Introduction to Multimedia

Introduction to Multimedia

• Multimedia is defined as any combination of text, graphics, sound, animation, and video delivered to a user through a computer or electronic/digital means.
• Multimedia allows for a multi-sensory experience (seeing, hearing, and doing). According to Dr. Albert Mehrabian, a specialist in interpersonal communication at the University of California, 70% of communication is based on a multi-sensory system.

Components of Multimedia

• The computer is a key component.
• Links to connect information
• Navigational tools to direct the user through information
• Ways to gather, process, and communicate ideas and information are crucial

Missing Components

• A lack of computer to enable interactivity signifies a lack of multimedia, even with mixed media.
• A lack of navigational tools to guide the user's experience or access to information means it is not multimedia.
• If a user cannot compile and transfer information, it is not multimedia.

Characteristics of Multimedia

• Multimedia must be computer-controlled and allow users to view, hear, and see the content.
• Multimedia uses at least one discrete and one continuous media for information presentation and sharing.
• Multimedia content is digitally created, stored, processed, and transmitted digitally.
• The user interface should allow for interactivity, navigation, interaction, creation, and communication.

Interactivity

• Interactivity allows users to interact with a system.
• This contrasts with non-linear multimedia where users are passive and cannot interact with the system.
• In interactive multimedia, users control the type, time, and how the content is delivered.

Types of Multimedia Presentation

• Linear: Non-interactive presentations, such as movies at a cinema or a non-interactive lecture.
• Non-linear: Interactive presentations where users control the navigation and can browse content at will, such as games, courseware, and interactive DVDs.

Some Definitions

• Multimedia is a combination of various digitally manipulated elements, such as text, photographs, graphic art, sound, animation, and video.
• Interactive multimedia gives the end-user control over what and when elements are delivered.
• Interactive multimedia can also be considered hypermedia, which uses linked elements to allow a user to navigate through a structure of related information.

Multimedia Products

• Briefing products are presentations focused on the user's comprehension of the topic through seamless integration of content with a consistent layout (e.g., corporate presentations, sales presentations, public lectures).

• Reference products are used for answering specific questions or browsing information (e.g., dictionaries, encyclopedias, and CD-ROMs containing substantial information). They are categorized as generalized content (broad treatment of topic with limited depth) or detailed content (focus on specific areas with extensive information).

• Database products manage, organize, and access large amounts of multimedia data and provide search functionality.

• Educational/training products are similar to textbooks and training materials (often interactive) and can range from pre-kindergarten materials to post-graduate corporate training.

• Kiosk products supply interactive information and/or transactional services at physical locations such as stores, airports, and government buildings. The users are limited in their choice and usage of the machine.

Multimedia Applications

• Business: Real estate viewing, video conferencing, virtual shopping, and corporate training.

• School: Interactive learning via TV networks, foreign language learning software, and science periodic tables.

• Home: Video games, and TV/video recording equipment for storing shows and movies.

• Public places: Information kiosks, electronic voting systems, and automated ordering systems.

Virtual Reality

• An extension of multimedia, VR uses basic image, sound, and animation elements.
• Requires significant computational power to be realistic.
• VR involves plotting geometric objects in 3D space, forming a digital representation of a space.
• Virtual Reality Modeling Language (VRML) are standards for transmitting VR and have the file extension ".wrl."

Benefits of Multimedia Systems

• Easy to use and user-friendly, improving efficiency
• Provides an intuitive interface so users can control applications by intuition.
• Creates an immersive experience as software fills the entire screen, allowing for focus on the application.
• Enhances learning and comprehension through self-paced interactive presentation, which boosts retention.
• Simultaneous presentation of multiple media provides richer and more comprehensive information.
• Multimedia systems are usually cost-effective and require less training and technical support.

Unsuitability of Multimedia Systems

• Certain multimedia systems can have issues with too much text or linear content and may not always be cost-effective. They may end up looking overly similar to traditional media.

Quiz

• Multimedia is a combination of text, graphic, sound, animation and video.
• Interactivity is the key attribute of multimedia.
• VRML stands for Virtual Reality Modelling Language.