Semantic multimedia remote display for mobile thin clients

Current remote display technologies for mobile thin clients convert practically all types of graphical content into sequences of images rendered by the client. Consequently, important information concerning the content semantics is lost. The present paper goes beyond this bottleneck by developing a semantic multimedia remote display. The principle consists of representing the graphical content as a real-time interactive multimedia scene graph. The underlying architecture features novel components for scene-graph creation and management, as well as for user interactivity handling. The experimental setup considers the Linux X windows system and BiFS/LASeR multimedia scene technologies on the server and client sides, respectively. The implemented solution was benchmarked against currently deployed solutions (VNC and Microsoft-RDP), by considering text editing and WWW browsing applications. The quantitative assessments demonstrate: (1) visual quality expressed by seven objective metrics, e.g., PSNR values between 30 and 42 dB or SSIM values larger than 0.9999; (2) downlink bandwidth gain factors ranging from 2 to 60; (3) real-time user event management expressed by network round-trip time reduction by factors of 4-6 and by uplink bandwidth gain factors from 3 to 10; (4) feasible CPU activity, larger than in the RDP case but reduced by a factor of 1.5 with respect to the VNC-HEXTILE

Automatic fine-grained area detection for thin client systems

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Poseidon Linux 3.x - The scientific GNU/Linux option

This software review is about the newest version of Poseidon Linux (3.x). The current Poseidon Linux is a remastering from Ubuntu LTS family (Long Term Support), with extra specific software applicable to many areas of scientific research and education. It contains specialist software for GIS/Mapping, bathymetry, numerical modeling, 2D/3D/4D visualization, bioinformatics, chemistry, statistics, as well as tools for creating simple and complex graphics and programming languages. It also includes basic packages as would be expected on a normal desktop, such as a complete office suite, internet browser, e-mail client, instant messaging, chat, multimedia and many other tools. Poseidon Linux can run in two modes, as a live-DVD or installed on the hard disk. There are versions for 32 and 64 bit computers, and support for Brazilian Portuguese, English, Spanish, French, Greek, Italian and German languages. Resumo. Poseidon Linux 3.x – A opção científica GNU/Linux. Esta resenha trata da nova versão do software Poseidon Linux (3.x). A versão atual é uma remasterização a partir do sistema operacional Ubuntu, família LTS (Suporte de Longo Prazo), com pacotes extras para várias áreas da ciência e educação. Contém programas específicos para SIG/mapeamento, batimetria, modelagem numérica, visualização 2D/3D/4D, bioinformática, química, estatística, bem como ferramentas para elaboração de gráficos simples e complexos e linguagem de programação. Inclui também os programas necessários encontrados num sistema operacional desktop, tais como suporte completo para escritório, navegador de internet, programas para envio e recebimento de mensagens instantâneas, multimídia e várias outras ferramentas. O Poseidon Linux pode ser utilizado de duas formas: diretamente do DVD, sem instalá-lo, ou instalando-o no disco rígido do computador. É apresentado nas versões 32 e 64 bits e pode ser totalmente configurado em Português do Brasil, Inglês, Espanhol, Francês, Grego, Italiano e Alemão

Survey on Multimedia Technologies for Mobile Learning Applications

Mobile technologies are developing very fast. This paper presents a survey on multimedia technologies for mobile learning applications, focusing on multimedia programming techniques for Windows Mobile, Symbian, and Java ME.multimedia, mobile devices, mobile applications, mobile learning

TechNews digests: Jan - Nov 2009

TechNews is a technology, news and analysis service aimed at anyone in the education sector keen to stay informed about technology developments, trends and issues. TechNews focuses on emerging technologies and other technology news. TechNews service : digests september 2004 till May 2010 Analysis pieces and News combined publish every 2 to 3 month

TechNews digests: Jan - Mar 2010

TechNews is a technology, news and analysis service aimed at anyone in the education sector keen to stay informed about technology developments, trends and issues. TechNews focuses on emerging technologies and other technology news. TechNews service : digests september 2004 till May 2010 Analysis pieces and News combined publish every 2 to 3 month

Rethinking Map Legends with Visualization

This design paper presents new guidance for creating map legends in a dynamic environment. Our contribution is a set of guidelines for legend design in a visualization context and a series of illustrative themes through which they may be expressed. These are demonstrated in an applications context through interactive software prototypes. The guidelines are derived from cartographic literature and in liaison with EDINA who provide digital mapping services for UK tertiary education. They enhance approaches to legend design that have evolved for static media with visualization by considering: selection, layout, symbols, position, dynamism and design and process. Broad visualization legend themes include: The Ground Truth Legend, The Legend as Statistical Graphic and The Map is the Legend. Together, these concepts enable us to augment legends with dynamic properties that address specific needs, rethink their nature and role and contribute to a wider re-evaluation of maps as artifacts of usage rather than statements of fact. EDINA has acquired funding to enhance their clients with visualization legends that use these concepts as a consequence of this work. The guidance applies to the design of a wide range of legends and keys used in cartography and information visualization

The use of hypermedia to increase the productivity of software development teams

Rapid progress in low-cost commercial PC-class multimedia workstation technology will potentially have a dramatic impact on the productivity of distributed work groups of 50-100 software developers. Hypermedia/multimedia involves the seamless integration in a graphical user interface (GUI) of a wide variety of data structures, including high-resolution graphics, maps, images, voice, and full-motion video. Hypermedia will normally require the manipulation of large dynamic files for which relational data base technology and SQL servers are essential. Basic machine architecture, special-purpose video boards, video equipment, optical memory, software needed for animation, network technology, and the anticipated increase in productivity that will result for the introduction of hypermedia technology are covered. It is suggested that the cost of the hardware and software to support an individual multimedia workstation will be on the order of $10,000