Multimedia Research Articles

Design and implementation of heterogeneous distributed multimedia system using mosaic GSQL

AbstractWith more and more computer users having access to the Internet, it is important for them to access the vast amount of information in an efficient and easy manner. This project explores one of the possibilities for providing an integrated system to the user to access the different types of media like text, image, audio and video stored in different databases on remote machines without the user having to know about the underlying mechanism involved in accessing the database. Such a system must hide the location of the remote data, retrieve the information, process the results and present it to the user. We have used the National Center for Supercomputer Applications (NCSA) Mosaic's Gateway Structured Query Language (GSQL), which enables a system developer to build input forms, query to the remote database in a relatively easy manner and present the results to the user. With the help of this prototype, the development time to build such an application is considerably reduced as compared with developing the same application using the existing Graphical User Interface (GUI) tools like the X‐Window system.

The management and applications of teleaction objects

Teleaction objects (TAOs) possess private knowledge specific to the object instances. The user can create and modify the private knowledge of a TAO, so that it automatically reacts to certain events to preperform operations for generating timely responses, improving operational efficiency and maintaining consistency. Moreover, TAOs also possess a hypergraph structure leading to the effective presentation and efficient communication of multimedia information. The active multimedia system (AMS) is designed to manage the TAOs. In the AMS, each TAO has its own private knowledge, realized by the active index cells. The applications to smart multimedia mail and multimedia information retrieval are described to illustrate the usefulness of TAOs. We discuss the advantages of the proposed approach and future research.

Techniques for Scheduling I/O in a High Performance Multimedia-on-Demand Server

One of the key components of a multiuser multimedia-on-demand system is the data server. Digitalization of traditionally analog data such as video and audio, and the feasibility of obtaining network bandwidths above the gigabit-per-second range, are two important advances that have made possible the realization, in the near future, of interactive distributed multimedia systems. Secondary-to-main memory I/O technology has not kept pace with advances in networking, main memory, and CPU processing power. Consequently, the performance of the server has a direct bearing on the overall performance of such a system. In this paper, we present a highperformance solution to the I/O retrieval problem in a distributed multimedia system. We develop a model for the architecture of a server for such a system. Parallelism of data retrieval is achieved by striping the data across multiple disks. We present the algorithms for server operation when servicing a constant number of streams, as well as the admission control policy for accepting requests for new streams. The performance of any server ultimately depends on the data access patterns. Two modifications of the basic retrieval algorithm are presented to exploit data access patterns in order to improve system throughput and response time. Finally, we present preliminary performance results of these algorithms on the IBM SP1 and Intel Paragon parallel computers.

Issues in storage and retrieval of multimedia data

As the proliferation of multimedia systems continues in diverse application areas, it is becoming increasingly apparent that the performance of the I/O subsystem is a critical limiting factor in the usefulness of such systems. This has spurred extensive research to discover and design efficient and robust I/O systems for the storage and retrieval of multimedia data. To mitigate the effects of the I/O bottleneck in multimedia application environments, we must employ novel technologies and efficient algorithms, and we must use available resources carefully. This paper identifies some significant issues involved and presents a survey of the techniques developed or proposed during recent years to make multimedia I/O more efficient.

Design, Photography, and Multimedia Serials in Canada

Design, Photography, and Multimedia Serials in Canada

Multimedia reviewSacred Spirit Various Artists. CD Virgin Records and main retailers

Multimedia reviewSacred Spirit Various Artists. CD Virgin Records and main retailers

Tools for Human Performance Enhancement in Aviation Maintenance

Human Factors and ergonomics professionals are often asked to “show” how their research has affected on-the-job human performance. They are asked to show measurable changes in human effectiveness and efficiency at work. There is always the demand for HF&E researchers to create procedures and tools that can guide non-human factors personnel to make the “right” human-centered decisions. This symposium will show and distribute such tools that have been designed and tested in an aviation maintenance environment. For over six years now, the Federal Aviation Administration Office of Aviation Medicine has conducted an extensive research program centered on human factors in aviation maintenance and inspection. The research program has earned a reputation of demonstrating a “hands-on” understanding of aviation maintenance and maintaining a close working relationship with all segments of the industry. The symposium will begin with an overview of FAA-sponsored research results applied to aviation maintenance and safety over the past six years. In the second paper the Human Factors Guide for Aviation Maintenance, completed in 1995, will be described. The third presentation will demonstrate a CD-ROM version of the Guide. The presentation shall also discuss human-computer interface issues pertinent to developing interactive multi-media information systems. The final presentation will show a multi-media software package to conduct ergonomics audits in a variety of industrial environments. The system has evolved from three years of ergonomics audit research in aviation maintenance workplaces. Each of the session presentations will demonstrate and distribute HF&E tools to session attendees.

Models and performance of real-time disk access policies

Multimedia systems may experience contention for resources under tight temporal constraints. The disk storage system is one such system. It may create a bottleneck due to its relatively limited throughput and large delay. Previous work on real-time disk scheduling is largely based on simulation or on combinatorial optimization results applicable to a limited class of scheduling policies. This paper presents new models for analysing access policies of a single disk system, and numerical and simulation results to illustrate and validate the anlysis. Our approach to synchronizing disk allocation uses fluid approximations and analytical techniques from manufacturing system scheduling problems and the theory of dynamical systems. The approach allows us to examine both the steady state and transient (in terms of stability and convergence rate) behaviour of the system under a variety of policies. Some results can also be extended to the study of disk array systems.

Multimedia and the changing experience of the learner

AbstractThis paper argues for a pedagogical analysis of what the new multimedia systems can offer that will impose on them a more ambitious objective than they currently have. It begins by summarising a framework for analysing educational media, in terms of how well they each support the teaching‐learning process. The different types of media are then related to different ‘modes’ of learning: via the narrative media which support learning through acquisition, the discursive media which support learning through discussion, the interactive media, which support learning by discovery, and adaptive media which can be used to support ‘guided discovery’. Multimedia is sometimes seen as a way of re‐purposing material originally developed for narrative media. Because it can be (even should be) an adaptive medium, this requires the learning objectives to be re‐constructed if the new medium is to achieve its pedagogical potential and offer a new kind of learning experience to students.

Symbols for point-to-point videotelephony functions

Videotelephony and videoconferencing functions are more and more frequently becoming part of CSCW (computer-supported co-operative work) and multimedia systems. Using standardized symbols for the controls of videocommunications functions potentially enhances the usability of such systems. The European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI) has published a European Telecommunications Standard which defines eight symbols for videotelephony functions, namely Telephone/videophone mode, Camera transmission on/off, Microphone transmission on/off, Selfview on/off, Still picture on/off, Document camera on/off, Handsfree on/off, and Loudspeaking on/off. These eight symbols are also recommended for use on graphical user interfaces.

Formal specification and verification of multimedia systems in open distributed processing

The field of distributed systems is now entering a stage of maturity with work focusing on standards for Open Distributed Processing (ODP). However, it is still important that standardization remains responsive to new technological demands such as the emergence of distributed multimedia computing. This paper focuses on the likely impact of multimedia computing on formal description within ODP. In particular, a framework is proposed for the formal specification and verification of quality of service and more general real-time concerns in distributed multimedia systems. This framework exhibits a separation of concerns between the specification of behaviour and requirements and also between the specification of abstract behaviour and real-time concerns. The usefulness of this framework is demonstrated by the development of an approach based on LOTOS together with a real-time temporal logic, QTL.

DIPCS: An interprocess communication architecture for distributed multimedia systems

This paper presents the Distributed InterProcess Communication System (DIPCS) as a framework for managing communication in a distributed multimedia system. Within DIPCS, connection level management is provided through a novel distributed process group model called ADP-Group communication. The ADP-Group paradigm defines a new type of group message passing, calledqos-reliable. Qos-reliable semantics are appropriate to controlling real-time multimedia communication, by allowing a spectrum of performance and reliability specifications to co-exist within one group. DIPCS also provides an abstract programming model of multimedia devices, easing control of a heterogeneous multimedia system. Distributed multimedia applications can be rapidly developed using simple group operation primitives. We show how ADP-Group message delivery semantics can be directly mapped into an efficient Integrated Services Network support policy.

Call for papers: Special issue on representation and retrieval of visual media in multimedia systems

Call for papers: Special issue on representation and retrieval of visual media in multimedia systems

The third IEEE international conference on multimedia computing and systems

The third IEEE international conference on multimedia computing and systems

Multimedia Data Model for Video-Detection Research

Traffic monitoring and detection systems are important for constructing closed-loop traffic-signal control, freeway-control, and congestion-management systems. Most detection and monitoring systems depend on inductive loops. Recently, many agencies have been investigating video-image–based detection systems because cameras can collect data on several traffic lanes and can be installed quite rapidly on an adjacent pole or bridge. User consensus is that the basic hardware architecture of these systems is well defined. However, there is room for significant improvements in performance and capability of video-detection algorithms. Several researchers are currently working to develop new algorithms. However, due to technology limitations these algorithms have traditionally been evaluated at a macroscopic level by comparing counts obtained by loop detectors with the image-based detection system. This paper discusses the development of a multimedia database-management system for investigating the microscopic performance of video-detection algorithms. The paper describes the process of acquiring the proper data, a definition for a suitable database schema, and the peripheral database clients required to evaluate detection algorithms.

Multimedia in Museums

In view of the issues raised by the use of multimedia in museums, this paper offers a framework for describing multimedia in museums as a first step in their evaluation A means of classifying multimedia systems is proposed with reference to their content, function, format, and operational characteristics The framework may form a useful general tool for comparing the characteristics of different computer-based interactive systems and is discussed in terms of reliability of use, ease of interpretation, comprehensibility and level of detail.

Information management in the cardiology department. An analysis of current options for replacing cinefilm.

A major cost component in cardiac angiography is the use of cinefilm for archiving. In addition, cinefilm is difficult to reproduce. There is only one unique archival copy, and if it becomes torn, or lost, it cannot be replaced. Consequently, physicians and administrators looking to save time, increase efficiency and cut costs are also looking for ways to eliminate cinefilm use. Major driving forces that must lead to a replacement of cinefilm are: Cost reduction and Efficiency improvement. The challenge in cardiology is to find a digital cardiac archiving solution that meets the three basic requirements: 1. Cost effectiveness, 2. Ability to perform the basic clinical functions: Review, Exchange and Archive, and 3. Standard format for exchange. A single medium solution, based on CD technology, can fulfill all requirements for review, exchange and archiving. This CD solution, based on CD-Recordable must conform to the DICOM standard for exchange as defined by the ACC/NEMA committee. As advanced technology becomes available, further efficiency improvement can be achieved as extensions to the digital cine replacement based on CD technology. Such networked, multi media solutions are based on a hierarchical storage management concept, incorporate short term archives for on-line availability, and long term archives based on CD for immediate retrieval and exchange.

Multimedia reviewFreedom Chants from the Roof of the World The Gyuto Monks

Multimedia reviewFreedom Chants from the Roof of the World The Gyuto Monks

Multimedia Computing TC: New and Active

Multimedia Computing TC: New and Active

Editorial Multimedia and training

Editorial Multimedia and training