Multimedia Systems Design: " A Picture Is Worth of Thousand Words" - Basic Idea Behind The Data Representation in

Multimedia Systems Design
A Picture is worth of thousand words - Basic idea behind the data representation in Multimedia What constitutes Multimedia?
At the start of 1990, Multimedia means a combination of text with document images. During this period, Document Image Management was an outgrowth of facsimile technology.

What is Facsimile technology? Facsimile provided a means of scanning and converting a document into coded information that described each pixel as white or black. When the pixel intensity was low, information was easily readable.. When pixel intensity increased that are too dense information was not readable, so fax machines were developed.. Different coding techniques were developed such as Runlength encoding and Huffman encoding for compression of data for processing in fax machines. Two organizations named CCIT (International Consultative Committee for Telephone and Telegraph) and NTSC (North American Television Standards)

Conferencing Technology A number of categories from basics of conferencing technology including text, conversations, document conferencing (or shared white boards), and live or store-andforward video conferencing are introduced these days for the better communication. One common theme in all these approaches is interactive electronic mail. A development in this field during 1990s is desktop video conferencing (this allows users to video conference from their own desks rather than having to go special conferencing facilities) A key to the success of video conferencing will be ability of systems to open with sophisticated networking capabilities and to have good compression and decompression capabilities.

A key to success of the video-conferencing will be the ability of systems be open with sophisticated networking capabilities and to have good compression and decompression capabilities. Video conferencing is just one multimedia application. A wide range of new applications are in use or under development. a. Medical applications such as analysis of surgical procedures and high resolution x-ray imaging. b. Real estate on-line video clips with property descriptions. c. Multimedia help and training material. d. Security systems for employee identification

Multimedia Elements a. Facsimile b. Document Images c. Photographic Images d. Geographic Information System Maps e. Voice Commands and Voice synthesis f. Audio Messages g. Video Messages h. Full motion stored and live video i. Holographic images j. Fractals

About Different Elements of Multimedia 1.Facsimile: Facsimile transmission is also known as runlength encoding is a medium level of compression that can be easily achieved in software. It has been estimated that for a reasonably true representation and acceptable legibility a 200 dpi is essential, which is contrasting with laser printers which supports maximum of 400 dpi. This follows CCITT Group 3 compression standards 2. Document Images: for serious storage of document images in electronic form with adequate reproduction quality the requirement starts at 300 dpi. Group 4 compression standards are followed in this format which reduces the size to 75 kbytes which less than an uncompressed A-Size (8 inch X 11 inch) image. The goal of document imaging is to seriously image text book size of data

About Different Elements of Multimedia 3. Photographic images: Photographic images are used frequently for imaging systems that are used for identification such as security badges, fingerprint cards, photo identification systems, bank signature cards, patient medical histories, and so on. The requirements of photographic images are much more intense than those for typed documents. Photographic images require proper handling of soft shades and tones. A resolution of 600 dpi is essential for reproducing a photographic image on a laser printer. High resolutions are preferable.

About Different Elements of Multimedia 4. Geographic information systems Maps: Known as GIS systems, maps are created in GIS systems are being used widely for natural resource and wild life management as well as urban planning. Two kinds of technologies are used for storage and display of geographic images. Raster storage is used storing data and for displaying raster image is mapped vector for displaying the data 5. Voice Commands: Voice commands are primarily an input voice recognition consideration. Voice commands allow hands free-usage of computer applications by allowing command entry via a short voice commands rather than a keyboard or a pointing device.

About Different Elements of Multimedia 6. Voice synthesis and audio messages: voice synthesis is easier to achieve than voice recognition. The initial attempts used fully stored messages or actual voice clips that were strung together. In either approach the cadence(i.e. consistency with which the spoken words are strung together) of the composite output has to be very good for the message to be clear. Another approach is to break down the message completely to a canonical form based on phonetics. Audio messages are substitute for text messages. Computers equipped with micro phones can record a audio message and embed it in or attach it to an electronic mail message. Compression techniques attempt to manage the storage more effectively

7. Video Messages: Similar to audio messages, Video Messages can be embedded in or attached to e-mail messages. Video messages can range from single snap shot to full motion video clips. The storage and playback requirements are even more complex for video messages.
8. Full motion stored and live video: CD ROM technology has provided the basis for the development of full motion video. Some of the applications include CD-ROM games, courseware, training manuals, multimedia online manuals and reference material etc. An important consideration for full motion video is the need for large band widths for communication media, massive storage requirements and high-density performance compression technologies. Various standardization techniques are used for the above purpose and the efforts are still in progress.

9. Holographic images: Holography is defined as the means of creating a unique photographic image without the use of lens. The photographic recording of the image is called hologram, which is an unrecognized form of pattern of stripes and whorls but which when illuminated by coherent light as by a laser beam, organizes the laser light into a three dimensional representation of the original objects. Holographic images extend the concept of virtual reality by allowing the user to get inside a part such as engine view and its operation from the inside. 10. Fractals: Fractals started as technology in the early 1980s but has received serious attention only recently. This technology is based on synthesizing and storing algorithms that describe the information. Fractals are regular objects with a high degree of irregular shape. Fractals are the decompressed images that result from a compression format that uses arithmetic algorithms to define repeated patterns in the image.
Multimedia Applications
With the progression of graphical user interfaces opened the way of variety of multimedia applications, document image management is the first widely used application that requires storage of large volumes of data in document image format. Document image management still plays a major role most office applications based on a multimedia system. Image processing also known as image recognition is a very different application, while document image management is primarily intended for scanning documents and retaining their images, image processing and image recognition are intended for recognizing objects by analyzing their raster images.
Multimedia Applications
The other applications include E-messaging and Full-motion Digital Video Applications (which includes full motion video messages).
Multimedia Applications (in detail)

1. Document Imaging
The first major step toward multimedia systems, was originated in document image management.
Organizations such as insurance agencies, law offices, county and state governments, federal government including Department of Defense manage large volume of documents. Technologies developed for imaging are an indispensable ingredient in the applications that will evolve to create the efficient combination of text, image, sound and video for attractive target called multimedia.

Document imaging makes possible to store, retrieve and manipulate very large volumes of drawings, documents and other graphical representation of data. Imaging also provides an important benefit in terms of electronic data interchange. Document imaging is getting the boost from the increasing power in desktop workstations and PCs as well as from standardization of higher-resolution display technologies. A minimum of 100 dpi is necessary for a typical A size document.

Imaging is already being used for a variety of applications. An application such as medical claims processing not only speeds payment to healthcare facilities, but cuts cost of reentering information from claim forms into computer database. Optical character recognition systems now automatically handle the task of data entry of key fields. In document imaging, the primary reason for scanning at high resolution and storing image at high resolution is able to print them on high resolution laser printers ranging from 300 to 600 dpi capability.

In determining storage levels for these type of images compression algorithms are very important. A compression efficiency of 20:1 considered highly desirable for document images. Document Image Hardware requirements Real-time image decompression and display place special demands on image processing hardware. Typically the decompression supports 4 to 8 planes, The image planes are also called bit planes because they are addressed by a bit in a byte. For acceptable responses, images must be processed at the rate of tens to hundreds of pixels per nanosecond (pixels/ns).

For monochrome/still images, the image processing is done in order of 10 pixels/ns. For grayscale images, high speeds are required due to the size of image. The grayscale images consists of pixels that have the shades of gray ranging from 16 to 256, depending on the implementation. For colored images, like grayscale images high speeds are required due to features of color hues instead of shades of gray. Most resolutions support 16 to 256 colors display capability. The number of colors that can be depicted depends on the number of bits used to define the palette.

2. Image processing and Image recognition Unlike document image management, processing involves image recognition, enhancement, image synthesis and reconstruction.
image image image
The original image is not altered in a document image workflow management system; rather annotations are recorded and stored separately. An image processing system, on the other hand may actually alter the contents of image itself.

Examples of image processing systems applications include recognition of images, as in factory floor quality assurance systems, image enhancement as in satellite reconnaissance systems, image synthesis as in law enforcement suspect identification systems and image reconstruction as in plastic surgery design systems. In addition to the compression and decompression techniques, image processing systems employ a wide range of algorithms for object recognition, comparing images of objects with predefined objects, extrapolating finer detail to view edges more clearly, gray-scale balancing, and gray-scale color adjustments

Image synthesis and reconstruction systems may use combination of bit maps and complex arithmetic algorithms to calculate drawing entities, including shading and color variations. Image processing systems may combine the technologies of full-motion video with images. Video camera output for imaging requires special processors to perform optical recognition on images at high speed. Image recognition exists in many forms. Optical character recognition (OCR) constrains the general imaging problem to specific applications area such as recognition of printed characters. Handwriting recognition is used by the Post office for recognition of hand written zip codes for mail sorting.

Image Enhancement Most image display systems feature some level of image enhancement. The enhancement may be increasing the sensitivity and contrast which makes the picture darker by making borderline pixels black or increasing the grayscale level of pixels. Some of the capabilities in image enhancement include Image calibration- i.e. image pixels are adjusted to a predefined level. Real-time alignment- image is aligned (i.e. rotated by small angles) in real time for skewing caused by improper feeding of paper. Gray-scale Normalization- the overall gray level of image or picture is evaluated to determine if it is skewed in one direction or if needs any correction

RGB hue intensity adjustment- Too much color makes picture garish and fuzzy. Automatic hue intensity adjustment brings the hue intensity within predefined ranges. Color separation- A picture with very little color contrast can be dull and may not bring out the details. The hardware used can detect the range of color separation. Frame averaging- The intensity level of the frame is averaged to overcome the effects of very dark or very light areas by adjusting the middle tones.

Image Animation Computer-created or scanned images can be displayed sequentially at controlled display speeds to provide image animation that simulates real process. The multiple bit plane capability of decompression and display hardware is to decompress and save successive images in successive bit planes. Image animation is a technology that was developed by Walt Disney and brought into every home in the form of cartoons.
The basic concept of displaying successive images at short intervals to give the perception of motion is being used successfully in designing moving parts such as automobile engines, such as designing parts and modeling parts in CAD/CAM systems.

Image Annotation Image Annotation can be performed in one of two ways a) as a text file stored along with the image or as a small image stored with the original message. The annotation is over layed over the original image for display purposes. b) requires tracking multiple image components associated with a single page, decompressing all of them, and ensuring correct spatial alignment as they are over layed.

Handwriting Technology Handwriting recognition has been the subject of intense research for a long time. Originally this research was performed for CAD/CAM systems for command recognition. The key design considerations in handwriting recognition systems are the ability to recognize writer independent continuous cursive handwriting accurately in real time. Handwriting recognition engine uses complex algorithms designed to capture data in real time as it is being input or from an image displayed in a window, depending on the application.

Two factors are important for handwriting recognition: the strokes or shapes being entered. The strokes are parsed and processed by shape recognizer that tries to determine the geometry and topology of the strokes. It attempts to compare it to existing shapes, such as predefined characters, In matching these strokes best guess approach may be used. The stroke is compared with a prototype character set until a match is found on all predefined prototypes have been checked without a match. In this approach, comparisons of predefined characters can be very processing intensive. Multimedia systems will use handwriting recognition as another means of input. Handwritten memos using pen-based machines may be interpreted and read-out when they are part of a complex document or a mail message

Non textual Image Recognition verbal communication is the principal mode by which we exchange information, psychologists have long known that our comprehension of facial expressions, posture and gestures represents important and additional input which plays a major role in interpersonal communication. Practical applications in medicine, manufacturing, and security systems are fueling a growing world wide interest in image recognition which is not easy . The other applications include full-motion digital video applications, full-motion video messaging and electronic messaging.
Multimedia Systems Architecture

Unlike most other systems, multimedia encompasses a large variety of technologies and integration of multiple architectures interacting in real time. Another important aspect of multimedia systems is that all of these multimedia capabilities must integrate with the standard user interfaces such as Microsoft Windows, X Windows or Presentation Manager. The design should be such that systems can operate with or without special hardware needed for multimedia such as DSPs with no change in the application software, the application should require more absolutely no change to operate with a variety of hardware interfaces.

Standardization has been afoot for a number of hardware interfaces for video animation and compression boards. The application is designed to operate with any hardware or operating environment that supports API. Common file formats allow data files to be exchanged between hardware architecture and operating environments. Standard device independent APIs are there to support a wide range of applications in publishing and interacting with the applications. The developer builds support for driver for the supported hardware. The APIs allow the application to support a large number of drivers. This approach can work with peripheral boards, software designed to replace hardware components, and network interfaces.

Software compression and decompression can replace these hardware boards.
Use of common APIs allows application developers to develop applications that can work with hardware drivers as well as with software drivers. Use of software drivers allows the user to interact with a much wider range of peripherals and systems.
The following figure describes the architecture of multimedia workstation environment. In this architecture diagram left side is very similar to non-multimedia systems. The right side shows the new architectural entities required for supporting multimedia applications.
APPLICATIONS
Graphical User Interface Design
Multimedia Extensions
Operating System
Software Drivers
Multimedia driver support
System Hardware (Multimedia enabled)
Add-on Multimedia devices and Peripherals

The add-on devices and peripherals include scanners, video cameras, VCRs and sound equipment along with their associated device controllers and encoding hardware (such as DVI-JPEG or MPEG-encoded boards, for all these devices special driver software is needed) Multimedia operations places tremendous demands on the system hardware, in terms of both computing performance and storage. The various graphics standards such as MCA, CGA, EGA, VGA, 8514 and XGA have demonstrated the increased demands for higher and higher resolutions for graphic user interfaces. Increasing use of GUI applications based on window managers such as IBMs Presentation Manager, Microsoft Windows, MITs X windows have placed special demands on graphic resolutions on workstation display systems

Combined graphics and imaging applications require functionality at three levels provided by three classes of single monitor architectures with substantially varying levels of capabilities a) VGA Mixing b) VGA Mixing with scaling c) Dual-buffered VGA mixing/scaling
In all of these schemes, the actual source of the graphics to be merged might be separate board, a motherboard or combo board itself. Another emerging approach is the use of digital image processors (DSPs) for image processing that integrates graphics through an optional 34020 based daughterboard equipped with VGA pass through The other architectures available for Multimedia are IMA architectural framework, Network Architecture for Multimedia.

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Multimedia Systems Design