mission statement(s)

multimedia

Our goal is to study aspects of the deployment and architecture of rich media virtual environments as an interface to (intelligent) multimedia information systems. Over the past six years, our research efforts have focussed on developing models and software architectures for multimedia and hypermedia applications, including 3D virtual environments and multi-user games. Recently, we have developed a platform for intelligent multimedia based on the distributed logic programming language DLP and X3D. In addition, we have developed a scripting language (STEP) based on dynamic logic for describing dynamic aspects of rich media 3D environments, including gestures and movements of humanoids.

Research approach: in our research we strive for the realization of demonstrators, that is target applications that illustrate our concepts and set challenges for our models and technology. As example demonstrators that we have realized we my mention: real-time musical jam-sessions on the web, business-process visualisation in 3D, multi-user socer game with autonomous agent players, and an instructional VR for Tai Chi.

past results

multimedia

For describing the results of our research we make a distinction between three (related) sub-projects, respectively structured hypermedia, interactive visualisation, and intelligent multimedia

structured hypermedia:

The project started with the construction of a software framework for developing web-based hypermedia applications, the hush library. A number of prototype multimedia applications were built, exploring the extension of web-based hypertext with for example music and video. In cooperation with members of the CWI Multimedia Group, work was done on developing models for hypermedia applications. This cooperation resulted in the formalization of the Amsterdam Hypermedia Model, an extension of the Dexter Hypertext Reference Model.

interactive visualisation:

The theme of the project concerned the use of animations and visualisation to display business process simulation results in a hypermedia context. During the project the focus shifted towards visualisation, in particular business visualisation. Also, explorations were done to investigate interactive visualisation in 3D. In Schönhage's thesis several case studies can be found illustrating the use of visualisation to support business processes and in particular decision making processes.

intelligent multimedia:

We are developing a high-level platform for 3D virtual environments based on agent-technology, using the languages DLP, Java, and X3D/VRML. This work is done in the context of the NWO WASP and RIF projects. Our goal is to study aspects of the deployment and architecture of virtual environments as an interface to multimedia information systems. As demonstrators we have developed a distributed soccer-game prototype with intelligent autonomous avatar-embodied agents as players.

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