This book explores hybrid play as a site of interdisciplinary activity-one that is capable of generating new forms of mobility, communication, subjects, and artistic expression as well as new ways of interacting with and understanding the world. The chapters in this collection explore hybrid making, hybrid subjects, and hybrid spaces, generating interesting conversations about the past, current and future nature of hybrid play. Together, the authors offer important insights into how place and space are co-constructed through play; how, when, and for what reasons people occupy hybrid spaces; and how cultural practices shape elements of play and vice versa. A diverse group of scholars and practitioners provides a rich interdisciplinary perspective, which will be of great interest to those working in the areas of games studies, media studies, communication, gender studies, and media arts.

The second edition of Disney Stories: Getting to Digital will be of interest to lovers of Disney history and also to lovers of Hollywood history in general. The first edition was planned as a short history of the companies evolution from analog storytelling to a digital online presence that closed the chapter on early Disney films with the release of the groundbreaking Snow White. The purpose of the new edition is to bring to readers a more complete view of the analog-digital story by including three new chapters on film that cover key developments from the live-animation hybrids of the 1940s to CAPS and CGI in the 1990s and VR in the 2010s. It also includes in the discussion of cross-media storytelling the acquisition of the exceptional story property, Star Wars, and discusses how Disney has brought the epic into the Disney Master Narrative by creating Galaxy's Edge in its US theme parks. Krystina Madej's engaging portrayal of the long history of Disney's love affair with storytelling and technology brings to life the larger focus of innovation in creating characters and stories that captivate an audience, and together with Newton Lee's detailed experience of Disney during the crucial 1995-2005 era when digital innovation in online and games was at its height in the company, makes for a fast-paced captivating read. Disney Stories first edition explored the history of Disney, both analog and digital. It described in detail how Walt Disney used inventive and often ground-breaking approaches in the use of sound, color, depth, and the psychology of characters to move the animation genre from short visual gags to feature-length films with meaningful stories that engaged audience's hearts as well as tickled their funny bones. It showed Walt's comprehensive approach to engaging the public across all media as he built the Disney Master Narrative by using products, books, comics, public engagements, fan groups such as the Mickey Mouse club, TV, and, of course, Disneyland, his theme park. Finally it showed how, after his passing, the company continued to embrace Walt's enthusiasm for using new technology to engage audiences through their commitment to innovation in digital worlds. It describes in detail the innovative storybook CD-ROMs, their extensive online presence, the software they used and created for MMORGs such as Toontown, and the use of production methods such as agile methodology. This new edition provides insight on major developments in Disney films that moved them into the digital world.

WALKS From Richard Williams' The Animator's Survival Kit comes key chapters in mini form. The Animator's Survival Kit is the essential tool for animators. However, sometimes you don't want to carry the hefty expanded edition around with you to your college or studio if you're working on just one aspect of it that day. The Animation Minis take some of the most essential chapters and make them available in smaller, lightweight, hand-bag/backpack size versions. Easy to carry. Easy to study. This Mini focuses on Walks. Walks are full of personality. Walks reveal the character, they tell the story of the person. In this Mini Richard Williams provides the building blocks of how to construct walks, using stick figures to make it easy to learn, copy and understand. The process will encourage you to invent and entertain.

Since the early 20th century, medical imaging has been dominated by monochrome imaging modalities such as x-ray, computed tomography, ultrasound, and magnetic resonance imaging. As a result, color information has been overlooked in medical image analysis applications. Recently, various medical imaging modalities that involve color information have been introduced. These include cervicography, dermoscopy, fundus photography, gastrointestinal endoscopy, microscopy, and wound photography. However, in comparison to monochrome images, the analysis of color images is a relatively unexplored area. The multivariate nature of color image data presents new challenges for researchers and practitioners as the numerous methods developed for monochrome images are often not directly applicable to multichannel images. The goal of this volume is to summarize the state-of-the-art in the utilization of color information in medical image analysis.

This book reports on the theoretical foundations, fundamental applications and latest advances in various aspects of connected services for health information systems. The twelve chapters highlight state-of-the-art approaches, methodologies and systems for the design, development, deployment and innovative use of multisensory systems and tools for health management in smart city ecosystems. They exploit technologies like deep learning, artificial intelligence, augmented and virtual reality, cyber physical systems and sensor networks. Presenting the latest developments, identifying remaining challenges, and outlining future research directions for sensing, computing, communications and security aspects of connected health systems, the book will mainly appeal to academic and industrial researchers in the areas of health information systems, smart cities, and augmented reality.

Optimization plays an invaluable role in the exciting and rapidly developing field of computer vision, yet this importance is often overlooked in the literature.

This practical and authoritative text/reference presents a broad introduction to the optimization methods used specifically in computer vision. In order to facilitate understanding, the presentation of the methods is supplemented by simple flow charts, followed by pseudocode implementations that reveal deeper insights into their mode of operation. These discussions are further supported by examples taken from important applications in computer vision.

Topics and features: provides a comprehensive overview of computer vision-related optimization; covers a range of techniques from classical iterative multidimensional optimization to cutting-edge topics of graph cuts and GPU-suited total variation-based optimization; describes in detail the optimization methods employed in computer vision applications; illuminates key concepts with clearly written and step-by-step explanations; presents detailed information on implementation, including pseudocode for most methods.

This easy-to-follow and applications-focused book is an essential resource for researchers and practitioners seeking guidance on implementing specific methods in computer vision.

Locating Imagination in Popular Culture offers a multi-disciplinary account of the ways in which popular culture, tourism and notions of place intertwine in an environment characterized by ongoing processes of globalization, digitization and an increasingly ubiquitous nature of multi-media. Centred around the concept of imagination, the authors demonstrate how popular culture and media are becoming increasingly important in the ways in which places and localities are imagined, and how they also subsequently stimulate a desire to visit the actual places in which people's favourite stories are set. With examples drawn from around the globe, the book offers a unique study of the role of narratives conveyed through media in stimulating and reflecting desire in tourism. This book will have appeal in a wide variety of academic disciplines, ranging from media and cultural studies to fan- and tourism studies, cultural geography, literary studies and cultural sociology.

Digital art practitioners work under the constant threat of a medium - the digital - that objectifies the self and depersonalises artistic identities. If digital technology is a pharmakon in that it can be either cure or poison, with regard to digital art practices the digital may have in fact worked as a placebo that has allowed us to push back the date in which the crisis between digital and art will be given serious thought. This book is hence concerned with an analysis of such a relationship and proposes their rethinking in terms of an ethico-phenomenological practice informed by an in-depth understanding of the digital medium. Giuseppe Torre engages with underground cultures such as Free and Libre Open Source Software (FLOSS) and its ties with art discourse. The discussion is informed by various philosophical discourses and media theories, with a focus on how such ideas connect back to the existing literature in performance studies. Replete with examples of artwork and practices, this book will be of great interest to students and scholars of theatre and performance studies, art and technology.

This book offers critical perspectives on the digital 'iconic', exploring how the notion of the iconic is re-appropriated and re-made online, and the consequences for humanity and society. Examining cross-cultural case studies of iconic images in digital spaces, the author offers original and critical analyses, theories and perspectives on the notion of the 'iconic', and on its movement, re-appropriation and meaning making on digital platforms. A carefully curated selection of case studies illustrates topics such as phantom memory; martyrdom; denigration and pornographic recoding; digital games as simulacra; and memes as 'artification'. Situating the notion of the iconic firmly within contemporary cultures, the author takes a thematic approach to investigate the iconic as an unstable and unfinished phenomenon online as it travels through platforms temporally and spatially. The book will be an important resource for academics and students in the areas of media and communications, digital culture, cultural studies, visual communication, visual culture, journalism studies and digital humanities.

Independent Videogames investigates the social and cultural implications of contemporary forms of independent video game development. Through a series of case studies and theoretical investigations, it evaluates the significance of such a multi-faceted phenomenon within video game and digital cultures. A diverse team of scholars highlight the specificities of independence within the industry and the culture of digital gaming through case studies and theoretical questions. The chapters focus on labor, gender, distribution models and technologies of production to map the current state of research on independent game development. The authors also identify how the boundaries of independence are becoming opaque in the contemporary game industry - often at the cost of the claims of autonomy, freedom and emancipation that underlie the indie scene. The book ultimately imagines new and better narratives for a less exploitative and more inclusive videogame industry. Systematically mapping the current directions of a phenomenon that is becoming increasingly difficult to define and limit, this book will be a crucial resource for scholars and students of game studies, media history, media industries and independent gaming.

This book examines third-party review sites (TPRS) and the intersection of the review economy and neoliberal public relations, in order to understand how users and organizations engage the 21st century global review economy. The author applies communication and digital media theories to evaluate contemporary case studies that challenge TPRS and control over digital reputation. Chapters analyze famous cases such as the Texas photographer who sued her clients for negative reviews and activists using Yelp to protest the hunt of "Cecil the Lion," to illustrate the complicated yet important role of TPRS in the review economy. Theories such as neoliberal public relations, digital dialogic communication and cultural intermediaries help explain the impact of reviews and how to apply lessons learned from infamous cases. This nuanced and up to date exploration of the contemporary review economy will offer insights and best practice for academic researchers and upper-level undergraduate students in public relations, digital media, or strategic communication programs.

Data has emerged as a key component that determines how interactions across the world are structured, mediated and represented. This book examines these new data publics and the areas in which they become operative, via analysis of politics, geographies, environments and social media platforms. By claiming to offer a mechanism to translate every conceivable occurrence into an abstract code that can be endlessly manipulated, digitally processed data has caused conventional reference systems which hinge on our ability to mark points of origin, to rapidly implode. Authors from a range of disciplines provide insights into such a political economy of data capitalism; the political possibilities of techno-logics beyond data appropriation and data refusal; questions of visual, spatial and geographical organization; emergent ways of life and the environments that sustain them; and the current challenges of data publics, which is explored via case studies of three of the most influential platforms in the social media economy today: Facebook, Instagram and Whatsapp. Data Publics will be of great interest to academics and students in the fields of computer science, philosophy, sociology, media and communication studies, architecture, visual culture, art and design, and urban and cultural studies.

An Image Processing Tour of College Mathematics aims to provide meaningful context for reviewing key topics of the college mathematics curriculum, to help students gain confidence in using concepts and techniques of applied mathematics, to increase student awareness of recent developments in mathematical sciences, and to help students prepare for graduate studies. The topics covered include a library of elementary functions, basic concepts of descriptive statistics, probability distributions of functions of random variables, definitions and concepts behind first- and second-order derivatives, most concepts and techniques of traditional linear algebra courses, an introduction to Fourier analysis, and a variety of discrete wavelet transforms - all of that in the context of digital image processing. Features Pre-calculus material and basic concepts of descriptive statistics are reviewed in the context of image processing in the spatial domain. Key concepts of linear algebra are reviewed both in the context of fundamental operations with digital images and in the more advanced context of discrete wavelet transforms. Some of the key concepts of probability theory are reviewed in the context of image equalization and histogram matching. The convolution operation is introduced painlessly and naturally in the context of naive filtering for denoising and is subsequently used for edge detection and image restoration. An accessible elementary introduction to Fourier analysis is provided in the context of image restoration. Discrete wavelet transforms are introduced in the context of image compression, and the readers become more aware of some of the recent developments in applied mathematics. This text helps students of mathematics ease their way into mastering the basics of scientific computer programming.

This book presents practical optimization techniques used in image processing and computer vision problems. Ill-posed problems are introduced and used as examples to show how each type of problem is related to typical image processing and computer vision problems. Unconstrained optimization gives the best solution based on numerical minimization of a single, scalar-valued objective function or cost function. Unconstrained optimization problems have been intensively studied, and many algorithms and tools have been developed to solve them. Most practical optimization problems, however, arise with a set of constraints. Typical examples of constraints include: (i) pre-specified pixel intensity range, (ii) smoothness or correlation with neighboring information, (iii) existence on a certain contour of lines or curves, and (iv) given statistical or spectral characteristics of the solution. Regularized optimization is a special method used to solve a class of constrained optimization problems. The term regularization refers to the transformation of an objective function with constraints into a different objective function, automatically reflecting constraints in the unconstrained minimization process. Because of its simplicity and efficiency, regularized optimization has many application areas, such as image restoration, image reconstruction, optical flow estimation, etc. Optimization plays a major role in a wide variety of theories for image processing and computer vision. Various optimization techniques are used at different levels for these problems, and this volume summarizes and explains these techniques as applied to image processing and computer vision.

This book presents essential perspectives on digital convolutions in wireless communications systems and illustrates their corresponding efficient real-time field-programmable gate array (FPGA) implementations. FPGAs or generic all programmable devices will soon become widespread, serving as the "brains" of all types of real-time smart signal processing systems, like smart networks, smart homes and smart cities. The book examines digital convolution by bringing together the following main elements: the fundamental theory behind the mathematical formulae together with corresponding physical phenomena; virtualized algorithm simulation together with benchmark real-time FPGA implementations; and detailed, state-of-the-art case studies on wireless applications, including popular linear convolution in digital front ends (DFEs); nonlinear convolution in digital pre-distortion (DPD) enabled high-efficiency wireless RF transceivers; and fast linear convolution in massive multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) systems. After reading this book, students and professionals will be able to: * Understand digital convolution with inside-out information: discover what convolution is, why it is important and how it works. * Enhance their FPGA design skills, i.e., enhance their FPGA-related prototyping capability with model-based hands-on examples. * Rapidly expand their digital signal processing (DSP) blocks: to examine how to rapidly and efficiently create (DSP) functional blocks on a programmable FPGA chip as a reusable intellectual property (IP) core. * Upgrade their expertise as both "thinkers" and "doers": minimize/close the gap between mathematical equations and FPGA implementations for existing and emerging wireless applications.

Expand your creative ability by mastering the software tools. "DVD Authoring with Adobe Encore DVD" covers the toolset in a manner that demonstrates real-world application. The accompanying DVD with source material walks you through the process. You will learn how to avoid common pitfalls and learn about the entire DVD authoring workflow.
* Companion web site packed with additional tips and details on using Encore 1.5
* Increase your productivity with Encore DVD
* Learn to take advantage of integration with Photoshop, After Effects, and Premiere
* Includes DVD with tutorials

With annual gross sales surpassing 100 billion U.S. dollars each of the last two years, the digital games industry may one day challenge theatrical-release movies as the highest-grossing entertainment media in the world. In their examination of the tremendous cultural influence of digital games, Daniel Reardon and David Wright analyze three companies that have shaped the industry: Bethesda, located in Rockville, Maryland, USA; BioWare in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada; and CD Projekt Red in Warsaw, Poland. Each company has used social media and technical content in the games to promote players' belief that players control the companies' game narratives. The result has been at times explosive, as empowered players often attempted to co-op the creative processes of games through discussion board forum demands, fund-raising campaigns to persuade companies to change or add game content, and modifications ("modding") of the games through fan-created downloads. The result has changed the way we understand the interactive nature of digital games and the power of fan culture to shape those games.

Expert advice from several industrial professionals who have worked for some of the world's biggest tech and interactive companies. Best practices that not only prepare writers on how to apply their craft to new fields, but also prepare them for the common ambiguity they will find in corporate and start-up environments. Breakdown of platforms that shows how tech capabilities can fulfill content expectations and how content can fulfill tech expectations. Basic storytelling mechanics customized to today's popular technologies and traditional gaming platforms.

Using Video Games to Level Up Collaboration for Students provides a research-informed, systematic approach for using cooperative multiplayer video games as tools for teaching collaborative social skills and building social connections. Video games have become an ingrained part of our culture, and many teachers, school leaders and allied health professionals are exploring ways to harness digital games-based learning in their schools and settings. At the same time, collaborative skills and social inclusion have never been more important for our children and young adults. Taking a practical approach to supporting a range of learners, this book provides a three-stage system that guides professionals with all levels of gaming experience through skill instruction, supported play and guided reflection. A range of scaffolds and resources support the implementation of this program in primary and secondary classrooms and private clinics. Complementing this intervention design are a set of principles of game design that assist in the selection of games for use with this program, which assists with the selection of existing games or the design of future games for use with this program. Whether you are a novice or an experienced gamer, Level Up Collaboration provides educators with an innovative approach to ensuring that children and young adults can develop the collaborative social skills essential for thriving in their communities. By using an area of interest and strength for many individuals experiencing challenges with developing friendships and collaborative social skills, this intervention program will help your school or setting to level up social outcomes for all participants.

This book provides a systematic overview of watermarking and steganography methods for triangle meshes related to computer graphics and security. The significance of this research has been well recognized by the growing body of work on watermarking, steganography and steganalysis of 3D meshes. With the evolution of the CAD industry and real-world end-user applications such as virtual reality (VR) and 3D printing, 3D meshes have attracted world-wide attention. Besides, the flexible data structure of 3D geometry provides enough space to embed secret information, making it ideal for applications such as copyright protection and covert communication. Our goal of the book is to allow readers to systematically understand 3D mesh information hiding technology and its applications as a whole. The book outlines comprehensive techniques, including handcrafted and deep learning-based techniques, digital and physical techniques in the literature and provides standard evaluation metrics for triangle meshes. The up-to-date geometrical deep learning and 3D printing-related algorithms are also covered. Offering a rich blend of ideas and algorithms, the book is up-to-date and self-contained. It is an excellent reference resource for users who are seeking 3D mesh watermarking and steganography algorithms, as well as for graduate students and researchers wanting to grasp the frontiers of triangular mesh processing on data hiding.

a balanced blend of theoretical and practical information that enables readers to develop 3D worlds quickly and efficiently.

a balanced blend of theoretical and practical information that enables readers to develop 3D worlds quickly and efficiently.

Expert advice from several industrial professionals who have worked for some of the world's biggest tech and interactive companies. Best practices that not only prepare writers on how to apply their craft to new fields, but also prepare them for the common ambiguity they will find in corporate and start-up environments. Breakdown of platforms that shows how tech capabilities can fulfill content expectations and how content can fulfill tech expectations. Basic storytelling mechanics customized to today's popular technologies and traditional gaming platforms.

This book presents non-linear image enhancement approaches to mammograms as a robust computer-aided analysis solution for the early detection of breast cancer, and provides a compendium of non-linear mammogram enhancement approaches: from the fundamentals to research challenges, practical implementations, validation, and advances in applications. The book includes a comprehensive discussion on breast cancer, mammography, breast anomalies, and computer-aided analysis of mammograms. It also addresses fundamental concepts of mammogram enhancement and associated challenges, and features a detailed review of various state-of-the-art approaches to the enhancement of mammographic images and emerging research gaps. Given its scope, the book offers a valuable asset for radiologists and medical experts (oncologists), as mammogram visualization can enhance the precision of their diagnostic analyses; and for researchers and engineers, as the analysis of non-linear filters is one of the most challenging research domains in image processing.

This book comprises a collection of papers by international experts, presented at the International Conference on NextGen Electronic Technologies (ICNETS2-2017). ICNETS2 encompassed six symposia covering all aspects of electronics and communications engineering domains, including relevant nano/micro materials and devices. Featuring the latest research on computational signal processing and analysis, the book is useful to researchers, professionals, and students working in the core areas of electronics and their applications, especially signal processing, embedded systems, and networking.