Research Assistants: S. Goel, S. Li, S. Wang
Sponsors: Army Research Laboratory (Software Technology Branch), UNISYS
The multimedia research at Raid Laboratory at Purdue focuses on multimedia networking and database issues. We have studied multimedia synchronization problems and proposed a model for multimedia data base systems. Concurrently, we are doing research in the areas of video-conferencing and distributed video- on-demand.
MM-Raid
We are developing a prototype multimedia database system called MM-Raid. The main issues addressed will be managing, storing, and accessing the complex multimedia objects according to prespecified spatial and/or temporal requirements; efficient data compression for allowing storage of large amounts of data; effi cient communication that guarantee delivery of data at prespecified times; and synchronization management of different data streams. The system will be built on top of the O-Raid system.
Distributed video-on-demand (VOD) systems
We have modified a software, MPEG_PLAY, developed at UC Berkeley, to provide video-on-demand service in a distributed environment. We are building a video database subsystem which supports content-based video indices in addition to structured and bibliographic video indices. We are investigating data mining in VOD systems in the Internet environment.
Adaptability in video-conferencing systems
The focus of this research is to explore various factors and parameters in video that can be made adaptable in widely varying and real-time communication environments, such as the Internet. In particular, we are studying ways to guarantee quality of services (QOS) during poor communication periods. The research in volves proper design of transport protocols, media-specific protocols, admission control methods, and codec schemes based on various tradeoffs. We are working on an adaptable video conferencing tool prototype that is integrated with our VOD server to allow storage of video frames (and their later rerun) when one or more of the participants in the conference become unreachable due to network or site failure.