Agents for Distributed Multimedia Information Management

This paper discusses the role of agents in a distributed multimedia information system (DMIS) engineered according to the principles of open hypermedia. It is based on the new generation of Microcosm, an open hypermedia system developed by the Multimedia Research Group at the University of Southampton. Microcosm provides a framework for supporting the three major roles of agents within open information systems: resource discovery, information integrity and navigation assistance. We present Microcosm and its agents, and discuss our current research in applying agent technology in this framework

Coordinating Components in the Multimedia System Sercices Architecture

The purpose of this work is to examine and exploit the potential of the coordination paradigm to act as the main communication and synchronization mechanism between components forming a distributed multimedia environment and exhibiting real-time properties. Towards this purpose, we have developed a mechanism for coordinating the distributed execution of components, as these are defined by the Multimedia System Services Architecture (MSSA). Our coordination environment uses the control-driven approach to coordination, namely the model IWIM and the associated language Manifold. In the process we show how Manifold can be used to realize object communication and synchronization of MSSA components and we present a methodology of combining a software architecture such as MSSA with a coordination language such as Manifold. We illustrate our approach by means of a suitable example

Adaptive Synchronization of Semantically Compressed Instructional Videos for Collaborative Distance Learning

The increasing popularity of online courses has highlighted the need for collaborative learning tools for student groups. In addition, the introduction of lecture videos into the online curriculum has drawn attention to the disparity in the network resources available to students. We present an e-Learning architecture and adaptation model called AI2TV (Adaptive Interactive Internet Team Video), which allows groups of students to collaboratively view a video in synchrony. AI2TV upholds the invariant that each student will view semantically equivalent content at all times. A semantic compression model is developed to provide instructional videos at different level-of-details to accommodate dynamic network conditions and usersäó» system requirements. We take advantage of the semantic compression algorithmäó»s ability to provide different layers of semantically equivalent video by adapting the client to play at the appropriate layer that provides the client with the richest possible viewing experience. Video player actions, like play, pause and stop, can be initiated by any group member and and the results of those actions are synchronized with all the other students. These features allow students to review a lecture video in tandem, facilitating the learning process. Experimental trials show that AI2TV successfully synchronizes instructional videos for distributed students while concurrently optimizing the video quality, even under conditions of fluctuating bandwidth, by adaptively adjusting the quality level for each student while still maintaining the invariant

Performance Tradeoffs for Scheduling pre-orchestrated Multimedia Information Over Broadband Integrated Networks

In this report we present a framework for evaluating performance of scheduling preorchestrated multimedia information over broadband integrated networks. We propose a set of Quality Of Presentation (QOP) parameters which quantify the quality of multimedia presentation from user\u27s point of view. The communication of mulltimedia data in a networked environment can affect the desired QOP parameters due to jitter delays in the network. We evaluate trade-offs between QOP parameters and the system resources including channel utilization and buffering at the destination. These trade-offs can be used to develope an optimal transmission schedule for multimedia information

An Architecture for distributed multimedia database systems

In the past few years considerable demand for user oriented multimedia information systems has developed. These systems must provide a rich set of functionality so that new, complex, and interesting applications can be addressed. This places considerable importance on the management of diverse data types including text, images, audio and video. These requirements generate the need for a new generation of distributed heterogeneous multimedia database systems. In this paper we identify a set of functional requirements for a multimedia server considering database management, object synchronization and integration, and multimedia query processing. A generalization of the requirements to a distributed system is presented, and some of our current research and developing activities are discussed

“Explore Fullerton”: An ArcGIS Server Web Mapping Application for the City of Fullerton, California

The City of Fullerton, California, is home to a revitalized downtown business district, five institutions of higher education, and three critical freeways. “Explore Fullerton” is an ArcGIS Server Web mapping application that promotes tourism for the numerous businesses located in and around the city’s central business district (CBD). The application also displays the city’s streets, traffic control points, road projects, parking lots, parks, and city boundary for the public to view. Moreover, because the application is driven by ArcGIS Network Analyst extension, residents can geocode two addresses within the city limit and receive driving routes as well as written step-by-step directions. The application was built using ArcGIS Server Manager’s out-of-the-box functionality, and customized with VB.NET in Microsoft Visual Studio 2005