Multimedia and Artificial Intelligence Chapter 12 – Computers: Understanding Technology (Second edition)

Multimedia And Digitizing Multimedia is the integration of multiple forms of communication in a single interface Web pages are multimedia since they are capable of combining text, images, sound, and video Digitizing is the process of taken analog data and turning it into a digital data file Digital data can be reproduced repeatedly with no degradation of quality

Digitizing Graphics Bitmap, or raster image-based, graphics programs (painting) Object, or vector-based, graphics programs (drawing) Early painting programs produced a jagged or pixelated look along slopes or curves whereas early vector-based programs had difficulty producing free- form, irregular shapes

Resolution of the Pixelation Problem in Raster Graphics Raster image processing programs began to handle images with more dots per inch Anti-aliasing – pixels along the edge of an image are lightened or darkened to produce the effect of a smooth edge

Resolution of the Problem in Vector-Graphics Programs Bezier curves introduced in drawing programs Bezier curves is a straight line or curve that is described by its tangents (definition of tangent in text as the line perpendicular to and bisecting the line is incorrect)

Graphic File Formats Graphics programs enable users to save files in a native format – this is specific to the application – as well as to export into standard file format Bitmap Graphic Files (.bmp) – no compression and hence rarely used on the web.gif and.jpg files are the most commonly used image files on the internet; both use compression

Digitizing Sound Sounds are digitized by sampling the pitch and volume of a sound thousands of times a second.wav – voice often sampled at 11KHz whereas music at 44KHz – 16 bits for each measurement.midi – Digitally simulating musical instruments – all it needs to know are the notes to play.mp3 – reduces the size of a wave file by about 90%

Digitizing Video Movies – 20 still images per second.mpg is the movie equivalent of the MP# format – MPEG2.mov is an Apple format whereas.avi is a Windows format Flash format is commonly used to display moving images on the web

Artificial Intelligence (AI) Artificial intelligence – computer applications that perform functions which if a human did them would be regarded as intelligent behavior Examples – thinking, talking, seeing, feeling, walking, and learning from mistakes Modern AI systems focus on specialized human functions, often with the goal of augmenting humans rather than replacing them

AI Applications Cognitive Science –Intelligent agents to assist human users –Expert system (embodies human expertise in a given field) –Data mining –Genetic algorithms – Darwinian survival of the fittest - solutions that survive are taken to the next step –Fuzzy logic –Neural Networks

AI Applications (cont.) Natural Interface Applications –Speech recognition –Natural language –Virtual reality – creating a realistic world within computer –Mental interfaces – using sensors to read brain waves

AI Applications (cont.) Robotics –Visual perception – e.g. facial-recognition technology –Audio perception –Tactile perception –Locomotion –Navigation