Implementation and evaluation of a mobile Android application for auditory stimulation of chronic tinnitus patients

Tinnitus is a common symptom where the affected person perceives a sound without an external source. To support the development of new therapies a tinnitus tracking platform, including mobile applications, was developed at Ulm University in cooperation with the tinnitus research initiative. In the future, these mobile applications should be extended to include a simple game that requires the user to concentrate on an auditory stimulation, distracting them from their tinnitus. This is accomplished by using localization of an audio source as a game mechanic. The measurement of the offset between the position the user guessed for an audio source and its actual location could also serves as an additional data point. In this thesis an application for the Android operating system is designed that implements such a game and serves as a proof of concept. Since the Android API does not include the capability for positional audio, a separate audio API based on OpenAL was created as part of this thesis. This API as well as the framework developed to implement the game are designed to be reusable for future, similar projects. The game concept was also evaluated in a study using the demonstration application

Digital television applications

Studying development of interactive services for digital television is a leading edge area of work as there is minimal research or precedent to guide their design. Published research is limited and therefore this thesis aims at establishing a set of computing methods using Java and XML technology for future set-top box interactive services. The main issues include middleware architecture, a Java user interface for digital television, content representation and return channel communications. The middleware architecture used was made up of an Application Manager, Application Programming Interface (API), a Java Virtual Machine, etc., which were arranged in a layered model to ensure the interoperability. The application manager was designed to control the lifecycle of Xlets; manage set-top box resources and remote control keys and to adapt the graphical device environment. The architecture of both application manager and Xlet forms the basic framework for running multiple interactive services simultaneously in future set-top box designs. User interface development is more complex for this type of platform (when compared to that for a desktop computer) as many constraints are set on the look and feel (e.g., TV-like and limited buttons). Various aspects of Java user interfaces were studied and my research in this area focused on creating a remote control event model and lightweight drawing components using the Java Abstract Window Toolkit (AWT) and Java Media Framework (JMF) together with Extensible Markup Language (XML). Applications were designed aimed at studying the data structure and efficiency of the XML language to define interactive content. Content parsing was designed as a lightweight software module based around two parsers (i.e., SAX parsing and DOM parsing). The still content (i.e., text, images, and graphics) and dynamic content (i.e., hyperlinked text, animations, and forms) can then be modeled and processed efficiently. This thesis also studies interactivity methods using Java APIs via a return channel. Various communication models are also discussed that meet the interactivity requirements for different interactive services. They include URL, Socket, Datagram, and SOAP models which applications can choose to use in order to establish a connection with the service or broadcaster in order to transfer data. This thesis is presented in two parts: The first section gives a general summary of the research and acts as a complement to the second section, which contains a series of related publications.reviewe

DISE : a game technology-based digital interactive storytelling framework

This thesis details the design and implementation of an Interactive Storytelling Framework. Using software engineering methodology and framework development methods, we aim to design a full Interactive Storytelling system involving a story manager, a character engine, an action engine, a planner, a 3D game engine and a set of editors for story data, world environment modelling and real-time character animation. The framework is described in detail and specified to meet the requirement of bringing a more dynamic real-time interactive story experience to the medium of computer games. Its core concepts borrow from work done in the fields of narrative theory, software engineering, computer games technology, HCI, 3D character animation and artificial intelligence. The contributions of our research and the novelties lie in the data design of the story which allows a modular approach to building reusable resources such as actions, objects, animated characters and whole story 'levels'; a switchable story planner and re-planning system implementation, allowing many planners, heuristics and schedulers that are compatible with PDDL (the "Planning Domain Definition Language") to be easily integrated with minor changes to the main classes; a 3D game engine and framework for web launched or in browser deployment of the finished product; and a user friendly story and world/environment editor; so story authors do not need advanced knowledge of coding PDDL syntax, games programming or 3D modelling to design and author a basic story. As far as we know our Interactive Storytelling Framework is the only one to include a full 3D cross-platform game engine, procedural and manual modelling tools, a story -editor and customisable planner in one complete integrated solution. The finished interactive storytelling applications are presented as computer games designed to be a real-time 3D first person experience, with the player as a main story character in a world where every context filtered action displayed is executable and the player's choices make a difference to the outcome of the story, whilst still allowing the authors high level constraints to progress the narrative along their desired path(s)

Multimedia data capture with multicast dissemination for online distance learning

Distance Learning Environments (DLEs) are elusive to define, difficult to successfully implement and costly due to their proprietary nature. With few open-source solutions, organizations are forced to invest large amounts of their resources in the procurement and support of proprietary products. Once an organization has chosen a particular solution, it becomes prohibitively expensive to choose another path later in the development process. The resolution to these challenges is realized in the use of open-standards, non-proprietary solutions. This thesis explores the multiple definitions of DLEs, defines metrics of successful implementation and develops open-source solutions for the delivery of multimedia in the Distance Learning Environment. Through the use of the Java Media Framework API, multiple tools are created to increase the transmission, capture and availability of multimedia content. Development of this technology, through the use of case studies, leaves a legacy of lectures and knowledge on the Internet to entertain and enlighten future generations.http://archive.org/details/multimedidatcapt109456185US Navy (USN) autho

Contributions to multimedia adaptation within the MPEG-21 framework

Tesis doctoral inédita. Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Escuela Politécnica Superior, octubre de 201

Design and implementation of a web-based cooperative school information system.

by Tsui Yuen.Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 1999.Includes bibliographical references (leaves 144-151).Chapter 1 --- Introduction --- p.1Chapter 1.1 --- Computer-assisted Education --- p.2Chapter 1.2 --- Motivation and Problems --- p.4Chapter 1.3 --- Objectives and Approaches --- p.7Chapter 1.4 --- Organization of Thesis --- p.9Chapter 2 --- Related Work --- p.10Chapter 2.1 --- Existing Research Projects --- p.10Chapter 2.2 --- Structural and Navigational Hypertext Presentation --- p.11Chapter 2.3 --- Multimedia Integration for Hypermedia Courseware --- p.13Chapter 2.4 --- Standalone Java Applets --- p.14Chapter 2.5 --- Software Tools Using Browser Plugins --- p.17Chapter 2.6 --- Chapter Summary --- p.18Chapter 3 --- SIS Education Scenarios --- p.19Chapter 3.1 --- Library System --- p.21Chapter 3.2 --- Groupware System --- p.24Chapter 3.3 --- Student-Monitoring System --- p.25Chapter 3.4 --- Management System --- p.26Chapter 3.5 --- Chapter Summary --- p.27Chapter 4 --- Software Architecture of SIS --- p.29Chapter 4.1 --- Client-server Model --- p.29Chapter 4.2 --- Software Configuration --- p.31Chapter 4.3 --- Software Design --- p.33Chapter 4.3.1 --- Module 1: Access Authorization Identifier (AAI) --- p.34Chapter 4.3.2 --- Module 2: Multimedia Presentation Tools (MPT) --- p.35Chapter 4.3.3 --- Module 3: Intelligent Questions Selector (IQS) --- p.38Chapter 4.3.4 --- Module 4: Online Examination Center (OEC) --- p.40Chapter 4.3.5 --- Module 5: Student History Recorder (SHR) --- p.41Chapter 4.3.6 --- Module 6: Student Performance Analyzer (SPA) --- p.42Chapter 4.3.7 --- Module 7: Electronic Mail Manager (EMM) --- p.43Chapter 4.3.8 --- Module 8: Result Querying Agent (RQA) --- p.44Chapter 4.3.9 --- Module 9: Group Activity Area (GAA) --- p.45Chapter 4.3.10 --- Module 10: Integrated Systems Logger (ISL) --- p.48Chapter 4.4 --- Chapter Summary --- p.50Chapter 5 --- Demonstration --- p.52Chapter 5.1 --- Login Dialog Boxes --- p.52Chapter 5.2 --- Services Menu for Students --- p.53Chapter 5.3 --- Teaching Materials for Students --- p.54Chapter 5.4 --- Teaching Materials for Students ´ؤ Chinese --- p.56Chapter 5.5 --- Teaching Materials for Students - English --- p.60Chapter 5.6 --- Teaching Materials for Students - Mathematics --- p.64Chapter 5.7 --- Tests for Students --- p.66Chapter 5.8 --- Tests for Students - Chinese --- p.66Chapter 5.9 --- Tests for Students - English --- p.68Chapter 5.10 --- Queries for Students --- p.70Chapter 5.11 --- Discussion Area for Students --- p.71Chapter 5.12 --- Educational Television for Students --- p.72Chapter 5.13 --- Flow of Services for Students --- p.75Chapter 5.14 --- Services Menu for Teachers --- p.76Chapter 5.15 --- Teaching Materials for Teachers --- p.77Chapter 5.16 --- Teaching Materials for Teachers - Chinese --- p.78Chapter 5.17 --- Teaching Materials for Teachers - English --- p.82Chapter 5.18 --- Tests Papers for Teachers --- p.86Chapter 5.19 --- Queries for Teachers --- p.87Chapter 5.20 --- Preparation of Test Papers for Teachers --- p.88Chapter 5.21 --- Modification of Questions for Teachers --- p.91Chapter 5.22 --- Flow of Services for Teachers --- p.95Chapter 5.23 --- Chapter Summary --- p.96Chapter 6 --- System Implementation --- p.97Chapter 6.1 --- Characteristics of Java --- p.97Chapter 6.2 --- Platform Independence --- p.98Chapter 6.3 --- Integration with Existing Packages for Java Technology --- p.100Chapter 6.4 --- Cryptography of User Passwords --- p.103Chapter 6.5 --- Transmission of Data Packages --- p.105Chapter 6.6 --- Multithreading for Multitasking --- p.108Chapter 6.7 --- Management of User Interfaces --- p.110Chapter 6.8 --- Data Structures for Temporary Storage --- p.112Chapter 6.9 --- Messages Broadcasting in Chat Rooms --- p.116Chapter 6.10 --- Playback of Audio and Video Data Files --- p.121Chapter 6.11 --- Progress of System Implementation --- p.125Chapter 6.12 --- Chapter Summary --- p.128Chapter 7 --- Discussion and Future Work --- p.129Chapter 7.1 --- Wide Spread of the World Wide Web --- p.129Chapter 7.2 --- Communication between Schools and Families --- p.130Chapter 7.3 --- Pedagogical Uses --- p.130Chapter 7.4 --- Virtual Student Community --- p.131Chapter 7.5 --- Differences between SIS and Other Web-based Educational Systems --- p.132Chapter 7.6 --- Future Work --- p.133Chapter 7.7 --- Chapter Summary --- p.138Chapter 8 --- Summary --- p.139Bibliography --- p.14

Soundtrack recommendation for images

The drastic increase in production of multimedia content has emphasized the research concerning its organization and retrieval. In this thesis, we address the problem of music retrieval when a set of images is given as input query, i.e., the problem of soundtrack recommendation for images. The task at hand is to recommend appropriate music to be played during the presentation of a given set of query images. To tackle this problem, we formulate a hypothesis that the knowledge appropriate for the task is contained in publicly available contemporary movies. Our approach, Picasso, employs similarity search techniques inside the image and music domains, harvesting movies to form a link between the domains. To achieve a fair and unbiased comparison between different soundtrack recommendation approaches, we proposed an evaluation benchmark. The evaluation results are reported for Picasso and the baseline approach, using the proposed benchmark. We further address two efficiency aspects that arise from the Picasso approach. First, we investigate the problem of processing top-K queries with set-defined selections and propose an index structure that aims at minimizing the query answering latency. Second, we address the problem of similarity search in high-dimensional spaces and propose two enhancements to the Locality Sensitive Hashing (LSH) scheme. We also investigate the prospects of a distributed similarity search algorithm based on LSH using the MapReduce framework. Finally, we give an overview of the PicasSound|a smartphone application based on the Picasso approach.Der drastische Anstieg von verfügbaren Multimedia-Inhalten hat die Bedeutung der Forschung über deren Organisation sowie Suche innerhalb der Daten hervorgehoben. In dieser Doktorarbeit betrachten wir das Problem der Suche nach geeigneten Musikstücken als Hintergrundmusik für Diashows. Wir formulieren die Hypothese, dass die für das Problem erforderlichen Kenntnisse in öffentlich zugänglichen, zeitgenössischen Filmen enthalten sind. Unser Ansatz, Picasso, verwendet Techniken aus dem Bereich der Ähnlichkeitssuche innerhalb von Bild- und Musik-Domains, um basierend auf Filmszenen eine Verbindung zwischen beliebigen Bildern und Musikstücken zu lernen. Um einen fairen und unvoreingenommenen Vergleich zwischen verschiedenen Ansätzen zur Musikempfehlung zu erreichen, schlagen wir einen Bewertungs-Benchmark vor. Die Ergebnisse der Auswertung werden, anhand des vorgeschlagenen Benchmarks, für Picasso und einen weiteren, auf Emotionen basierenden Ansatz, vorgestellt. Zusätzlich behandeln wir zwei Effizienzaspekte, die sich aus dem Picasso Ansatz ergeben. (i) Wir untersuchen das Problem der Ausführung von top-K Anfragen, bei denen die Ergebnismenge ad-hoc auf eine kleine Teilmenge des gesamten Indexes eingeschränkt wird. (ii) Wir behandeln das Problem der Ähnlichkeitssuche in hochdimensionalen Räumen und schlagen zwei Erweiterungen des Lokalitätssensitiven Hashing (LSH) Schemas vor. Zusätzlich untersuchen wir die Erfolgsaussichten eines verteilten Algorithmus für die Ähnlichkeitssuche, der auf LSH unter Verwendung des MapReduce Frameworks basiert. Neben den vorgenannten wissenschaftlichen Ergebnissen beschreiben wir ferner das Design und die Implementierung von PicassSound, einer auf Picasso basierenden Smartphone-Anwendung

Android Application Development for the Intel Platform

Computer scienc