3D Media Representation and Coding

Abstract

Nowadays, three-dimensional (3D) multimedia provides immersive user experiences in virtual and real 3D environments, based on advanced technology that is rapidly evolving towards different fields of application. An important element in 3D multimedia is undoubtedly the visual information, where 3D video plays a major role. This chapter addresses such element of 3D multimedia, by presenting a comprehensive description of the most common 3D video formats used in various 3D multimedia services and applications. Uncompressed 3D video representation is described, specifically focusing frame compatible formats used for backward compatibility with 2D systems, followed by those formats that explicitly include depth information, either in single-view or multiview representations. Then an overview of standard coding algorithms, currently used for 3D video coding, is presented along with a discussion of their main characteristics in terms of processing methods and performance. Since the response of the human perceptual system to 3D visual content includes specific features different from those already known from 2D perception, the last sections of the chapter describe recent studies dealing with asymmetric representation and coding of stereoscopic video. The use and adaptation of standard coding methods to benefit from asymmetric characteristics of the human visual system is presented and discussed in the light of recent research advances. The chapter concludes by highlighting the most relevant issues in the current context of 3D video representation and coding.