Images and video play a crucial role in visual information systems and multimedia. There is an extraordinary number of applications of such systems in entertainment, business, art, engineering, and science. Such applications often involved large image and video collections, and therefore, searching for images and video in large collections is becoming an important operation. Because of the size of such databases, efficiency is crucial. We strongly believe that image and video retrieval need an integrated approach from fields such as image processing, shape processing, perception, database indexing, visualization, and querying, etc. This book contains a selection of results that was presented at the Dagstuhl Seminar on Content-Based Image and Video Retrieval, in December 1999. The purpose of this seminar was to bring together people from the various fields, in order to promote information exchange and interaction among researchers who are interested in various aspects of accessing the content of image and video data. The book provides an overview of the state of the art in content-based image and video retrieval. The topics covered by the chapters are integrated system aspects, as well as techniques from image processing, computer vision, multimedia, databases, graphics, signal processing, and information theory. The book will be of interest to researchers and professionals in the fields of multimedia, visual information (database) systems, computer vision, and information retrieval.

The book is designed to serve as a textbook for courses offered to undergraduate and graduate students enrolled in Electrical Engineering. The first edition of this book was published in 2014. As there is a demand for the next edition, it is quite natural to take note of the several advances that have occurred in the subject over the past five years. This is the prime motivation for bringing out a revised second edition with a thorough revision of all the chapters. The book presents a clear and comprehensive introduction to signals and systems. For easier comprehension, the course contents of all the chapters are in sequential order. Analysis of continuous-time and discrete-time signals and systems are done separately for easy understanding of the subjects. The chapters contain over seven hundred numerical examples to understand various theoretical concepts. This textbook also includes numerical examples that were appeared in recent examinations and presented in a graded manner. The topics such as the representation of signals, convolution, Fourier Series and Fourier Transform, Laplace transform, Z-transform, and state-space analysis are explained with a large number of numerical examples in the book. The detailed coverage and pedagogical tools make this an ideal textbook for students and researchers enrolled in electrical engineering and related courses.

This book provides an introduction and overview of the rapidly evolving topic of game narratives, presenting the new perspectives employed by researchers and the industry, highlighting the recent empirical findings that illustrate the nature of it. The first section deals with narrative design and theory, the second section includes social and cultural studies on game narrative, the third section focuses on new technologies and approaches for the topic, the fourth section presents practices and case studies, and the final section provides industry cases from professionals.

Proceedings of the International Conference on Human-centric Computing and Embedded and Multimedia Computing (HumanCom & EMC 2011) will cover topics of HumanCom and EMC, the current hot topics satisfying the world-wide ever-changing needs. Human-centric computing is to create novel solutions so that the humans are always connected, portable, and available. As with pervasive-computing, human-centric computing requires a variety of devices; however, such devices exist simply to obtain inputs from the human and are embedded in objects that humans interact with on a daily basis. Moreover, during the past couple of decades, Information Science technologies influenced and changed every aspect of our lives and our cultures. Without various Information Science technology-based applications, it would be difficult to keep information stored securely, to process information efficiently, and to communicate conveniently. Embedded computing ranges from portable devices such as digital watches and MP3 players, to large stationary installations like traffic lights, factory controllers, or the systems controlling nuclear power plants. Complexity varies from low, with a single microcontroller chip, to very high with multiple units, peripherals and networks mounted inside a large chassis or enclosure. Multimedia computing covers multimedia I/O devices, OS, storage systems, streaming media middleware, continuous media representations, media coding, media processing, etc., and also includes multimedia communications; real-time protocols, end-to-end streaming media, resource allocation, multicast protocols, and multimedia applications; databases, distributed collaboration, video conferencing, 3D virtual environments.

Learn how to program JavaScript while creating interactive audio applications with JavaScript for Sound Artists: Learn to Code With the Web Audio API! William Turner and Steve Leonard showcase the basics of JavaScript language programing so that readers can learn how to build browser based audio applications, such as music synthesizers and drum machines. The companion website offers further opportunity for growth. Web Audio API instruction includes oscillators, audio file loading and playback, basic audio manipulation, panning and time. This book encompasses all of the basic features of JavaScript with aspects of the Web Audio API to heighten the capability of any browser. Key Features Uses the readers existing knowledge of audio technology to facilitate learning how to program using JavaScript. The teaching will be done through a series of annotated examples and explanations. Downloadable code examples and links to additional reference material included on the books companion website. This book makes learning programming more approachable to nonprofessional programmers The context of teaching JavaScript for the creative audio community in this manner does not exist anywhere else in the market and uses example-based teaching

In order to establish technical prerequisites for efficient electronic business and education on the Internet, appropriate system support is needed as a vital condition for maximization of both short-term and long-term profits. Electronic Business and Education: Recent Advances in Internet Infrastructures discusses current research topics in the domain of system support for e-business and e-education on the Internet, and stresses the synergistic interaction of these two components. Attention is given to both scientific and engineering issues. Electronic Business and Education: Recent Advances in Internet Infrastructures is suitable as a secondary text for a graduate level course and as a reference for researchers and practitioners in industry, particularly in the area of e-business and e-education on the Internet. There is no longer any question that the Internet and electronic communication are the major new tools for collaborative advances in the creation of new knowledge and in future learning.' Excerpt from Foreword by Robert C. Richardson, Nobel Laureate 1996, Cornell University, USA

This book offers the first comprehensive study of the many interfaces shaping the relationship between comics and videogames. It combines in-depth conceptual reflection with a rich selection of paradigmatic case studies from contemporary media culture. The editors have gathered a distinguished group of international scholars working at the interstices of comics studies and game studies to explore two interrelated areas of inquiry: The first part of the book focuses on hybrid medialities and experimental aesthetics "between" comics and videogames; the second part zooms in on how comics and videogames function as transmedia expansions within an increasingly convergent and participatory media culture. The individual chapters address synergies and intersections between comics and videogames via a diverse set of case studies ranging from independent and experimental projects via popular franchises from the corporate worlds of DC and Marvel to the more playful forms of media mix prominent in Japan. Offering an innovative intervention into a number of salient issues in current media culture, Comics and Videogames will be of interest to scholars and students of comics studies, game studies, popular culture studies, transmedia studies, and visual culture studies.

"Soft matter" is nowadays used to describe an increasingly important class of - terials that encompasses polymers, liquid crystals, molecular assemblies building hierarchical structures, organic-inorganic hybrids, and the whole area of colloidal science. Common to all is that ?uctuations, and thus the thermal energy k T and B entropy, play an important role. "Soft" then means that these materials are in a state of matter that is neither a simple liquid nor a hard solid of the type studied in hard condensed matter, hence sometimes many types of soft matter are also named "c- plex ?uids. " Soft matter, either of synthetic or biological origin, has been a subject of physical and chemical research since the early ?nding of Staudinger that long chain mo- cules exist. From then on, synthetic chemistry as well as physical characterization underwent an enormous development. One of the outcomes is the abundant pr- ence of polymeric materials in our everyday life. Nowadays, methods developed for synthetic polymers are being more and more applied to biological soft matter. The link between modern biophysics and soft matter physics is quite close in many respects. This also means that the focus of research has moved from simple - mopolymers to more complex structures, such as branched objects, heteropolymers (random copolymers, proteins), polyelectrolytes, amphiphiles and so on.

Explores how social media defines consumer behaviour. Discovers how social media works to keep the user always on. Reviews why social media can shape a more extreme political and cultural ideology in users. Studies how social media algorithms can shape a predictable and homogeneous culture. Develops critical and multidisciplinary thinking about the impact of social media in shaping a predictable society.

Multimedia information retrieval focuses on the tools of processing and searching that are applicable to the content-based management of new multimedia documents. It has recently expanded to encompass newly devised techniques that will further its performance and growing importance. Image Retrieval and Analysis Using Text and Fuzzy Shape Features: Emerging Research and Opportunities is a critical scholarly resource that explores methods and strategies related to multimedia information retrieval systems. Featuring coverage on a broad range of topics including content-based image retrieval, text-based image retrieval, fuzzy object shape features, encoding, and indexing, this book is geared towards library science specialists, information technology specialists, and researchers seeking current information on the integration of new information retrieval technologies.

Victor Perez brings together the research and expertise of world-leading color scientists, to create a comprehensive guide for VFX Artists in Color Management. The book explores the latest standards of HDR and ACES workflows, in an easily digestible and widely applicable resource. Its purpose is to make artists confident and familiar with Color Management and its science, to improve the quality of visual effects worldwide. Without assuming any previous knowledge, this self-contained book builds the readers understanding from the ground up, exploring all the elements of the Color Workflow at a scientific level. It covers how to setup a consistent pipeline in relation to other departments, inside and outside visual effects, from camera to screen, so everybody is aligned to the same standards, preserving color qualities, consistency, and maintaining the artistic intent end to end. It also delves into all the integral concepts for color management, ranging from Color Theory to Digital Image Fundamentals, and much more. This book is an invaluable resource for VFX students and professionals who want to be well-informed of the latest HDR and ACES pipelines, as well as those at every level of production, wishing to gain a deeper understanding of managing color in visual effects projects.

This book offers an accessible guide to ubiquitous computing, with an emphasis on pervasive networking. It addresses various technical obstacles, such as connectivity, levels of service, performance, reliability and fairness. The focus is on describing currently available off-the-shelf technologies, novel algorithms and techniques in areas such as: underwater sensor networks, ant colony based routing, heterogeneous networks, agent based distributed networks, cognitive radio networks, real-time WSN applications, machine translation, intelligent computing and ontology based bit masking. By introducing the core topics and exploring assistive pervasive systems that draw on pervasive networking, the book provides readers with a robust foundation of knowledge on this growing field of research. Written in a straightforward style, the book is also accessible to a broad audience of researchers and designers who are interested in exploring pervasive computing further.

This volume brings together contributions representing the state-of-the-art in new multimedia and future technology information research, currently a major topic in computer science and electronic engineering. Researchers aim to interoperate multimedia frameworks, transforming the way people work and interact with multimedia data. This book covers future information technology topics including digital and multimedia convergence, ubiquitous and pervasive computing, intelligent computing and applications, embedded systems, mobile and wireless communications, bio-inspired computing, grid and cloud computing, semantic web, human-centric computing and social networks, adaptive and context-aware computing, security and trust computing and related areas. Representing the combined proceedings of the 9th International Conference on Multimedia and Ubiquitous Engineering (MUE-15) and the 10th International Conference on Future Information Technology (Future Tech 2015), this book aims to provide a complete coverage of the areas outlined and to bring together researchers from academic and industry and other practitioners to share their research ideas, challenges and solutions.

Because it makes the distribution and transmission of digital information much easier and more cost effective, multimedia has emerged as a top resource in the modern era. In spite of the opportunities that multimedia creates for businesses and companies, information sharing remains vulnerable to cyber attacks and hacking due to the open channels in which this data is being transmitted. Protecting the authenticity and confidentiality of information is a top priority for all professional fields that currently use multimedia practices for distributing digital data. The Handbook of Research on Multimedia Cyber Security provides emerging research exploring the theoretical and practical aspects of current security practices and techniques within multimedia information and assessing modern challenges. Featuring coverage on a broad range of topics such as cryptographic protocols, feature extraction, and chaotic systems, this book is ideally designed for scientists, researchers, developers, security analysts, network administrators, scholars, IT professionals, educators, and students seeking current research on developing strategies in multimedia security.

This book presents the latest technological advances and practical tools for discovering, verifying and visualizing social media video content, and managing related rights. The digital media revolution is bringing breaking news to online video platforms, and news organizations often rely on user-generated recordings of new and developing events shared in social media to illustrate the story. However, in video, there is also deception. In today's "fake news" era, access to increasingly sophisticated editing and content management tools and the ease with which fake information spreads in electronic networks, require the entire news and media industries to carefully verify third-party content before publishing it. As such, this book is of interest to computer scientists and researchers, news and media professionals, as well as policymakers and data-savvy media consumers.

Motivated by a variational model concerning the depth of the objects in a picture and the problem of hidden and illusory contours, this book investigates one of the central problems of computer vision: the topological and algorithmic reconstruction of a smooth three dimensional scene starting from the visible part of an apparent contour. The authors focus their attention on the manipulation of apparent contours using a finite set of elementary moves, which correspond to diffeomorphic deformations of three dimensional scenes. A large part of the book is devoted to the algorithmic part, with implementations, experiments, and computed examples. The book is intended also as a user's guide to the software code appcontour, written for the manipulation of apparent contours and their invariants. This book is addressed to theoretical and applied scientists working in the field of mathematical models of image segmentation.

This book summarizes the results of Design Thinking Research carried out at Stanford University in Palo Alto, California, USA, and Hasso Plattner Institute in Potsdam, Germany.

The authors offer readers a closer look at Design Thinking with its processes of innovations and methods. The contents of the articles range from how to design ideas, methods, and technologies via creativity experiments and wicked problem solutions, to creative collaboration in the real world and the connectivity of designers and engineers. But the topics go beyond this in their detailed exploration of design thinking and its use in IT systems engineering fields and even from a management perspective.

The authors show how these methods and strategies work in companies, introduce new technologies and their functions and demonstrate how Design Thinking can influence as diverse a topic area as marriage. Furthermore, we see how special design thinking use functions in solving wicked problems in complex fields.

Thinking and creating innovations are basically and inherently human - so is Design Thinking. Due to this, Design Thinking is not only a factual matter or a result of special courses nor of being gifted or trained: it's a way of dealing with our environment and improving techniques, technologies and life.

Data structures and tools from computational geometry help to solve problems in computer graphics; these methods have been widely adopted by the computer graphics community yielding elegant and efficient algorithms. This book focuses on algorithms and data structures that have proven to be versatile, efficient, fundamental, and easy to implement. The book familiarizes students, as well as practitioners in the field of computer graphics, with a wide range of data structures. The authors describe each data structure in detail, highlight fundamental properties, and present algorithms based on the data structure. A number of recent representative and useful algorithms from computer graphics are described in detail, illuminating the utilization of the data structure in a creative way.

This book argues for the importance of sketching as a mode of thinking, and the relevance of sketching in the design process, design education, and design practice. Through a wide range of analysis and discussion, the book looks at the history of sketching as a resource throughout the design process and asks questions such as: where does sketching come from? When did sketching become something different to drawing and how did that happen? What does sketching look like in the present day? Alongside an in-depth case study of students, teachers, and practitioners, this book includes a fascinating range of interviews with designers from a wide variety of backgrounds, including fashion, user experience, and architecture. Sketching as Design Thinking explains how drawing and sketching remain a prominent aspect in our learning and creative process, and provides a rich resource for students of visual art and design.

1. The book is the first comprehensive review of the 95-year development of Chinese animation. 2. All students and scholars of film studies, especially Chinese animation would benefit from this volume. 3. This book would be a useful reference to learn about the developmental trajectory of Chinese animation.

1. The book is the first comprehensive review of the 95-year development of Chinese animation. 2. All students and scholars of film studies, especially Chinese animation would benefit from this volume. 3. This book would be a useful reference to learn about the developmental trajectory of Chinese animation.

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.

Exploring startup journalism and digital media platform trends in China, Taiwan and Southeast Asia, this book offers a practical insight into how to launch and run successful news operations as digitisation spreads through the region. Drawing from a range of case studies of news and journalism startups, including Malaysiakini, Hong Kong Free Press, The News Lens of Taiwan, Thailand's The Standard, Ciwei Gongshe of China, Indonesia's IDN Media, Sabay of Cambodia and Frontier Myanmar, this book provides tips on how to launch a news media startup, how to find funding and how to sustain and scale the enterprise. Blending a theoretical approach with core business and newsgathering expertise, the author offers an engaging overview of contemporary entrepreneurial concepts and their vital relationship in finding new markets for journalism today. Entrepreneurial journalism in greater China and Southeast Asia is an invaluable resource for both students and professionals interested in new media, startups and the Asian media market.