Perceived multimedia quality: The impact of device characteristics

This is the post-print version of the Article. The official published version can be accessed from the link below - Copyright @ 2011 Springer VerlagIn the study reported in this paper, the research aims to tackle the question “Do the hardware characteristics of a device affect the viewer’s perceived quality of the media?” Using different hardware devices and media clips that have had different frame rates the viewer’s information assimilation and satisfaction of the media clip was measured. The results suggest that there is a deeper link between the user’s information assimilation than just the hardware that the media is viewed on. On the other hand a user’s satisfaction with clip quality is affected by the alterations in frame rate of the media rather than the device as the satisfaction levels increased regardless of the hardware characteristics

Dynamic throughput in distributed multimedia

Personal computing is currently undergoing radical enhancements with the current technological advancements that have been made in the areas of high resolution displays, GUIs (graphic user interfaces), high quality sound and full motion video. Multimedia stands at the convergence of these technological advances. The pervasiveness of networks will result in a new generation of distributed services that include multimedia as the fundamental characteristic. The current hyper-activity in the commercial arena is testimony to the future of distributed mu1timedia services. The anticipation of the data superhighways has led to an industrial scramble filled with takeovers and acquisitions as companies battle to acquire the infrastructure that will set the scene for the services of the future. [Abbreviated Abstract. Open document to view full version]GR 201

Towards a Lacanian methodology for analyzing extra-analytic textual material.

This research report presents a pilot study exploring the possibility of applying a Lacanian clinical methodology for analyzing unconscious dynamics in extra-analytic material. This research initially investigates the legitimacy and utility of this endeavour, followed by immersion in Lacanian thinking and the subsequent selection of potentially relevant data sets; samples of extra-analytic textual material. As this stage a recursive interaction between reading Lacanian theory and reflecting on the text is enacted. Five Lacanian concepts are identified (mirror phase, the three orders of the imaginary, the symbolic and the real, as well as the paternal agency). Although these concepts are, in process inextricable from another, they are presented as though discrete entities given that this allows for the foregrounding of different aspects in the process. The interaction between these concepts is considered with respect to Lacan‟s requirement in clinical practice of a tentative preliminary diagnosis of the patient into one of three diagnostic categories; perversion, neurosis and psychosis. Consequently, in a step that mirrors the clinical process, the textual subject of the data sets is tentatively classified as a (Lacanian) psychotic whose characteristic psychic structure is constituted out of foreclosure. Ways of discerning this structure in textual matter outside of the analytic setting are then considered. Four ways are proposed here. These are the unified or unbounded use of personal pronouns; evidence of thinking towards resolution or disintegration; denial or tolerance of difference and fourthly, the manifestation of regressive or libidinal speech actions. These four provide the basis for approaching the analysis of the selected data sets, which consist of carefully selected instances of Jacob Zuma‟s ostensibly unscripted public utterances. It is proposed that the four ways identified can be used in the analysis of other extra-analytic material

Measuring quality of perception in distributed multimedia: Verbalizers vs. imagers

This is the post-print version of the Article. The official published version can be accessed from the link below - Copyright @ 2008 ElsevierThis paper presents the results of a study which investigated the impact of cognitive styles on perceptual multimedia quality. More specifically, we examine the different preferences demonstrated by verbalizers and imagers when viewing multimedia content presented with different quality of service (QoS) levels pertaining to frame rates and color depth. Recognizing multimedia’s infotainment duality, we used the quality of perception (QoP) metric to characterize perceived quality. Results showed that in terms of low and high dynamisms clips, the frame rate at which multimedia content is displayed influences the levels of information assimilated by Imagers. Whilst black and white presentations are shown to be beneficial for both Biomodals and Imagers in order to experience enhanced levels of information assimilation, Imagers were shown to enjoy presentations in full 24-bit colour

A cognitive approach to user perception of multimedia quality: An empirical investigation

Whilst multimedia technology has been one of the main contributing factors behind the Web's success, delivery of personalized multimedia content has been a desire seldom achieved in practice. Moreover, the perspective adopted is rarely viewed from a cognitive styles standpoint, notwithstanding the fact that they have significant effects on users’ preferences with respect to the presentation of multimedia content. Indeed, research has thus far neglected to examine the effect of cognitive styles on users’ subjective perceptions of multimedia quality. This paper aims to examine the relationships between users’ cognitive styles, the multimedia quality of service delivered by the underlying network, and users’ quality of perception (understood as both enjoyment and informational assimilation) associated with the viewed multimedia content. Results from the empirical study reported here show that all users, regardless of cognitive style, have higher levels of understanding of informational content in multimedia video clips (represented in our study by excerpts from television programmes) with weak dynamism, but that they enjoy moderately dynamic clips most. Additionally, multimedia content was found to significantly influence users’ levels of understanding and enjoyment. Surprisingly, our study highlighted the fact that Bimodal users prefer to draw on visual sources for informational purposes, and that the presence of text in multimedia clips has a detrimental effect on the knowledge acquisition of all three cognitive style groups

Pervasive and standalone computing: The perceptual effects of variable multimedia quality.

The introduction of multimedia on pervasive and mobile communication devices raises a number of perceptual quality issues, however, limited work has been done examining the 3-way interaction between use of equipment, quality of perception and quality of service. Our work measures levels of informational transfer (objective) and user satisfaction (subjective)when users are presented with multimedia video clips at three different frame rates, using four different display devices, simulating variation in participant mobility. Our results will show that variation in frame-rate does not impact a user’s level of information assimilation, however, does impact a users’ perception of multimedia video ‘quality’. Additionally, increased visual immersion can be used to increase transfer of video information, but can negatively affect the users’ perception of ‘quality’. Finally, we illustrate the significant affect of clip-content on the transfer of video, audio and textual information, placing into doubt the use of purely objective quality definitions when considering multimedia presentations

The Social Psychological World of the Handicapped

The paper discusses the psychology of the handicapping condition. Disability is classified into two categories: that of the person whose handicap is displayed publicly, the visibly handicapped; and of the secret or invisibly handicapped. The psychological task of the visibly handicapped is to manage a blemish that is visible; the problem of the invisibly handicapped is to learn to conceal or disclose discreditable information. Interactions between handicapped and non-handicapped are discussed. A three-stage developmental model of these interactions is presented