CS382 Multimedia System

What is multimedia?: The word multimedia is composed of two parts: the prefix multi and media. Multi = Plural, more than 1, many Media = Medium of communication Definition: Multimedia is the presentation of a computer application incorporating media elements such as 11-15 Text Graphics Animations Audio Video.

Classification of media types:

Captured Versus Synthesized Media: Captured media refers to information types captured from the real world e.g. !till pictures, mo"ing pictures, and sound#. Synthesized media refers to information types synthesi$ed %y the computers e.g. Text, graphics and computer animation#.

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Percival A. Fernandez

Discrete Versus Continuous Media: Discrete media refers to media in"ol"ing space dimension only e.g. !till images, text and graphics#. &iscrete media is also referred to as static media or non-time-%ased media or non-temporal media or space%ased media. Continuous (time based) media refers to time-%ased media e.g. !ound, mo"ing images, and animation#. 'ontinuous media is also referred to as dynamic media or time-%ased media or temporal media. Multi-sensory system: (ccording to Dr. Albert Mehrabian, a specialist in interpersonal communication at the )ni"ersity of 'alifornia, says: Multimedia allows for seeing, hearing and doing multi-sensory system# People recall *+, of what they see -+, of what they see . hear /+, of what they see, hear . do Characteristics of Multimedia System: They must be computer-controlled. )ser is a%le to "iew, hear, and see using a Multimedia P' !ystem. They are integrated. (t least one discrete and one continuous media com%ined for information presentation and sharing. The information they handle must be represented digitally. 'onsists of "arious form of media i.e. text, graphics, audio, "ideo, and animations0 created, stored, processed, and transmitted DIGITALLY. The interface to the final user may permit interacti ity. )ser is a%le to na"igate, interact, create, and communicate. Benefits of using multimedia in software: -! !ase of use - )ser friendly, increase user1s effecti"eness "ntuiti e "nterface - (llows user to determine functions of an application %y their own intuition "mmersi e !#perience - !oftware application ta2es o"er the entire computer screen, allows user to focus on application Self-paced interaction $ better retention - allows information processing at one1s own pace %etter understanding - simultaneous presentation of different media pro"ides richer . %roader range of information. Cost effecti eness - less training, less technical support "ro#lems with Multimedia : $- % "n estment costs - multimedia in"ol"es high "olume of content - expensi"e copyright and royalty Technical barriers (accessibility issues) - upgrade 3T . P' infrastructure Sociopsychological barriers - 4eneration gap - 5earning rates - 5earning in group6indi"idual - 3mportance of teacher &egal problems - 'opyright Pro%lems with Multimedia Where to use multimedia ?: !-&% 7usiness 4o"ernment 8ducation 7roadcasting . 8ntertainment 9esearch . &e"elopment :ealth Business: "nteracti e Multimedia Merchandising

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Percival A. Fernandez

 ;nline-shopping <ios2s =irtual shopping 6 home shopping Des'top (ideoconferencing &ue to the high cost of transportation and the large amount of employee time spent tra"eling to meetings, "ideoconferencing is on the rise. Multimedia Tra el Systems These systems ena%le the tra"el agents to show their customers a%out where they will tra"el, what will %e their accommodation li2e, and what they will %e a%le to do at their destinations. )eal !state Multimedia systems ena%le %uyers to "isit hundreds of properties "irtually, "iew on screen photos of homes, inspect floor plans, see street maps, and study neigh%orhood demographics. Corporate Training Many corporations ha"e used multimedia to reduce training cost and impro"e employee producti"ity. Ad ertising and !lectronics %rochures The electronic %rochure is an ad"ertising and mar2eting tool that usually consists of single dis2ette or '&9;M sent to targeted audiences. 'orporations are also %eginning to offer shareholders annual reports on '&-9;M. 'o(ernment: *ublic Ser ice +ios's Multimedia kiosks con"ey pu%lic ser"ice information such as >o%s and employment opportunities. Cit !info kiosks offer to citi$ens and tra"elers the a%ility to find information on addresses, points of interest, shops, restaurants, pu%lic transportation, hours of opening, guided tours, city transport info. *olitics Multimedia in general and internet in particular are playing a %ig role in politics and "irtual campaigning where e"ery political candidate contesting in an election has a we% site. Consumer "nformation Multimedia %ased '&-9;Ms are a"aila%le which contains go"ernment information on a wide "ariety of topics: go"ernment forms, list of go"ernment offices in each state, tax preparation etc. )ducation: Computer Aided &earning To assist student through simulation for %etter understanding such as "olcano eruption, corrosion, language pronunciation, etc. (irtual Campus 5earning ta2es place in a "irtual classroom using "ideo conferencing and online lecture so that students all around the world can attend. Broadcasting and )ntertainment: !lectronic catalogue Product features and descriptions are ad"ertised through we%, '& and mo%ile de"ices. "nteracti e Mo ie =iewers can decide the direction of the plot of the mo"ie and camera angle ,n-demand -e.s or mo ies ?ews, mo"ies and T= series can %e watched on demand through we% and mo%ile de"ices. /D or animated mo ies Mo"ies created through ad"ance @& technology and animation techniAues. (ideo 0ames (d"ances in the field of multimedia ha"e led to more attracti"e "ideo and computer games %eing a"aila%le now in the consumer mar2et. (irtual )eality =irtual 9eality refers to the use of a computer to immerse the user into a simulated experience that it seems real. =irtual reality systems often use special hardware to enhance the experience, including "isual displays.

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Percival A. Fernandez

Cyber Sports 'y%er !ports is the use of "irtual reality to pro"ide computer users with a realistic sports experience. Two new interacti"e "irtual reality de"ices let you B!wingC and B:itC %alls at your P'. Medicine: (irtual Surgery =irtual surgery authoring system has %een created for producing surgical training simulation. !urgeons can use @-& images created from magnetic resonance imaging M93# scans of the human %ody to practice complicated procedures such as %rain tumor remo"al and reconstructi"e surgery. (ideo Conferencing and "mage )etrie al The use of imaging techniAues D-9ays, 'T, M93 etc# is growing in health care. The collection, maintenance, processing and distri%ution of these records can %e significantly impro"ed %y using computer %ased storage and multimedia networ2ing. ;nce these records are integrated with the on-line patient information and easily shared %y %oth local and remote physicians, it results in a large num%er of %enefits li2e reduced cost and impro"ed care. Multimedia "roducts: %riefing eg: corporate presentation, sales presentation and educational lectures. )eference eg: encyclopedias, dictionaries Database eg: li%rary system, phone directory !ducation and Training eg: 3nstructor support products E 9esource materials for instructors !tandalone or self-paced products E 5earning materials for students to study at their own pace +ios' eg: %an2 machines, mall information centers. !ntertainment and 0ames eg: computer games and mo"ies. )(aluating Multimedia "roducts: 8"aluation can %e done from two perspecti"es: )ser1s Perspecti"e o !u%>ect and 'ontent o Platform o )sa%ility o 'ost &e"eloper1s Perspecti"e o 'ontent o Performance o &eli"ery o 3nterface

*ser+s perspecti(e: Sub1ect2content (rea of interest 8ntertainment "alue E multimedia games and sports-related products 8ducation, training or learning o%>ecti"es E how-to and su%>ect-related products ?eed for information E encyclopedia or similar reference products *latform (hard.are and soft.are) Focus on what type of eAuipment the user has and if it is compati%le with a specific product. 'riteria for e"aluation: o :ardware platforms o 'omputer processor speed and data %us reAuirements o Memory si$ing 3sability )sa%ility means that the user can apply, learn, use the program efficiently.

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Percival A. Fernandez

The 2ey criteria here are: o &earning2training time: how long does it ta2e to learn how to use the product, o !rror rate: how often mista2es made %y the users and how se"ere is the mista2eG, o Tas' Time: how long does it ta2e to accomplish a tas2, o )etention: how difficult is for the user to operate and how attracti"e is the product to use.

,continued: Hcontinued 'ost The cost can %e the first or the last factor considered %y many people. 4enerally, users are willing to spend depending on how much is gained. De(eloper+s perspecti(e: &e"eloper1s perspecti"e &e"eloper must e"aluate and aim to impro"e their product %etter than the last. From the de"eloper1s perspecti"e, e"aluation will co"er: - 'ontent - Performance - &eli"ery - 3nterface De(eloper+s perspecti(e: &e"eloper1s perspecti"e 'ontent Product domain or su%>ect matter- is the material useful for the end userG Message E :ow does the product communicate the informationG Iill the users understand itG 'omparison to compara%le products ,continued: Hcontinued Performance &e"eloper must consider that general users ha"e eAuipment that has much less capa%ilities, so products should always %e tested on a range of platforms %efore they are released. 4raphic, audio and "ideo presentation should %e use wisely not to slow down the application for slower machine. ,continued: Hcontinued &eli"ery &eli"ery means how fast user is a%le to use the product depending on the speed of the installation procedure, the configuration and documentation. The instructions should %e straightforward, easy to configure and documentation are thorough and adeAuate. ,continued: Hcontinued 3nterface 8ase-of-use for no"ice users &epth for experienced or expert users ?a"igation features all wor2 and are all useful and user-friendly )na#ling -echnologies: 8na%ling Technologies The main reason for increasing popularity of multimedia lies in dramatic concurrent ad"ances in some ena%ling technologies :igher processing power More memory capacity 7igger storage capacity 7etter compression technology 'arrier and transmission technology 3nput and output de"ice technology Protocol technology &ata%ase technology !oftware technology

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Percival A. Fernandez