The Anatomy of an adaptive multimedia presentation system

The use of multimedia presentations within learning environments is described and guidelines for the design of good E-Learning systems are identified. It is argued that a linear sequential presentation of knowledge segments is effective, but that the user is provided with optional links to relevant segments during the presentation. The synchronisation of multiple media is considered and the design of a prototype E-Learning system is discussed. The segmentation of material is then discussed and how the information can be stored in a data repository consider with respect to the requirement of accessing linked segments. Finally, the nature of adaptivity is discussed leading to a discussion of the salient parts of an adaptive multimedia presentation system

Requirements for an Adaptive Multimedia Presentation System with Contextual Supplemental Support Media

Investigations into the requirements for a practical adaptive multimedia presentation system have led the writers to propose the use of a video segmentation process that provides contextual supplementary updates produced by users. Supplements consisting of tailored segments are dynamically inserted into previously stored material in response to questions from users. A proposal for the use of this technique is presented in the context of personalisation within a Virtual Learning Environment. During the investigation, a brief survey of advanced adaptive approaches revealed that adaptation may be enhanced by use of manually generated metadata, automated or semi-automated use of metadata by stored context dependent ontology hierarchies that describe the semantics of the learning domain. The use of neural networks or fuzzy logic filtering is a technique for future investigation. A prototype demonstrator is under construction

Development of a data model for an Adaptive Multimedia Presentation System (AMPS)

We investigate the requirements and nature of data models for a multimedia learning system that presents adaptable learning objects based on a range of stimuli provided by the student and tutor. A conceptual model is explored together with a proposal for an implementation using the well-known relational data model. We also investigate how to describe the learning objects in the form of hierarchical subject ontology. An ontological calculus is created to allow knowledge metrics to be constructed for evaluation within data models. We further consider the limitations of the relational abstract data model to accurately represent the meaning and understanding of learning objects and contrast this with less structured data models implicit in ontological hierarchies. Our findings indicate that more consideration is needed into how to match traditional data models with ontological structures, especially in the area of database integrity constraints

Multi-Connected Ontologies

Ontologies have been used for the purpose of bringing system and consistency to subject and knowledge areas. We present a criticism of the present mathematical structure of ontologies and indicate that they are not sufficient in their present form to represent the many different valid expressions of a subject knowledge domain. We propose an alternative structure for ontologies based on a richer multi connected complex network which contains the present ontology structure as a projection. We demonstrate how this new multi connected ontology should be represented as an asymmetric probability matrix.Comment: 8 pages, 13 figures, submitted to IARIA MMEDIA2012 Conference, Chamonix, Franc

Annotierte interaktive nichtlineare Videos - Software Suite, Download- und Cache-Management

Modern Web technology makes the dream of fully interactive and enriched video come true. Nowadays it is possible to organize videos in a non-linear way playing in a sequence unknown in advance. Furthermore, additional information can be added to the video, ranging from short descriptions to animated images and further videos. This affords an easy and efficient to use authoring tool which is capable of the management of the single media objects, as well as a clear arrangement of the links between the parts. Tools of this kind can be found rarely and do mostly not provide the full range of needed functions. While providing an interactive experience to the viewer in the Web player, parallel plot sequences and additional information lead to an increased download volume. This may cause pauses during playback while elements have to be downloaded which are displayed with the video. A good quality of experience for these videos with small waiting times and a playback without interruptions is desired. This work presents the SIVA Suite to create the previously described annotated interactive non-linear videos. We propose a video model for interactivity, non-linearity, and annotations, which is implemented in an XML format, an authoring tool, and a player. Video is the main medium, whereby different scenes are linked to a scene graph. Time controlled additional content called annotations, like text, images, audio files, or videos, is added to the scenes. The user is able to navigate in the scene graph by selecting a button at a button panel. Furthermore, other navigational elements like a table of contents or a keyword search are provided. Besides the SIVA Suite, this thesis presents algorithms and strategies for download and cache management to provide a good quality of experience while watching the annotated interactive non-linear videos. Therefor, we implemented a standard-independent player framework. Integrated into a simulation environment, the framework allows to evaluate algorithms and strategies for the calculation of start-up times, and the selection of elements to pre-fetch into and delete from the cache. Their interaction during the playback of non-linear video contents can be analyzed. The algorithms and strategies can be used to minimize interruptions in the video flow after user interactions. Our extensive evaluation showed that our techniques result in faster start-up times and lesser interruptions in the video flow than those of other players. Knowledge of the structure of an interactive non-linear video can be used to minimize the start-up time at the beginning of a video while minimizing an increase in the overall download volume.Moderne Web-Technologien lassen den Traum von voll interaktiven und bereicherten Videos wahr werden. Heutzutage ist es möglich, Videos in nicht-linearer Art und Weise zu organisieren, welche dann in einer vorher unbekannten Reihenfolge abgespielt werden können. Weiterhin können den Videos Zusatzinformationen in Form von kurzen Beschreibungen über animierte Bilder bis hin zu weiteren Videos hinzugefügt werden. Dies erfordert ein einfach und effizient zu bedienendes Autorenwerkzeug, das in der Lage ist, sowohl einzelne Medien-Objekte zu verwalten, als auch die Verbindungen zwischen den einzelnen Teilen klar darzustellen. Tools dieser Art sind selten und bieten meist nicht den vollen benötigten Funktionsumfang. Während dem Betrachter dieses interaktive Erlebnis im Web Player zur Verfügung gestellt wird, führen parallele Handlungsstränge und zusätzliche Inhalte zu einem erhöhten Download-Volumen. Dies kann zu Pausen während der Wiedergabe führen, in denen Elemente vom Server geladen werden müssen, welche mit dem Video angezeigt werden sollen. Ein gutes Benutzungserlebnis für solche Videos kann durch geringe Wartezeiten und eine unterbrechungsfreie Wiedergabe erreicht werden. Diese Arbeit stellt die SIVA Suite vor, mit der die zuvor beschriebenen annotierten interaktiven nicht-linearen Videos erstellt werden können. Wir bilden Interaktivität, Nichtlinearität und Annotationen in einem Video-Model ab. Dieses wird in unserem XML-Format, Autorentool und Player umgesetzt. Als Leitmedium werden hierbei Videos verwendet, welche aufgeteilt in Szenen zu einer Graphstruktur zusammengefügt werden können. Zeitlich gesteuerte zusätzliche Inhalte, sogenannte Annotationen, wie Texte, Bilder, Audio-Dateien und Videos, werden den Szenen hinzugefügt. Der Betrachter kann im Szenengraph navigieren, indem er in einem bereitgestellten Button-Panel eine Nachfolgeszene auswählt. Andere Navigationselemente sind ein Inhaltsverzeichnis sowie eine Suchfunktion. Neben der SIVA Suite beschreibt diese Arbeit Algorithmen und Strategien für Download und Cache Management, um eine gute Nutzungserfahrung während der Betrachtung der annotierten interaktiven nicht-linearen Videos zu bieten. Ein Webstandard-unabhängiges Playerframework erlaubt es, das Zusammenspiel von Algorithmen und Strategien zu evaluieren, welche für die Berechnung der Start-Zeitpunkte für die Wiedergabe, sowie die Auswahl von vorauszuladenden sowie zu löschenden Elemente verwendet werden. Ziel ist es, Unterbrechungen zu minimieren, wenn der Ablauf des Videos durch Benutzerinteraktion beeinflusst wird. Unsere umfassende Evaluation zeigte, dass es möglich ist, kürzere Startup-Zeiten und weniger Unterbrechungen mit unseren Strategien zu erreichen, als bei der Verwendung der Strategien anderer Player. Die Kenntnis der Struktur des interaktiven nicht-linearen Videos kann dazu verwendet werden, die Startzeit am Anfang der Szenen zu minimieren, während das Download-Volumen nicht erhöht wird

Implementation and Evaluation of an Adaptive Multimedia Presentation System (AMPS) with Contextual Supplemental Support Media

Requirements have been captured for a multimedia presentation learning system that adapts content through interactive interventions between the student and tutor [5]. With the addition of contextual supplementary learning materials selected by a tutor responding to a series of email questions, supplementary video segments that personalise learning are added. A prototype has been developed using HTML, Flash and XML. Evaluation in this paper shows that adaptation was achieved but with some drawbacks. An analysis model at semantic and data level, needed to process an adaptive multimedia presentation system ) in real-time is described, raising several research questions. Our results show that the addition of context-based rules to process and recommend descriptions of segmented multimedia components according to a bounded ontology can potentially produce dynamic adaptation of learning material in real-time. A new demonstrator application is under development