With the explosive growth of Multimedia Applications, the ability to index/retrieve multimedia objects in an efficient way is challenging to both researchers and practitioners. A major data type stored and managed by these applications is the representation of two dimensional (2D) objects. Objects contain many features (e.g., color, texture, and shape) that have meaningful semantics. From those features, shape is an important feature that conforms with the way human beings interpret and interact with the real world objects. The shape representation of objects can therefore be used for their indexing, retrieval and as similarity measure. The object databases can be queried and searched for different purposes. For example, a CAD application for manufacturing industrial parts might intend to reduce the cost of building new industrial parts by searching for reusable existing parts in a database. Regarding an alternative trademark registry application, one might need to ensure that a new registered trademark is sufficiently distinctive from the existing marks by searching the database. Therefore, one of the important functionalities required by all these applications is the capability to find objects in a database that match a given object.
Traditional books on computer vision and informational retrieval are too general, and they do not provide advanced or specific information regarding shape analysis and recognition. Shape Analysis and Retrieval of Multimedia Objects provides a comprehensive survey of the most advanced and powerful shape retrieval techniques used in practice today. In addition, this monograph addresses key methodological issues for evaluation of the shape retrieval methods.
Shape Analysis and Retrieval of Multimedia Objects is designed to meet the needs of practitioners and researchers in industry, and graduate-level students in Computer Science.

Excellent textbook of multimedia signal processing also dealing with the optimization of multimedia communication systems. It covers the theoretical background of one- and multidimensional signal processing, statistical analysis and modelling, coding and information theory as well as estimation and classification theory.

The management of production and service processes can be supported by microcomputer simulation models-effectively and inexpensively-if the techniques are presented in an understandable manner. Drs. Klafehn, Weinroth, and Boronico prove this and show how to do it-not only for the benefit of operations managers themselves, but for others with management responsibilities in a variety of businesses and industries. They will learn how important daily operations problems can be modeled on a microcomputer, gain understanding of overall simulation methodology, and learn the several forms of cost savings achievable through simulation. For teachers in business schools the book will also provide a link between general management and the management of engineering and R&D. The first chapter introduces the reader to the concepts and steps for undertaking a microcomputer simulation project. In addition, the benefits, drawbacks, and myths are reviewed in detail. Chapter two explores, in a conversational scenario, what is involved in taking a management operations problem involving a truck transfer depot from its point of inception to the formulation of a systems operation model, which in a later chapter is ultimately put into a computer simulation model and tested to, in a sense, come up with answers to the questions posed in the hypothetical conversation. Subsequent chapters in the book are oriented to a discussion of other operations management problems and the effort to seek insight and solutions through simulation modeling. A Just-in-Time manufacturing system is addressed, recognizing the push-pull concept as well as looking at the quality aspect. Attempting to determine the optimum levels for safety, stock, order points, and order quantity is investigated through computer simulation. These levels are predicated on balancing the costs associated with ordering and holding goods as well as the penalty costs of stocking out. Using a simulated environment enables the inclusion of the variability evidenced by the type of distribution. The remaining chapters also review alternative rules and what ifs as applied to machine configuration, facility location for a satellite EMS unit, and job shop operations. Each of the applications chapters provides a printout of the basic computer model, written in GPSS, that was then modified to investigate alternative scenarios.

TRACK 1: Innovative Applications in the Public Sector The integration of multimedia based applications and the information superhighway fundamentally concerns the creation of a communication technology to support the ac tivities of people. Communication is a profoundly social activity involving interactions among groups or individuals, common standards of exchange, and national infrastruc tures to support telecommunications activities. The contributions of the invited speakers and others in this track begin to explore the social dimension of communication within the context of integrated, information systems for the public sector. Interactions among businesses and households are described by Ralf Strauss through the development within a real community of a "wired city" with information and electronic services provided by the latest telecommunications technologies. A more specific type of interaction between teacher and student forms the basis of education. John Tiffin demonstrates how virtual classrooms can be used to augment the educational process. Carl Loeffler presents yet another perspective on interaction through the integration of A-life and agent technologies to investigate the dynamics of complex behaviors within networked simulation environments. Common standards for communication in the form of electronic documents or CSCW (Computer Supported Cooperative Work), according to Roland Traunmiiller, provide en abling technologies for a paradigm shift in the management of organizations. As pointed out by William Olle, the impact of standardization work on the future of information technology depends critically upon the interoperability of software systems."

State of the Art in Computer Graphics Aspects of Visualization This is the fourth volume derived from a State of . . . the Art in Computer Graphics Summer Institute. It represents a snapshot of a number of topics in computer graphics, topics which include visualization of scientific data; modeling; some aspects of visualization in virtual reality; and hardware architectures for visu alization. Many papers first present a background introduction to the topic, followed by discussion of current work in the topic. The volume is thus equally suitable for nonspecialists in a particular area, and for the more experienced researcher in the field. It also enables general readers to obtain an acquaintance with a particular topic area sufficient to apply that knowledge in the context of solving current problems. The volume is organized into four chapters - Visualization of Data, Modeling, Virtual Reality Techniques, and Hardware Architectures for Visualization. In the first chapter, Val Watson and Pamela Walatka address the visual aspects of fluid dynamic computations. They discuss algorithms for function-mapped surfaces and cutting planes, isosurfaces, particle traces, and topology extractions. They point out that current visualization systems are limited by low information transfer bandwidth, poor response to viewing and model accuracy modification requests, mismatches between model rendering and human cognitive capabilities, and ineffective interactive tools. However, Watson and Walatka indicate that proposed systems will correct most of these problems.

Advances in computational and device technologies, combined with the commercial success and acceptance of 3D, haptic, and various other media presentation devices, has increased commercial interest in engaging additional senses within the multimedia experience. This integration is leading to a paradigm shift away from traditionally defined multimedia systems, and towards more interactive Multiple Sensory Media (MulSeMedia) systems. Multiple Sensorial Media Advances and Applications: New Developments in MulSeMedia provides a comprehensive compilation of knowledge covering state-of-the-art developments and research, as well as current innovative activities in MulSeMedia. This book focuses on the importance of Multiple Sensorial Media and its importance in media design with an emphasis on the applicability to real world integration and provides a broad perspective on the future of the technology in a variety of cohesive topic areas.

This book is devoted to a new branch of experimental design theory called simulation experimental design. There are many books devoted either to the theory of experimental design or to system simulation techniques, but in this book an approach to combine both fields is developed. Especially the mathematical theory of such universal variance reduction techniques as splitting and Russian Roulette is explored. The book contains a number of results on regression design theory related to nonlinear problems, the E-optimum criterion and designs which minimize bias. Audience: This volume will be of value to readers interested in systems simulation, applied statistics and numerical methods with basic knowledge of applied statistics and linear algebra.

Advanced Computer Systems is a collection of forty selected papers presented to the Eighth International Conference on Computer Systems, October 2001 in Mielno, Poland. These papers provide a comprehensive summary of practice and research progress in information technologies:

• Recognition, Security and Safety concentrates on the widely-known problems of information systems security.
• Methods of Artificial Intelligence presents methods and algorithms which are the basics for the applications of artificial intelligence environments.
• Intelligent Agents and Distributed Activities includes laboratory research on multiagent intelligent systems as well as upon their applications in searching information, negotiating and supporting decision.
• Distributed Productions Networks and Modeling Complex Systems present production processes in distributed shared virtual environment, virtual solution of integer optimization problems, and a queuing approach to performance optimization in the distributed production network.

This book constitutes the refereed proceedings of the 10th IFIP TC 9 International Conference on Human Choice and Computers, HCC10 2012, held in Amsterdam, The Netherlands, in September 2012. The 37 revised full papers presented were carefully reviewed and selected for inclusion in the volume. The papers are organized in topical sections on national and international policies, sustainable and responsible innovation, ICT for peace and war, and citizens' involvement, citizens' rights and ICT.

Human Face Recognition Using Third-Order Synthetic Neural Networks explores the viability of the application of High-order synthetic neural network technology to transformation-invariant recognition of complex visual patterns. High-order networks require little training data (hence, short training times) and have been used to perform transformation-invariant recognition of relatively simple visual patterns, achieving very high recognition rates. The successful results of these methods provided inspiration to address more practical problems which have grayscale as opposed to binary patterns (e.g., alphanumeric characters, aircraft silhouettes) and are also more complex in nature as opposed to purely edge-extracted images - human face recognition is such a problem. Human Face Recognition Using Third-Order Synthetic Neural Networks serves as an excellent reference for researchers and professionals working on applying neural network technology to the recognition of complex visual patterns.

This book opens the "black box" of software sourcing by explaining how dynamic software alignment is established and how it impacts business performance outcomes. By investigating how software-sourcing modes are related to value generation in the post-implementation phase, it shows researchers and managers the impact logic of on-demand, on-premises, and in-house software on dynamic fit and process-level performance outcomes in a client organization. It describes dynamic IT alignment as the key to success in a fast-moving digital world with software-as-a-service on the rise and highlights the fact that today companies can choose between developing software in-house (make) or sourcing packaged systems in an on-premises (buy) or an on-demand (lease) mode. This book is the first to explicitly compare these sourcing arrangements with each other in terms of alignment and business performance.

In order to stay competitive, modern businesses need to adopt an enterprise information system or an integrated IT platform that operates on an 'always-on' basis in order to remain resilient, continuous, operational, adaptive, and responsive in this increasingly competitive and changing business environment. ""Always-On Enterprise Information Systems for Business Continuance: Technologies for Reliable and Scalable Operations"" provides an in-depth and scientifically-based analysis of 'always-on' enterprise information systems. This advanced publication identifies methodological frameworks for designing and developing efficient systems and effective strategies for 'always-on' implementation, valuable to academicians, researchers, and practitioners.

The unprecedented growth in the range of multimedia services offered these days by modern telecommunication systems has been made possible only because of the advancements in signal processing technologies and algorithms. In the area of telecommunications, application of signal processing allows for new generations of systems to achieve performance close to theoretical limits, while in the area of multimedia, signal processing the underlying technology making possible realization of such applications that not so long ago were considered just a science fiction or were not even dreamed about. We all learnt to adopt those achievements very quickly, but often the research enabling their introduction takes many years and a lot of efforts. This book presents a group of invited contributions, some of which have been based on the papers presented at the International Symposium on DSP for Communication Systems held in Coolangatta on the Gold Coast, Australia, in December 2003. Part 1 of the book deals with applications of signal processing to transform what we hear or see to the form that is most suitable for transmission or storage for a future retrieval. The first three chapters in this part are devoted to processing of speech and other audio signals. The next two chapters consider image coding and compression, while the last chapter of this part describes classification of video sequences in the MPEG domain.

This book focuses on novel trends in software evolution research and its relations with other emerging disciplines. Mens and Demeyer, both authorities in the field of software evolution, do not restrict themselves to the evolution of source code but also address the evolution of other, equally important software artifacts. This book is the indispensable source for researchers and professionals looking for an introduction and comprehensive overview of the state-of-the-art.

The goal of this book is to present the most advanced research works in realistic computer generated images. It is made up of the papers presented during a Eurographics workshop that has been held in Rennes (France) on June 1990. Although realism in computer graphics has existed for many years, we have considered that two research directions can now clearly be identified. One makes use of empirical methods to efficiently create images that look real. As opposed to this approach, the other orientation makes use of physics to produce images that are exact representations of the real world (at the expense of additional processing time), hence the term photosimulation which indeed was the subject of this book. The objectives of this workshop were to assemble experts from physics and computer graphics in order to contribute to the introduction of physics-based approaches in the field of computer generated images. The fact that this workshop was the first entirely devoted to this topic was a bet and fortunately it turned out that it was a success. The contents of this book is organized in five chapters: Efficient Ray Tracing Meth ods, Theory of Global Illumination Models, Photometric Algorithms, Form-Factor Cal culations and Physics-Based Methods.

Art and Technology of Entertainment Computing and Communication takes a blue sky research perspective on the field of interactive media for entertainment computing. Adrian David Cheok argues that entertainment as an end-product is useful for interactive play, however it is also a powerful tool for learning and communication and it is also a key driver for the development of information technology. This book explores the future of entertainment technologies used for communication and describes quantum step research. It will inform and inspire readers to create their own radical inventions and innovations that are not incremental, but which break through ideas and non-obvious solutions. One of the main explorations is the examination of how new forms of computer interaction can lead to radical new forms of technology and art for entertainment computing. Art and Technology of Entertainment Computing and Communication is an informative and inspirational text for students and the next generation of researchers. It s main aim is to provide information that will hopefully help change the world and society for the better, through new modes of entertainment and communication. Academics, researchers, engineers, game designers, and interaction designers, will find the content both interesting and valuable. Entertainment is the "engine" to inspire people and drive innovation in interactive digital media design. The pioneer of the field, Prof. Adrian David Cheok, takes you on an exciting tour of the future shaped by the Entertainment Technologies. Hiroshi ISHII, Muriel R. Cooper Professor of Media Arts and Sciences, MIT Media Laboratory."

Need fast, reliable, easy-to-use solutions for using InfoPath (R) with SharePoint (R) 2013? This book delivers exactly what you're looking for: step-by-step help and guidance with the tasks you'll perform most often. You'll learn better ways to design and develop intuitive, effective form-based solutions, and then efficiently administer, secure, and troubleshoot them. The industry's most focused resource for solving business problems with SharePoint and InfoPath forms, this book provides all the answers you need-now! Steven Mann is an Enterprise Applications Engineer for Morgan Lewis and has nearly 20 years of professional experience with collaboration and business intelligence, including a decade working with SharePoint. Formerly Principal Architect for RDA Corporation, his books include InfoPath with SharePoint 2010 How-To, Microsoft SharePoint 2010 Business Intelligence Unleashed, SharePoint 2010 Field Guide, and SharePoint 2010 Managed Metadata Unleashed. Fast, Accurate, and Easy-to-Use! ? Discover powerful tips for success with InfoPath Designer 2013 ? Efficiently create SharePoint form controls, rules, and functions ? Master form page design, views, and list forms ? Submit, publish, and use data in SharePoint forms ? Streamline business processes by integrating forms into SharePoint workflows ? Design more intuitive, easier-to-use forms with InfoPath controls, functionality, and settings ? Use template parts to create reusable form components, including controls, fields, and data connections ? Leverage Visual Studio 2012 with InfoPath to build solutions and application-level add-ins ? Dynamically populate repeating tables in forms ? Elegantly track changes in SharePoint forms ? Automatically generate new InfoPath form instances ? Use SharePoint 2013 Central Administration to manage forms and Forms Services ? Automate InfoPath Form Services administration with PowerShell ? Manage form permissions to control user access and rights ? Troubleshoot form development, deployment, publishing, and form submission

Now students can master the nuances of Microsoft (R) Office quickly with ILLUSTRATED MICROSOFT (R) OFFICE 2019 & OFFICE 365 ADVANCED, part of today's popular Illustrated Series. This focused, user-friendly approach uses a proven two-page layout that allows students to work through an entire task without turning the page. Clear Learning Outcomes outline the skills for each lesson, while large full-color screen images reflect exactly what students see on their own computers. Each module begins with a brief overview of the principles covered in the lesson and introduces a real-world case scenario to engage students and reinforce critical skills to make them successful in their educational and professional careers. In addition, MindTap and updated SAM (Skills Assessment Manager) online resources are available to guide additional study and ensure successful results.

Game Audio Fundamentals takes the reader on a journey through game audio design: from analog and digital audio basics, to the art and execution of sound effects, soundtracks, and voice production, as well as learning how to make sense of a truly effective soundscape. Presuming no pre-existing knowledge, this accessible guide is accompanied by online resources - including practical examples and incremental DAW exercises - and presents the theory and practice of game audio in detail, and in a format anyone can understand. This is essential reading for any aspiring game audio designer, as well as students and professionals from a range of backgrounds, including music, audio engineering, and game design.

After the introduction of Enterprise Information Systems (EIS) and Enterprise Resources Planning (ERP) applications to many business organizations, the functional issues such as technical problems, security threats, persistent end-user resistance, and the excessive hidden costs of these systems began coming to light. Cases on Enterprise Information Systems and Implementation Stages: Learning from the Gulf Region focuses on the Gulf region and its lead on the enterprise systems adoption which has exceeded those in many developed countries. This reference book highlights experiences implementing EIS, delivering a comprehensive multi-perspective account of EIS issues, and explores the concerns, risks, and critical success factors of EIS for a variety of organizations. It aims to be beneficial for both practitioners and academics alike.

This textbook provides a comprehensive introduction to probability and stochastic processes, and shows how these subjects may be applied in computer performance modeling. The author's aim is to derive probability theory in a way that highlights the complementary nature of its formal, intuitive, and applicative aspects while illustrating how the theory is applied in a variety of settings. Readers are assumed to be familiar with elementary linear algebra and calculus, including being conversant with limits, but otherwise, this book provides a self-contained approach suitable for graduate or advanced undergraduate students. The first half of the book covers the basic concepts of probability, including combinatorics, expectation, random variables, and fundamental theorems. In the second half of the book, the reader is introduced to stochastic processes. Subjects covered include renewal processes, queueing theory, Markov processes, matrix geometric techniques, reversibility, and networks of queues. Examples and applications are drawn from problems in computer performance modeling. Throughout, large numbers of exercises of varying degrees of difficulty will help to secure a reader's understanding of these important and fascinating subjects.