Multimedia Synchronization Research Articles

THE ROLE OF SYNCHRONOUS AND ASYNCHRONOUS MULTIMEDIA IN EFL LISTENING COMPREHENSION

This research investigates the role of synchronous and asynchronous multimedia in EFL listening comprehension among EFL learners. The study adopts a mixed-methods design, gathering quantitative data through listening comprehension tests and surveys and qualitative data through focus group discussions and interviews. Participants from various proficiency levels engaged with both synchronous and asynchronous multimedia. The findings revealed significant improvements in EFL listening comprehension for learners exposed to both formats. Synchronous multimedia offered interactive experiences with immediate feedback, while asynchronous materials provided flexibility and autonomy. A blended approach accommodating diverse preferences proves beneficial for language educators, fostering well-rounded language proficiency in EFL learners worldwide.

A Timestamp-Independent Haptic–Visual Synchronization Method for Haptic-Based Interaction System

The booming haptic data significantly improve the users’ immersion during multimedia interaction. As a result, the study of a Haptic-based Interaction System has attracted the attention of the multimedia community. To construct such a system, a challenging task is the synchronization of multiple sensorial signals that is critical to the user experience. Despite audio-visual synchronization efforts, there is still a lack of a haptic-aware multimedia synchronization model. In this work, we propose a timestamp-independent synchronization for haptic–visual signal transmission. First, we exploit the sequential correlations during delivery and playback of a haptic–visual communication system. Second, we develop a key sample extraction of haptic signals based on the force feedback characteristics and a key frame extraction of visual signals based on deep-object detection. Third, we combine the key samples and frames to synchronize the corresponding haptic–visual signals. Without timestamps in the signal flow, the proposed method is still effective and more robust in complicated network conditions. Subjective evaluation also shows a significant improvement of user experience with the proposed method.

Design of Multimedia Vocal Music Education Data Integration System Based on Adaptive Genetic Algorithm

In order to solve the problems of low accuracy of data integration results, low integration efficiency, and easy confusion between different types of data in traditional methods, a multimedia vocal education data integration system based on adaptive genetic algorithm was designed. Specifically, the designed system is divided into three parts: data source management module, system administrator module, and database management module. The synchronized multimedia vocal education data are first processed by the synchronous multimedia vocal education data processing and then integrated by an adaptive genetic algorithm. The experimental results show that the longest data transmission time of the system is 2.3 s, which is much lower than that of the traditional method, and the accuracy of the integration result is higher, and the probability of data integration confusion is lower, which all indicate that the designed system has better application performance.

On the Suitability of HbbTV for Unified Smart Home Experience

Hybrid broadcast broadband TV (HbbTV) is a standardization initiative aimed at harmonising the broadcast and broadband delivery of entertainment services to consumers through connected TVs, set-top boxes, and multiscreen devices. A smart home (SH) is a suitable home setup where appliances and devices can be automatically controlled remotely from any Internet-connected device. For the seamless integration of a variety of devices within the SH, HbbTV solutions are gaining a pivotal role, acting as a central hub for audio and video broadcasting services, home automation and other devices, including smartphones, tablets and Internet of Things (IoT)-enabled devices. In this context, a standard, compliant and platform independent, solution is preferred as it can enable dynamic environment where heterogeneous devices contribute to the overall user experience. This paper proposes an architecture for the seamless integration of a SH environment with a HbbTV-enabled television set and consumer’s handled devices, such as smartphones and tablets, using the HbbTV 2.0.1 Companions Screen and Multimedia Synchronization framework. A complete architectural design and its hardware implementation have been developed and deployed as a proof of concept. Subjective tests based on mean opinion score (MOS) have been conducted to assess the benefits of the proposed system in terms of Quality of Experience (QoE). Results are encouraging and show that the accurate design of hybrid services through HbbTV could lead to satisfactory QoE perceived by users in the fruition of unified TV and SH services. Based on the obtained results, a preferred common configuration of notifications in terms of position, duration, and sound was indicated.

Inter-destination Multimedia Synchronization: A Contemporary Survey

The advent of social networking applications, media streaming technologies, and synchronous communications has created an evolution towards dynamic shared media experiences. In this new model, geographically distributed groups of users can be immersed in a common virtual networked environment in which they can interact and collaborate in real- time within the context of simultaneous media content consumption. In this environment, intra-stream and inter-stream synchronization techniques are used inside the consumers’ playout devices, while synchronization of media streams across multiple separated locations is required. This synchronization is nown as multipoint, group or Inter-Destination Multimedia Synchronization (IDMS) and is needed in many applications such as social TV and synchronous e-learning. This survey paper discusses intraand inter-stream synchronization issues, but it mainly focuses on the most well-known IDMS techniques that can be used in emerging distributed multimedia applications. In addition, it provides some research directions for future work.

Synchronization Protocol for Real Time Multimedia in Mobile Distributed Systems

Mobile distributed systems (MDS) deal with data transmissions among geographically distributed mobile sources. In this environment, the preservation of temporal dependencies among exchanged real-time multimedia data is mainly affected the asynchronous transmissions, by constant topology changes, unpredictable delays, as well as the lack of global memory and clock. Existing solutions for distributed intermedia synchronization are based on the assumption of a homogeneous end-to-end system, where symmetrical unbounded overhead cannot affect the throughput. This assumption, however, is not feasible for MDS due to the constraints of the wireless medium and the mobility implications. This paper presents a distributed multimedia synchronization protocol oriented to satisfy logical and temporal dependencies in the exchange of real-time data in MDS by using logical mapping, avoiding the use of global references. Two main aspects of the protocol include the computation of the deadline for messages by using only relative time points and by dividing the processing stage to achieve synchronization with an asymmetric principle of design. With the simulations results we demonstrate that our protocol is effective in diminishing the synchronization error. Furthermore, the protocol is efficient as regards processing and storage costs at the mobile hosts, and in the overhead attached per message with a reduced usage of bandwidth across the wired and wireless channels in comparison with the Real-time Transport Protocol.

Influence of Synchronization on Quality of Service (QoS) of the Packet Transmission Networks

The article investigates multimedia synchronization models. By modeling were obtained probability-time numerical characteristics values of selected parameters.

Perceived Synchronization of Mulsemedia Services

Multimedia synchronization involves a temporal relationship between audio and visual media components. The presentation of “in-sync” data streams is essential to achieve a natural impression, as “out-of-sync” effects are often associated with user quality of experience (QoE) decrease . Recently , multi-sensory media (mulsemedia) has been demonstrated to provide a highly immersive experience for its users. Unlike traditional multimedia, mulsemedia consists of other media types (i.e., haptic, olfaction, taste, etc.) in addition to audio and visual content. Therefore, the goal of achieving high quality mulsemedia transmission is to present no or little synchronization errors between the multiple media components. In order to achieve this ideal synchronization, there is a need for comprehensive knowledge of the synchronization requirements at the user interface. This paper presents the results of a subjective study carried out to explore the temporal boundaries within which haptic and air-flow media objects can be successfully synchronized with video media. Results show that skews between sensorial media and multimedia might still give the effect that the mulsemedia sequence is “in-sync” and provide certain constraints under which synchronization errors might be tolerated. The outcomes of the paper are used to provide recommendations for mulsemedia service providers in order for their services to be associated with acceptable user experience levels, e.g. haptic media could be presented with a delay of up to 1 s behind video content, while air-flow media could be released either 5 s ahead of or 3 s behind video content.

Research and Simulation for Audio Stream Synchronization Algorithm of Multimedia Network

This study is focused on audio streaming synchronization problems of multimedia network. Audio streaming synchronization issues of multimedia network directly affect the development of multimedia technology. To this end, this paper presents a multimedia network audio stream synchronization method based on the whole node identification, with feature detection method to identify endpoint of audio streams in perception node, and an audio fingerprint is conducted for information of each node, then, mark the starting point of sync, and sync tasks are decomposed at each node, and finally the audio stream synchronization is achieved in the cluster head node, error correction adjustment and information correction are performed to reduce the energy consumption of cluster head node, enhance correction capability of information loss. The simulation results show that the synchronization delay of proposed algorithm is significantly reduced, which enhance the performance of the multimedia network.

Hermeneutics as a methodological resource for understanding empathy in on-line learning environments

Hermeneutics is both a philosophical tradition and a methodological resource. In this qualitative study, hermeneutics provided, simultaneously, a framework and a methodology for understanding empathy in synchronous multimedia conferencing. As a framework for the design of the study, hermeneutics supported the overriding objective to understand the human phenomenon of empathy and students' and teachers' experiences of this phenomenon. As a methodological resource, hermeneutics pointed to an approach to data collection and analysis that would allow us to honour and remain faithful to participants' stories of their experiences of empathy in on-line educational environments. In this article, we provide an explanation of the iterative approach used to interpret empathy within classroom environments devoid of face-to-face interactions. Those approaches offered increasingly deeper understandings of the ways in which people are able to perceive how others feel in on-line environments.

The Social Multimedia Experience

Inter-destination multimedia synchronization and quality of experience are critical to the success of social TV, which integrates television viewing with social networking.

Evolution of temporal multimedia synchronization principles

The evolution of multimedia applications has drastically changed human life and behaviors. New communication technologies lead to new requirements for multimedia synchronization. This article presents a historical view of temporal synchronization studies focusing on continuous multimedia. We demonstrate how the development of multimedia systems has created new challenges for synchronization technologies. We conclude with a new application-dependent, multilocation, multirequirement synchronization framework to address these new challenges.

Study on Virtual Reality Techniques Used in German Teaching

Virtual Reality (VR) by simulation study for multimedia teaching system, which provides the user with a simulation of a real-world environment for users to derive useful knowledge. Virtual Reality direction of research prospects is very large, but the difficulty is very great. In this paper, university network multimedia teaching system implementation, mainly images and multimedia information how to synchronize voice problems, and more due to network dissemination of information arising from end to end demonstrations and presentations jitter problems. Articles for both network multimedia teaching system in the main problems are given to solve the problem of multimedia information synchronization solutions and receive multimedia data buffering strategy.

Web-Base Virtual Collaboration in E-Learning System

In this paper, we are proposing a web-based virtual collaboration system for e-learning system. We propose new multimedia presentation and recordable virtual collaboration which supports synchronized multimedia presentation using Synchronous Multimedia Integration Language (SMIL). It allows synchronization of the contents of a PowerPoint presentation file and a video file so that the presentation shows slides and video on the same topic at any given time. The resulting SMIL file is used to provide multimedia presentation for image intensive discussion. Participants can use text along with associated symbols during the discussion over the presented power point slides. The symbols such as arrows or polygons have x-y coordinates within the slides to represent associated participants’ questions and answers. Those can be set or removed dynamically to represent areas of questions in slides using so called layered architecture that separates slide layer from annotation layer. Those annotations can be easily hidden for training purposes. XML files are used to record participants’ questions and answers along with the associated elements such as arrows and polygons over some particular images.

지연지터시간을 이용한 멀티미디어 동기화 기법

Abstract In this paper we suggest multimedia synchronization model that is based on the Petri-net and services desirable quality of service requirement. Proposed model applies variable buffer which can be allowed, and then it presents high quality of service and real time characteristics. This paper decreases the data loss resulted from variation of delay time and from loss time of media-data by means of applying delay jitter in order to deal with synchronization interval adjustment. Plus, the mechanism adaptively manages the waiting time of smoothing buffer, which leads to minimize the gap from the variation of delay time. The proposed paper is suitable to the system which requires the guarantee of high quality of service and mechanism improves quality of services such as decrease of loss rate, increase of playout rate. Key Words : Multimedia, Synchronization, Petri-net. Quality of Service 본 논문은 2012년도 청운대학교 학술연구조성비 지원에 의하여 연구되었음. * Corresponding Author : Keun-Wang Lee Tel: +82-41-630-3291 email: kwlee@chungwoon.ac.kr 접수일 12년 10월 12일 수정일 12년 11월 06일 게재확정일 12년 11월 08일

Slingshot 3D: A synchronous haptic-audio-video game

Recent advances in multimedia and human computer interaction technologies have paved the way for rich contents across multiple media such as haptics, audio, and video. This paper introduces a multimodal game named the Slingshot 3D Game: an interactive and synchronous haptic-audio-video shooter game over the Internet network. The game incorporates two types of haptic feedback: tactile feedback using a haptic jacket and kinesthetic feedback using the Novint Falcon haptic interface. Furthermore, the game utilizes a depth camera to track the player's (upper) body movements and detect collisions between the player's body and the shot projectile. To promote availability and cost, the game uses the Internet network as the communication medium between the players, by utilizing the Admux communication framework [10]. The game design and implementation are detailed in this paper. Both the player performance analysis and the user satisfaction analysis have shown that the incorporation of synchronous haptic-video multimedia has enhanced the perception of player presence and the overall quality of performance.

The need for inter-destination synchronization for emerging social interactive multimedia applications

Currently, the media consumption paradigm is changing from a single end user to a group shared experience. Now, social communication opportunities may be exploited (e.g., conferencing while watching television), facing lots of technological (e.g., synchronization, universal session handling, scalability) and perceptual (e.g., presence awareness, QoE) challenges. This article focuses on one of these major challenges ahead in new emerging social interactive multimedia applications, which is the synchronization of different media streams across multiple locations, known as inter-destination multimedia synchronization (IDMS). We describe the three kinds of temporal multimedia synchronization, and summarize some related work and examples of applications in which IDMS is needed. The article includes a discussion about an RTP/RTCP-based IDMS solution the authors have been working on, as well as the standardization status regarding this kind of synchronization.

Inter-destination multimedia synchronization: schemes, use cases and standardization

Traditionally, the media consumption model has been a passive and isolated activity. However, the advent of media streaming technologies, interactive social applications, and synchronous communications, as well as the convergence between these three developments, point to an evolution towards dynamic shared media experiences. In this new model, geographically distributed groups of consumers, independently of their location and the nature of their end-devices, can be immersed in a common virtual networked environment in which they can share multimedia services, interact and collaborate in real-time within the context of simultaneous media content consumption. In most of these multimedia services and applications, apart from the well-known intra and inter-stream synchronization techniques that are important inside the consumers’ playout devices, also the synchronization of the playout processes between several distributed receivers, known as multipoint, group or Inter-destination multimedia synchronization (IDMS), becomes essential. Due to the increasing popularity of social networking, this type of multimedia synchronization has gained in popularity in recent years. Although Social TV is perhaps the most prominent use case in which IDMS is useful, in this paper we present up to 19 use cases for IDMS, each one having its own synchronization requirements. Different approaches used in the (recent) past by researchers to achieve IDMS are described and compared. As further proof of the significance of IDMS nowadays, relevant organizations’(such as ETSI TISPAN and IETF AVTCORE Group) efforts on IDMS standardization (in which authors have been and are participating actively), defining architectures and protocols, are summarized.

Enhanced adaptive RTCP-based Inter-Destination Multimedia Synchronization approach for distributed applications

Newer social multimedia applications, such as Social TV or networked multi-player games, enable independent groups (or clusters) of users to interact among themselves and share services within the context of simultaneous media content consumption. In such scenarios, concurrently synchronized playout points must be ensured so as not to degrade the user experience on such interaction. We refer to this process as Inter-Destination Multimedia Synchronization (IDMS). This paper presents the design, implementation and evaluation of an evolved version of an RTCP-based IDMS approach, including an Adaptive Media Playout (AMP) scheme that aims to dynamically and smoothly adjust the playout timing of each one of the geographically distributed consumers in a specific cluster if an allowable asynchrony threshold between their playout states is exceeded. For that purpose, we previously had also to develop a full implementation of RTP/RTCP protocols for NS-2, in which we included the IDMS approach as an optional functionality. Simulation results prove the feasibility of such IDMS and AMP proposals, by adopting several dynamic master reference selection policies, to maintain an overall synchronization status (within allowable limits) in each cluster of participants, while minimizing the occurrence of long-term playout discontinuities (such as skips/pauses) which are subjectively more annoying and less tolerable to users than small variations in the media playout rate.

Design and Implementation of Enhanced Surveillance Platform with Low-Power Wireless Audio Sensor Network

Video surveillance system, which can provide real-time display of the monitored scene and video playback, has been employed in many areas including commercial security, accident investigation, law enforcement, and emergency response. However, audio which carries important information not available in video is usually not taken seriously and used effectively. In this paper, we develop an enhanced surveillance platform by organically integrating the low-power wireless audio sensor network (WASN) with the traditional visual surveillance network. We can obtain more comprehensive and precise monitoring without the limitation of the line-of-sight and lighting condition. Moreover, this platform is designed and built for providing key support to varieties of applications in wireless multimedia sensor networks. This paper describes the platform architecture, including design, implementation, and performance. We describe the hardware and software components of the audio/video sensors. Then, we present the multimedia synchronization mechanism in the heterogeneous network which is the foundation of applications in the proposed platform. Besides, we describe a sample application and data management mechanism that we have implemented to show the usefulness of our platform. Our experiments include an in-depth analysis of the bottlenecks within the platform as well as measurements for the various components.