Ian Kegel's presentation

Abstract

Ian Kegel holds an MEng in Electrical and Information Sciences from the University of Cambridge. He has worked in both the defense and telecommunications industries on projects ranging from radar signal processing to multimedia delivery, and has spent the last 8 years undertaking content-related research within BT. He currently heads the Future Content Group, a team of 10 researchers whose role is to supply BT with the product ideas, technology and foresight which it needs to help its customers take full advantage of the world of digital content. Ian also co-ordinates a program to develop compelling new applications and services for the broadband-connected TV. He collaborates with partners from industry and academia from across Europe in a variety of projects and initiatives, and is actively involved in the current EU Framework 6 program. Ian works IEPRC, IBC and broadcasters and media producers in the UK, and he holds several patents in the multimedia content field. In the video presentation, you will hear his views on "digital home." What will multimedia in the Digital Home look like in 5 years' time? Today, the majority of digital communication is carried out between individuals, while broadcast television still delivers the same experience to large groups of people. However, this situation is rapidly changing and we recognize three major trends: 1. Natural communication will be possible between groups rather than individuals, connected via broadband networks. 2. Entertainment experiences will become truly personalized, with multimedia content being automatically tailored to those watching it. 3. People will be able to seamlessly augment their communication with rich multimedia content. This video provides a brief tour of the future Digital Home. It will show how casual family games could be played between remote families mediated by natural video and audio communication focused on the television, and it will explore how this technology could enable cooperative play between children and richer, more supportive communication for the elderly. It also explains how new personalized narrative forms can be applied to multimedia content created and shared between families. These visions are being made real through ongoing collaborative research in Europe, in completed projects such as NM2 (New Millennium, New Media) and future projects such as TA2 (Together Anywhere, Together Anytime)