {
+  as.numeric(if (length(data) <= 0) {
+    NULL
+  } else if (length(data) == 1) {
+    data
+  } else {
+    density <- stats::density(data)
+    mean(density$x[density$y == max(density$y)])
+  })
+}
+
 # This is needed to make data.table's symbols available within the package.
 #' @import data.table
 NULL