The Best Development Cycle of a Multimedia Project - (Group's Choice)

Multimedia Project Development Cycle

A multimedia product is made up of many ingredients from existing print products or from a multitude of software. Each product has its own set of requirements.


There are many steps to ensure the quality of a multimedia project.

Step 1—Define the project:

• Identify the boundaries, project goals, objectives, scope, risks, issues, budget, timescale and approach
• Discuss with the end user
• Resolve all the conflicts and opposition before starting the project
• Creating Prototype Interfaces
• Demographics of Target Audience 

         Who is your product speaking to:
         • Age
         • Gender
         • Educational background
         • Socioeconomic level
         • Ethnic background
         • Language
         • Profession
         • Expectations

Step 2—Locate resources:

• Identify all the related information sources. For example, CDs, Web sites, encyclopedias, magazines, journals, video tapes, audio tapes, and books.
• The authoring tool is used to pull together and blend all the media elements into a cohesive whole. As the elements come together, the storyboards come to life.

Step 3—Organize resources:

• Decide the notes, data, computer files, and Web links that will be included in the project

Step 4—Design and develop the project:

• Produce a flowchart a storyboard by creating an outline or drawing a diagram

• Design the project by combining all the multimedia elements using digital media tools, for example, video, sound, graphics, text, and animation

Step 5—Present the project:

• Show and give explanation about the project to the end user
• Get the feedback and comments from end user
• Discuss with end user about the aspects that have to be improved

Step 6—Revise the project:

• Improve the project based on the feedback from end user

Step 7—Publish the project:

• Package the final work, for example, save it in CD, videotape or other resources that can be accessed by others
• Publish or deliver the final packaged project to the end user

Source : www.marissaberger.com/blog/2009/02/12/how-to-plan-for-a-multimedia-project/
Source : http://www.projectsmart.com/project-management/the-stages-of-a-project.html

Content-Based Multimedia Information Retrieval - The Digest

The Concept

Content-based multimedia information retrieval makes available of brand new ideas and means for searching through gazillions type of media all over the world. It is literally, the improvised version of multimedia information retrieval (MIR), for MIR system had been developed to become more user-friendly by using content-based methods.

Content-based methods are needed whenever text annotations are non-existent or incomplete. Plus, content-based methods also improve the information retrieval accuracy even when text annotations are present that is by providing additional insights into the media collections.

The typical content-based information retrieval (CBIR) system e.g., an image retrieval system has three major aspects that are (1) feature extraction, (2) high dimensional indexity and (3) system design. Among these three aspects, feature extraction is the basis of CBIR.

How do content-based methods actually improve things ?

The earliest years of multimedia information retrieval had worked using the mechanism of computer vision algorithms of which the mechanism stressed on feature-based similarity search over images, videos and audio. However, this feature-based similarity search concept was inconvenient for the users, for this concept worked in such a way that only scientists could fathom. Therefore, the new approaches were conducted to overcome this problem and the approaches are; (1) relevance feedback and, (2) hidden annotation-- (*relevance feedback is one of the interactive tools in content-based image retrieval). These two approaches have been working with an objective to have the system of retrieval understood the semantics of a query and not simply the low-level underlying computational features. This is because the low-level underlying computational features have a flaw of which the two semantically similar objects may lie far from each other in the feature space, while two completely different objects may stay close to each other. Therefore, this process of improvising is called as "Bridging the semantic gap". This literally means having low-level underlying computational features translated to high-level concepts or terms which would be intuitive to the user. In this brand new improvised system, it meets the two basic necessities for a multimedia information retrieval functions that are (1) searching for a particular media item and, (2) browsing and summarizing a media collection.


With content-based information retrieval, the process of searching pictures online becomes easier as guidance and navigational tools are given for users to get the information they want. These are some of the examples of content-based information retrieval:


1)

 2)

Sources :

From the research by MICHAEL S. LEW (Leiden University, The Netherlands), NICU SEBE (University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands), CHABANE DJERABA (LIFL, France) and RAMESH JAIN (University of California at Irvine, USA).


Paper project of Cha Zhang, Student Member, IEEE, and Tsuhan Chen, Member, IEEE; An Active Learning Framework for Content-Based Information Retrieval.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jy7B0knFfXA

Augmented Reality

Augmented Reality

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Augmented Reality (AR) is a technology that permits the fusion of real world with computer generated world. This computer
generated world is described as the virtual reality which is defined as a realistic simulation of an environment by the computer.
In other words, the real world is combined with the computer generated world to become one environment-- mixed environment.



Examples of AR integration are as follow :

1. In medical field: medical imaging (CT scan, computered tomography scan etc.)

- It reveals 3Dimage (virtual reality) of body's interior (real world).

2. Navigation: (GPS, Radar system)

- Locations (real world) can be located via GPS which uses signals from a satellite. After the satellite successfully detects 
the location, it sends back the information to the specific GPS device to inform the location.

3. Join Starfleet Academy - Star Trek Augmented Reality

- Nokia and Verizon have partnered around the new Star Trek film and have created a series of interesting experiences for 
online users at http://www.joinstarfleetacademy.com./index.aspx#/home

4. GE Smart Grid Augmented Reality

- GE have been using augmented reality to allow users to see 'a digital hologram of Smart Grid technology come to life in your 
hands.'

5. Create an augmented reality BMW Z4

- BMW are offering internet users the chance to recreate the experience of the Z4 paint commercial for themselves.

6. WWF mobile augmented reality

- The WWF (World Wildlife Fund) are using the augmented reality technology on mobile phones to show how displaced wildlife 
struggle to cope with new environment as the result of deforestation.



7. Create an augmented reality Mini Cabrio

- In Germany, Mini Cooper used augmented reality to launch the Mini Cabrio. (NB: Have to use Internet Explorer to open.) 
Prominent full page ads in Germany motoring magazines acted as a base for the Mini Cabrio augmented reality experience.

In short augmented reality is based around holding a 2D image up to a webcam and then seeing a 3D image on screen. This 
augmented reality technology is now being adopted by advertisers and there have been some interesting uses of augmented 
reality recently.


There are 3 major display of AR which has been implemented, they are :
Head mounted Display
A head-mounted display(HMD) which is also know as helmet mounted display (HMD),are both display devices which is worn on 
the user's head or as part of a helmet. It usually has a small display optic in front of one (monocular HMD) or each eye 
(binocular HMD).
Typically, a HMD has either one or two small displays with lenses and semi-transparent mirrors embedded in a helmet, eye-
glasses (also known as data glasses) or visor. Screens and display units are miniaturised and may include CRT. LCDs , 
Liquid crystal on silicon(LCos ) or LED. Some users use multiple micro-displays to increase total resolution and widen their 
area of vision.


Handheld
Handheld displays usually uses a miniature display that fits in a user's hand.
The good points of handheld AR is that it is portable and built in nature for camera phones.



Spatial.
Spatial Augmented Reality (SAR) makes use of digital projectors to display graphical information onto physical objects.
Examples of this display can been seen in movies like Star Wars when the character communicate using SAR.



In conclusion, augmented reality is an important element in the world of information technology especially in the multimedia
mainstream. It is a key aspect in developing the way we interact with the world and also gain information from the information
mainstream which is through the internet or by other means. As time goes by, major advancements in augmented reality will
most definitely reshape and revolutionize the way we interact with the world. As we speak new ideas are being envisioned
and innovative implementations of these ideas are being born as prototypes.

Sources: 
http://discover8.com/public/images/upload_article_images/ct_scan_1219.jpg
http://www.techfresh.net/wp-content/uploads/2007/11/lucca-53-gps-navigation.jpg
http://fastcache.gawkerassets.com/assets/images/4/2007/07/DataGlass.jpg
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNQGrmd_dYuEqKPFRWojJPWIKdk0XeZqhHYnrW5FuYKwTwWWs7opYwR57ry0uSorQt4IUwksIYoFTpNVJT0limcCp_01M3xoSBDa7SJwnpJTvTIRU7we40yA2G2NdkidUVey0Js85Xrf5V/s400/Star+Trek+augmented+reality.jpg
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHASRu_kYoiq_9zqzeUagoYOkMUiaRhV2m7tNI5Z12T_A4QZ9gFOjZoOlaii_RGzuqyBKwwV_AnwqzJP60aW91cv-B3ApQVmMnevVHoY08YseHSdndRqgmk6DgNXXkqsX0ye2ybJdwpbBW/s1600/Ipad_Augmented_Reality_hologram.png
http://www.robertturrall.com/blogs/media/blogs/all/bmw_augmented_reality.jpg
http://technabob.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2008/12/mini_augmented_reality.jpg
wik.ed.uiuc.edu/index.php/Augmented_Reality_in_Education
http://ge.ecomagination.com/smartgrid/preview/images/GE_Digital_hologram.jpg
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Augmented_reality#Head.E2.80.93mounted
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Augmented_reality#Handheld
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Augmented_reality#Spatial