MULTIMEDIA MODELING (Modeling Multimedia Information and Systems)

Since the beginning of human history we have had a communication network that is identical with the physical distribution network. Along with the advancement of the communication network, the progress of the information processing technology can be classified into three historical phases. The first phase technology is physical information processing, treating physical data from the real world. This technology is often called "signal processing" and is based on the physical law of nature. The second phase is free from the physical constraints. It is logical information processing, dealing with knowledge and rules. The most important aspect of this phase is consistency. "Provable" is employed to confirm the reality of the system. We are now entering the third phase of information processing, which is "Kansei" information processing. ("Kansei" is a Japanese word expressing some subjective ability referred to as "sensibility", "intuition", "affection" or "emotion"). Emotional resonance or consent is important in the pursuit of reality in this phase. Multimedia modelling to harmonize different media and systems is one of the key technologies in the third phase of information processing. It will provide a next generation framework to construct a human-centred information environment that is more comfortable and more productive. This volume is devoted to a discussion on effective modelling of multimedia information and systems for a wide range of applications. It contains 30 technical articles, all of which were selected, after vigorous peer reviews, for presentation at the International Conference on Multimedia Modeling held in Nagano, Japan, on 13-15 November 2000.