This book describes recent innovations in 3D media and technologies, with coverage of 3D media capturing, processing, encoding, and adaptation, networking aspects for 3D Media, and quality of user experience (QoE). The main contributions are based on the results of the FP7 European Projects ROMEO, which focus on new methods for the compression and delivery of 3D multi-view video and spatial audio, as well as the optimization of networking and compression jointly across the Future Internet (www.ict-romeo.eu).

The delivery of 3D media to individual users remains a highly challenging problem due to the large amount of data involved, diverse network characteristics and user terminal requirements, as well as the user s context such as their preferences and location. As the number of visual views increases, current systems will struggle to meet the demanding requirements in terms of delivery of constant video quality to both fixed and mobile users.

ROMEO will design and develop hybrid-networking solutions that combine the DVB-T2 and DVB-NGH broadcast access network technologies together with a QoE aware Peer-to-Peer (P2P) distribution system that operates over wired and wireless links. Live streaming 3D media needs to be received by collaborating users at the same time or with imperceptible delay to enable them to watch together while exchanging comments as if they were all in the same location.

The volume provides state-of-the-art information on 3D multi-view video, spatial audio networking protocols for 3D media, P2P 3D media streaming, and 3D Media delivery across heterogeneous wireless networks among other topics. Graduate students and professionals in electrical engineering and computer science with an interest in 3D Future Internet Media will find this volume to be essential reading."

This publication contributes to the serious games field by investigating original contributions and methods that use serious games in various domains. This comprehensive and timely publication works as an essential reference source, building on the available literature in the field of Serious Games for the economic and social development of countries while providing for further research opportunities in this dynamic and growing field. Thus, the book provides the opportunity for a reflection on this important issue, increasing the understanding of the importance of Serious Games in the context of organizations' improvements, providing relevant academic work, empirical research findings, and an overview of this relevant field of study. This text provides the resources necessary for policy makers, technology developers and managers to adopt and implement solutions for a more digital era.

Image and signal processing techniques are receiving increasing interest because of their numerous real-world applications. Data is now available in different forms, different wavelengths, and even in different dimensions, creating the need for novel multidisciplinary solutions for automated data processing and analysis. Applied Signal and Image Processing: Multidisciplinary Advancements highlights the growing multidisciplinary nature of signal and image processing by focusing on emerging applications and recent advances in well-established fields. This book covers state-or-the-art applications in both signal and image processing, which include optical communication and sensing, wireless communication management, face recognition and facial imaging, solar imaging and feature detection, fractal analysis, and video processing.

The advancement of security technologies has allowed information systems to store more crucial and sensitive data. With these advancements, organisations turn to physiological and behavioral methods of identification in order to guard against unwanted intrusion. Research Developments in Biometrics and Video Processing Techniques investigates advanced techniques in user identification and security, including retinal, facial, and finger print scans as well as signature and voice authentication models. Through its in-depth examination of computer vision applications and other biometric security technologies, this reference volume will provide researchers, engineers, developers, and students with insight into the latest research on enhanced security systems design and development.

A key technology enabling fast-paced embedded media processing developments is the high-performance, low-power, small-footprint convergent processor, a specialized device that combines the real-time control of a traditional microcontroller with the signal processing power of a DSP. This practical guide is your one-stop shop for understanding how to implement this cutting-edge technology. You will learn how to: * Choose the proper processor for an application. * Architect your system to avoid problems at the outset. * Manage your data flows and memory accesses so that they line up properly * Make smart-trade-offs in portable applications between power considerations and computational performance. * Divide processing tasks across multiple cores. * Program frameworks that optimize performance without needlessly increasing programming model complexity. * Implement benchmarking techniques that will help you adapt a framework to best fit a target application, and much more Covering the entire spectrum of EMP-related design issues, from easy-to-understand explanations of basic architecture and direct memory access (DMA), to in-depth discussions of code optimization and power management, this practical book will be an invaluable aid to every engineer working with EMP, from the beginner to the seasoned expert.

All disc-based content for this title is now available on the Web.

* Comprehensive subject coverage with emphasis on practical application * Essential assembly language code included throughout text * Many real-world examples using Analog's popular Blackfin Processor architecture

Trying to learn Maya programming from the documentation can be daunting whether or not you are a programmer. The first edition of "MEL Scripting for Maya Animators" earned the reputation as the best introductory book on MEL, Maya's scripting language. Now fully revised and updated, the second edition also includes new features, such as a discussion of global procedures, new chapters on fixing programming bottlenecks, advanced user interface techniques, and optimizing character rigs. New chapters on utility nodes and Maya's Web Panel feature provide new ideas on how to use MEL in applications.
This new edition has kept the popular style of the first edition that offered very clear explanations of programming concepts to those without programming experience. A generous collection of code examples and Maya scene files is included on the companion Web site. This is a book for animators, artists, game developers, visual effects developers, and technical directors who want to learn the fundamentals of Maya, how to automate tasks, personalize user interfaces, build custom tools, and solve problems with MEL.
* Fully updated with several new chapters.
* Profusely illustrated and includes a companion Web site with numerous code examples and scene files.
* The authors bring their extensive experience in professional production studios to provide expert guidance.

This book introduces the applications of deep learning in various human centric visual analysis tasks, including classical ones like face detection and alignment and some newly rising tasks like fashion clothing parsing. Starting from an overview of current research in human centric visual analysis, the book then presents a tutorial of basic concepts and techniques of deep learning. In addition, the book systematically investigates the main human centric analysis tasks of different levels, ranging from detection and segmentation to parsing and higher-level understanding. At last, it presents the state-of-the-art solutions based on deep learning for every task, as well as providing sufficient references and extensive discussions. Specifically, this book addresses four important research topics, including 1) localizing persons in images, such as face and pedestrian detection; 2) parsing persons in details, such as human pose and clothing parsing, 3) identifying and verifying persons, such as face and human identification, and 4) high-level human centric tasks, such as person attributes and human activity understanding. This book can serve as reading material and reference text for academic professors / students or industrial engineers working in the field of vision surveillance, biometrics, and human-computer interaction, where human centric visual analysis are indispensable in analysing human identity, pose, attributes, and behaviours for further understanding.

In this book, differential evolution and its modified variants are applied to the clustering of data and images. Metaheuristics have emerged as potential algorithms for dealing with complex optimization problems, which are otherwise difficult to solve using traditional methods. In this regard, differential evolution is considered to be a highly promising technique for optimization and is being used to solve various real-time problems. The book studies the algorithms in detail, tests them on a range of test images, and carefully analyzes their performance. Accordingly, it offers a valuable reference guide for all researchers, students and practitioners working in the fields of artificial intelligence, optimization and data analytics.

This book discusses the computational geometry, topology and physics of digital images and video frame sequences. This trio of computational approaches encompasses the study of shape complexes, optical vortex nerves and proximities embedded in triangulated video frames and single images, while computational geometry focuses on the geometric structures that infuse triangulated visual scenes. The book first addresses the topology of cellular complexes to provide a basis for an introductory study of the computational topology of visual scenes, exploring the fabric, shapes and structures typically found in visual scenes. The book then examines the inherent geometry and topology of visual scenes, and the fine structure of light and light caustics of visual scenes, which bring into play catastrophe theory and the appearance of light caustic folds and cusps. Following on from this, the book introduces optical vortex nerves in triangulated digital images. In this context, computational physics is synonymous with the study of the fine structure of light choreographed in video frames. This choreography appears as a sequence of snapshots of light reflected and refracted from surface shapes, providing a solid foundation for detecting, analyzing and classifying visual scene shapes.

This book provides a comprehensive guide to the state-of-the-art in cardiovascular computing and highlights novel directions and challenges in this constantly evolving multidisciplinary field. The topics covered span a wide range of methods and clinical applications of cardiovascular computing, including advanced technologies for the acquisition and analysis of signals and images, cardiovascular informatics, and mathematical and computational modeling.

This book shows how the web-based PhysGL programming environment (http://physgl.org) can be used to teach and learn elementary mechanics (physics) using simple coding exercises. The book's theme is that the lessons encountered in such a course can be used to generate physics-based animations, providing students with compelling and self-made visuals to aid their learning. Topics presented are parallel to those found in a traditional physics text, making for straightforward integration into a typical lecture-based physics course. Users will appreciate the ease at which compelling OpenGL-based graphics and animations can be produced using PhysGL, as well as its clean, simple language constructs. The author argues that coding should be a standard part of lower-division STEM courses, and provides many anecdotal experiences and observations, that include observed benefits of the coding work.

With the technology innovations dentistry has witnessed in all its branches over the past three decades, the need for more precise diagnostic tools and advanced imaging methods has become mandatory across the industry. Recent advancements to imaging systems are playing an important role in efficient diagnoses, treatments, and surgeries. Computational Techniques for Dental Image Analysis provides innovative insights into computerized methods for automated analysis. The research presented within this publication explores pattern recognition, oral pathologies, and diagnostic processing. It is designed for dentists, professionals, medical educators, medical imaging technicians, researchers, oral surgeons, and students, and covers topics centered on easier assessment of complex cranio-facial tissues and the accurate diagnosis of various lesions at early stages.

As the most natural and convenient means of conveying or transmitting information, images play a vital role in our daily lives. Image processing is now of paramount importance in the computer vision research community, and proper processing of two-dimensional (2D) real-life images plays a key role in many real-life applications as well as commercial developments. Intelligent Multidimensional Data and Image Processing is a vital research publication that contains an in-depth exploration of image processing techniques used in various applications, including how to handle noise removal, object segmentation, object extraction, and the determination of the nearest object classification and its associated confidence level. Featuring coverage on a broad range of topics such as object detection, machine vision, and image conversion, this book provides critical research for scientists, computer engineers, professionals, researchers, and academicians seeking current research on solutions for new challenges in 2D and 3D image processing.

The computer graphics (CG) industry is an attractive field for undergraduate students, but employers often find that graduates of CG art programmes are not proficient. The result is that many positions are left vacant, despite large numbers of job applicants. This book investigates how student CG artists develop proficiency. The subject is important to the rapidly growing number of educators in this sector, employers of graduates, and students who intend to develop proficiency for the purpose of obtaining employment. Educators will see why teaching software-oriented knowledge to students does not lead to proficiency, but that the development of problem-solving and visualisation skills do. This book follows a narrow focus, as students develop proficiency in a cognitively challenging task known as 'NURBS modelling'. This task was chosen due to an observed relationship between students who succeeded in the task, and students who successfully obtained employment after graduation. In the study this is based on, readers will be shown that knowledge-based explanations for the development of proficiency do not adequately account for proficiency or expertise in this field, where visualisation has been observed to develop suddenly rather than over an extended period of time. This is an unusual but not unique observation. Other studies have shown rapid development of proficiency and expertise in certain professions, such as among telegraph operators, composers and chess players. Based on these observations, the book argues that threshold concepts play a key role in the development of expertise among CG artists.

This textbook guides readers through their first steps into the challenging world of mimicking human vision with computational tools and techniques pertaining to the field of image processing and analysis. While today's theoretical and applied processing and analysis of images meet with challenging and complex problems, this primer is confined to a much simpler, albeit critical, collection of image-to-image transformations, including image normalisation, enhancement, and filtering.It serves as an introduction to beginners, a refresher for undergraduate and graduate students, as well as engineers and computer scientists confronted with a problem to solve in computer vision. The book covers basic image processing/computer vision pipeline techniques, which are widely used in today's computer vision, computer graphics, and image processing, giving the readers enough knowledge to successfully tackle a wide range of applied problems.

Technological advancements have created novel applications for image and video processing. With these developments, real-world processing problems can be solved more easily. The Handbook of Research on Advanced Concepts in Real-Time Image and Video Processing is a pivotal reference source for the latest research findings on the design, realization, and deployment of image and video processing systems meant for real-time environments. Featuring extensive coverage on relevant areas such as feature detection, reconfigurable computing, and stream processing, this publication is an ideal resource for academics, researchers, graduate students, and technology developers.

In the age of increasing reliance on data and the importance of sensitive information, applications and technologies have arisen to appropriately deal with assuring the security of medical informatics and healthcare administration functions. In order for technology to progress, new systems are being installed globally to address this issue. Governance of Picture Archiving and Communications Systems: Data Security and Quality Management of Filmless Radiology examines information security management systems for the facilitation of picture archiving and communication systems (PACS). This valuable contribution to data security and quality management literature provides a comprehensive guide for all aspects of the implementation of PACS for the enhancement of modern practices in radiology.

As colour imaging takes on increasing importance in a range of products and technologies, colour fidelity across different media has become essential.

This book has arisen from the need for a specialist text that brings together key developments in colour management technology and findings from the colour engineering research community.

Edited by highly regarded specialists in colour management systems, Colour Engineering introduces the reader systematically to the art of constistent quality of image reproduction - regardless of the monitor or graphic user interface employed.

Features:

• a thorough review of the elements of colour science that apply to colour imaging.

• a comprehensive analysis of methods for characterizing devices in the colour imaging chain.

• a review of the key topics in colour management.

• the different approaches to implementing colour systems at some of the leading exponents in the imaging industry.

The genre of the video clip has been established for more than thirty years, mainly served by the sub genres of video art and music video. This book explores processes of hybridization between music video, film, and video art by presenting current theoretical discourses and engaging them through interviews with well-known artists and directors, bringing to the surface the crucial questions of art practice. The collection discusses topics including postcolonialism, posthumanism, gender, race and class and addresses questions regarding the hybrid media structure of video, the diffusion between content and form, art and commerce as well as pop culture and counterculture. Through the diversity of the areas and interviews included, the book builds on and moves beyond earlier aesthetics-driven perspectives on music video.

Augmented Reality (AR) refers to the merging of a live view of the physical, real world with context-sensitive, computer-generated images to create a mixed reality. Through this augmented vision, a user can digitally interact with and adjust information about their surrounding environment on-the-fly. "Handbook of Augmented Reality" provides an extensive overview of the current and future trends in Augmented Reality, and chronicles the dramatic growth in this field. The book includes contributions from world expert s in the field of AR from academia, research laboratories and private industry. Case studies and examples throughout the handbook help introduce the basic concepts of AR, as well as outline the Computer Vision and Multimedia techniques most commonly used today. The book is intended for a wide variety of readers including academicians, designers, developers, educators, engineers, practitioners, researchers, and graduate students. This book can also be beneficial for business managers, entrepreneurs, and investors.

This book offers a detailed description of the histogram probabilistic multi-hypothesis tracker (H-PMHT), providing an accessible and intuitive introduction to the mathematical mechanics of H-PMHT as well as a definitive reference source for the existing literature on the method. Beginning with basic concepts, the authors then move on to address extensions of the method to a broad class of tracking problems. The latter chapters present applications using recorded data from experimental radar, sonar and video sensor systems. The book is supplemented with software that both furthers readers' understanding and acts as a toolkit for those who wish to apply the methods to their own problems.