Colour appearance descriptors for image browsing and retrieval

In this paper, we focus on the development of whole-scene colour appearance descriptors for classification to be used in browsing applications. The descriptors can classify a whole-scene image into various categories of semantically-based colour appearance. Colour appearance is an important feature and has been extensively used in image-analysis, retrieval and classification. By using pre-existing global CIELAB colour histograms, firstly, we try to develop metrics for wholescene colour appearance: “colour strength”, “high/low lightness” and “multicoloured”. Secondly we propose methods using these metrics either alone or combined to classify whole-scene images into five categories of appearance: strong, pastel, dark, pale and multicoloured. Experiments show positive results and that the global colour histogram is actually useful and can be used for whole-scene colour appearance classification. We have also conducted a small-scale human evaluation test on whole-scene colour appearance. The results show, with suitable threshold settings, the proposed methods can describe the whole-scene colour appearance of images close to human classification. The descriptors were tested on thousands of images from various scenes: paintings, natural scenes, objects, photographs and documents. The colour appearance classifications are being integrated into an image browsing system which allows them to also be used to refine browsing

Information Apprenticeship: Integrating Faith and Learning in the Library

Librarianship is built on information. As we proceed further into the 21st century, librarians need to understand the concept of “information” as it cannot be easily defined. This paper presents a brief overview of information theory and reviews several concepts proposed by non-librarians. Also, these ideas, when viewed from a Christian perspective can help our understanding of “information.” A review of related scriptures is also included

Miniature illustrations retrieval and innovative interaction for digital illuminated manuscripts

In this paper we propose a multimedia solution for the interactive exploration of illuminated manuscripts. We leveraged on the joint exploitation of content-based image retrieval and relevance feedback to provide an effective mechanism to navigate through the manuscript and add custom knowledge in the form of tags. The similarity retrieval between miniature illustrations is based on covariance descriptors, integrating color, spatial and gradient information. The proposed relevance feedback technique, namely Query Remapping Feature Space Warping, accounts for the user’s opinions by accordingly warping the data points. This is obtained by means of a remapping strategy (from the Riemannian space where covariance matrices lie, referring back to Euclidean space) useful to boost the retrieval performance. Experiments are reported to show the quality of the proposal. Moreover, the complete prototype with user interaction, as already showcased at museums and exhibitions, is presented

The Sound of Fame: Syracuse University\u27s Audio Archive and Edison Re-recording Laboratory

At first glance the Syracuse University Audio Archive and Edison Rerecording Laboratory looks like an antique shop. Old phonographs, cylinders, posters of a by-gone era are everywhere; there is even a relief of the Victor dog. But there are great differences in action and atmosphere from an antique shop, for at the Archive the relics are living machines, and the ancient cylinders are taking on a modern, full-toned life. Here, modern techniques of cleaning, reprocessing and re-recording are giving new sounds for old. Here, the staff is finding ways for the sounds of the past to function as realities in the present, and they are preserving them to continue as useful aids for the future

Evolutionary And Neural Network Mechanisms Of Visual Art Engagement

Engagement with the visual arts is a universal part of the human experience. By exploring the evolutionary advantages for artistic processes as well as the neural network interactions involved, this review illuminates why humans engage with the visual arts and how our brains allow us to do so. Coming up with creative ideas, tangibly executing them, and aesthetically evaluating artwork all require diverse modes of neurocognitive processing that interact in dynamic ways. As the modern human brain evolved and being able to make and evaluate visual artwork became advantageous to group cohesion and sexual selection, the development of large-scale neural networks facilitated artistic processes. Interactions between functionally diverse networks allows for integration of visual input, executive focus, association formation, salience discernment, emotional valence processing, and reward perception required for artistic processes. The central executive network computes behavior for the attainment of complex cognitive goals that require externally directed attention and inhibition of irrelevant stimuli. The default mode network is conversely activated by internally directed attention on self-referential, social, and intuitive information, spontaneously creating associations that guide artistic conceptualization and insight. While these two networks are functionally oppositional, both executive and spontaneous styles of processing are used within visual art processes; the salience network dynamically regulates activation of the central executive and default mode networks. The salience network additionally processes visual saliency and emotional valence and is interconnected with the dopaminergic reward system, which processes the hedonic value of engaging with art. Unique interactions between these brain networks facilitate visual art engagement, which is ingrained within human cultures for its valuable ability to promote social connection

Ambiguity, uncertainty and new realities: perspectives of creative value, utility and authenticity

The concept of creativity is synonymous with the formulation of value judgments. Related primarily to the experience of new and unfamiliar ideas, creativity is a subject directly connected to conceptions of adjustment, recalibration, measurement and evaluation. Albeit a subjective term open to considerable flexibility of interpretation, creativity has nevertheless become a capacity and commodity of notionally high social and economic value. Consequently, creativity has never been subject to greater scrutiny and judgement and understanding of creative value subject to greater discussion and evaluation. Exploring aspects of creativity associated with ambiguity and uncertainty through the discourse of authenticity and aesthetics, this chapter positions analysis in the narratives of insight and imagination, the romanticism of discovery and talent, and debates about the increasing virtualisation of creative practice and emerging prospect of artificial creativity. Investigating the potential for what might be described as authentic creativity, notions of forgery and fakery, serendipity, accidental discovery, and the dynamics of positive and negative creative conditions, provide a basis for focused consideration of the ‘how’ and ‘why’ of creative activity and the various ways these relate to the determination of value in the ‘what’ of creative outcomes. Exploring first the nature of creative value and closely related definitions of creativity, consideration is then given to the temporal and cultural dynamics of creative value judgments before focusing more specifically on contexts of creativity and areas of creative ambiguity. Introducing a series of illustrative case studies, discussion focuses on the parameters of creative value judgements to underpin a tentative definition of creative authenticity. Conclusions highlight a range of possible perspectives related to the subjective nature of creativity and definitions of creative value. Creativity and creative value can be determined simply according to the scale of impact on human well-being, progress, fulfillment, security, or other suitable value indicator, the quality of lived human experience, the intrinsic qualities of the object, artefact or activity, or combination of all three. Given the inherent diversity and instability of creation and reception contexts, the search for any form objective measure of creative value may be a fruitless one. However, it is in the very subjectivity of creative experience that creative authenticity is most visible