Multimedia in Organisations

1. Multimedia in Organisations BUSS 213 Lecture 1 Defining Media, Multiple Media, and Organisational Multimedia

2. Notices • Assignment 2 marks available Wednesday of this week • Group 6 should download the new version of this file

3. Agenda • Defining Media • Examples of New Media • Temporal Media (Audio, Video) • Immersive Media (QTVR, VRML) • New Media (Time Slice, STI) • Using New Media: Integration for Intranets

4. Defining Media

5. New Media- Relevance • some new digital media are being used to solve organisational problems • for example QTVR is being used by: • Real Estate Agents use it to describe the interiors of expensive properties which are to be auctioned, • Queensland Police are using it to create a realistic reconstruction of the crime scene

6. New Media- Relevance • there are many forms of new digital media which are currently being created- many simply await an application for which they are suited • because Intranets are not necessarily limited to the speed and bandwidth constraints of the Internet- some of these new forms of media will be first available on Intranets

7. Defining Media (1) • Just what is a media?- the answer to this simple question is surprisingly complex • if we can answer this question we may be able to understand the relationship between the so-called new digital media and traditional media • we may also be able to build multimedia systems

8. Defining Media (2)Failure of Technical Classification of Media • Recall Reading #3 which classifies the types of media according to the type of data structures that are used • this is not an adequate explanation because it ignores how users actually ‘read’ or interact with these forms of media

9. Defining Media (3)Media Classification Failure: Time Slice • an example of this is Time Slice Imaging (described latter) • Technical Classification considers it to be the same as Digital Video- Time Slice like Digital Video cannot be interacted with • yet, Time Slice provides an completely different experience for users- they ‘read’ it differently

10. Defining Media (4)‘New’ Media from ‘Old’ Media • the major reason new forms of media can be created is that traditional digital media can be transformed from data to processes • is achieved by adding: • Selection- on event do this • Repetition- repeat this until that • to the usual State for static media or Sequence for Time-ordered media

11. Defining Media (4)Creating ‘New’ Media • if we can understand and define media we may be able to create entirely new kinds of passive and interactive experience for users! • but a better definition will require IS : • to go beyond technical considerations of data and process, and • to also consider how users ‘read’ media- the realm of semiotics!

12. Time Slice Imaging

13. Time Slice Imaging (1) • to capture a time slice image: • use a special camera consisting of a large number of still cameras (~120) and arranged them in a large arc • the optical configuration of each still camera is such that each image overlaps its predecessor and successor • connect the cameras so that they all take an image of the same subject simultaneously

14. Time Slice Imaging (2) • to create the time slice image: • edit together each of the still images either using linear film editing or by using non-linear digital editing, and • assemble the images onto a video tape ordering the images according to camera position- that is in a sequence from left-most camera to the right-most camera

15. Time Slice Imaging (3) • then play back the movie! • the result is a captivating experience- a frozen moment scene from a huge number of angles • it is so startling because we do not see time this way and we are never able to get a view from multiple positions • truly a new media- technically identical to digital video but very different for users!

16. Time Slice Imaging (4)Examples • first mentioned in a small news item- Scientific American or New Scientist • Other Examples: • Various Advertisements • Lost in Space (1998) • The Matrix (1999) • Lecture Video Example: • BBC (1998) The Human Body- Part 2

17. Timeslice Camera “This camera gives a five-metre long 90 degree circular tracking shot in time-slice, live-action, long exposure, high-speed shutter or any combination. The camera performs like a compact motion-control rig. The optics are multi-coated, allowing the camera to perform to wide screen feature film standards. Again the construction is robust, enabling the camera to travel to far flung locations and work under the harshest conditions (as has proven the case with natural history work).” http://www.timeslicefilms.com/cameras_pc.html

18. QuickTime VR

19. QuickTime VR • first partially immersive VR system • QTVR is proprietary in that it must be developed on a high-end Macintosh, • but can be played on multiple platforms just like QuickTime • not a problem for multimedia developers who often prefer this platform because of its continuous support of graphic arts and design markets

20. QuickTime VRTypes • there are several types of VR that can be built using QuickTime VR: • Object Movies • Single Node Panoramic Movies • Multi-Node Movies • Sparse Multi-Node Scene • Continuous Multi-Node Scene

21. QuickTime VRSources of Object Movies • photography of real object/s from all views using film or video • model and render virtual object/s from all views digitally • each view becomes a distinct frame in a frame space formed by a QuickTime movie

22. QuickTime VRFrame Order and Frame Space • the order of frames in the frame space is important: • if the object is real then simply photograph views in the corrct order • if the object is virtual then frames must be rendered in the corrct order • Frame Access Function is used identify which frames to display based on user interaction

23. Frame Space & Access Function

24. Object MoviesDefinition... • two forms of object movies: • a 360º series of images around the ‘equator’ of an object, or • a series of images which form a number of ‘latitude’ loops around an object including the ‘north and south poles’ • assembled to form a continuous loop of images

25. Object Movies...Definition • size of the object is a consideration when creating object movies: • if the object for which an object movie is to be created is small then the object is rotated, • otherwise the camera rig is moved around the object to simulate rotation of the object

26. Object MoviesBackground Issues • object movie backgrounds are generally black and featureless • makes the transition from the embedding media (panoramic VR or video) less jarring • it is also extremely difficult to match up the photometric and geometric characteristics of different media (described latter)

27. Object MoviesMedium... • photography- • produces great results • but has many difficult steps which are out of the control of the content creator • dependent on Kodak who are the only company that can create the necessary PhotoCDs

28. Object MoviesMedium • analog video- • must be digitised which will require very expensive hardware and software • very noisy and will need image pre-processing before making the Object Movie • digital video- • convenient I-link (Firewire) upload of images to VR development machine • expensive but worth it!

29. Object MoviesCamera Requirements... • if using photography you will need • a very good quality 35mm SLR camera- could be an old manual high-end camera or a new state-of-the-art high end-camera • camera mount that can hold the camera in portrait orientation • camera head which can turn the camera in equal segments of a circle

30. Object Movies…Camera Requirements • a wide angle lens- the wider it is the fewer the number of photographs are needed • lens characteristics (<15 mm is a very expensive fisheye lens; >28mm is approaching a normal lens- so forget it) • 15mm 12 images • 18mm 12 images • 28mm 18 images

31. Object MoviesSupports • any supports should not be visible in the completed object media • special supports for the items being photographed can be expensive- need special jigs to get a 360º series including the ‘poles’ • can use an old record turntable if the objects are small

32. Single-Node Panoramic Scene • allows a user to see a space or interior from a single point-of-view • does not allow the user to explore the interior • other types of QTVR objects (eg. Sparse and Continuous Multi-Node Scenes) are made by stitching multiple single node panoramic scenes together

33. Sparse Multi-Node Scene • Users can jump between a set of key nodes located at points of interest in a space or interior • provides an experience which allows some limited navigational freedom • useful when there are only a few key points of interest and no need to show a continuous space

34. Continuous Multi-Node Scene (1) • user has much more freedom to visit different locations in space • key nodes which lie at path intersections in front of interesting objects and displays • continuous space is created by positioning nodes between the key nodes- needed when everything is interesting

35. Continuous Multi-node Scene (2)Example: MicroLabs, UOW c. 1995 Can be viewed or downloaded from the BUSS909 Intranet http://www.uow.edu.au/~rclarke/buss909/labscene.mov

36. QTVR Production Steps

37. QTVR Production DifficultiesPhotochemical Processes • a surprisingly large range of problems during VR production can occur as a result of the use of photographic source materials, photochemical processing and photo CD mastering stages

38. QTVR Production DifficultiesPhotometric Mismatches; Missing Frames • similar mismatches occur between the photometric characteristics of photographic systems and video systems used to create VR and content sequences • missing frames from a node can lead to the exclusion of an entire node

39. QTVR Production DifficultiesOptical Geometry Mismatches • mismatches between geometric characteristics of wide angle film lenses used in the production of VR and wide angle video lenses used in capturing ‘live action’ sequences that will be linked to the VR • apart from the fact that these are the only stages conducted outside the control of the VR production

40. VR Production Digital Breakthrough • digital workflows are being developed with the advent of megapixel digital still cameras (left), and affordable (almost! sigh!) digital video camera (right) http://www.canondv.com/xl1/index2.html# http://philohome.free.fr/lbracket/lbracket.htm

41. QTVR Production StepsDigital Workflow Download

42. Other Kinds of Virtual RealitySpherical VRs (Single Nodes) http://philohome.free.fr/tripod/sample.htm

43. Other Kinds of Virtual RealitySpherical VRs (Stitched Panorama)

44. Integrating New MediaExample: Systems in Context CD-ROM

45. Using New MediaReuse and Scalability Requirement • the authors created a Multimedia Case Study structure which was sufficiently general to show most workplace actions and activities • major advantages of creating a general structure are reuse and scalability

46. Using New MediaTemplates and Widgets • the use of Media Templates to speed up the systems integration of the various media elements used, • a specially designed text widget, which enables large texts to be displayed within limited screen real estate

47. Using New MediaTemplates and Widgets • the unusual properties of some of the inter-media developed in this project necessitated the use of templates • the Multimedia Case Study structure utilised three templates: • Digital Video Templates • VR Templates • Computer Model Templates

48. Digital Video Template • supports sets of related QuickTime Digital Video clips • the interface for this template provides users with the ability to select between alternate points-of-view for a given action or activity at appropriate points during the playback of the video.

49. Digital Video Template • Unfamiliar workpractices can be made familiar by allowing the user to see the action from multiple points of view.

50. Virtual Reality Template • supports the display of Quicktime VRs • the interface for this template alerts users to the existence of other embedded VR Objects and video/computer animation sequences • used to show the architectural layout of workplaces.