slide 1 tomorrow's technology & you © 2006 prentice-hall, inc

Tomorrow's Technology &

You

© 2006 Prentice-Hall, Inc.

Tomorrow's Technology & You

Chapter 6

Graphics, Digital Media, and Multimedia


Tomorrow's Technology & You Chapter 6Objectives

Compare and contrast several types of computer graphics programs used by artists, photographers, designers, and others

Explain how computers are changing the way professionals and amateurs work with video, animation, audio, and music

Describe several ways that computers are used to create multimedia materials in the arts, entertainment, education, and business


Tomorrow's Technology & You Chapter 1

Objectives (continued)

Explain the relationship between hypermedia and multimedia, describing applications of each

Describe several present and future applications for multimedia technology



Tim Berners-Lee Weaves the Web for Everybody Born in London in 1955 Wanted to create an open-ended

distributed hypertext system with no boundaries, so scientists everywhere could link their work together

Invented the World Wide Web and gave it to all

Now works at MIT Heads the World Wide Web Consortium

(W3C)



Focus on Computer Graphics

Painting: Bitmapped Graphics

Painting software:Paints pixels on the screen with a

pointing devicePointer movements are translated

into lines and patterns on the screenStores an image at 300

dots per inch or higher




Pixels: tiny dots of white, black, or color that make up images on the screen

The palette of tools mimics real-world painting tools Also contains other tools that are unique to computers

Bitmapped graphics (or raster graphics): pictures that show how the pixels are mapped on the screen

Color depth: the number of bits devoted to each pixel Resolution: the density of the pixels




Image Processing: Photographic Editing by Computer

Allows the user to manipulate photographs and other high-resolution images with tools such as Adobe Photoshop

Far more powerful than traditional photo-retouching techniques Can distort and combine photos as demonstrated in the tabloids Can create fabricated images that show no evidence of tampering



Focus on Computer GraphicsDigital photo management software programs such as Apple

iPhoto and Microsoft PictureIt! simplify and automate common tasks associated with capturing, organizing, editing, and sharing digital images


Take an imageCombine it with

other objects Make a statement


Focus on Computer GraphicsDrawing: Object-Oriented Graphics

Drawing software stores a picture as a collection of lines and shapes (called object-oriented or vector graphics)

Memory demands on storage are not as high as for bit-mapped images

Many drawing tools–line, shape, and text tools–are similar to painting tools in bitmapped programs



Focus on Computer GraphicsPostScript: a standard page-description language for

describing text fonts, illustrations, and other elements of the printed pageUsed by professional drawing programs such as Adobe

Illustrator and Macromedia FreehandBuilt into many laser printers and other high-end output

devices so those devices can understand and follow PostScript instructions

PostScript-based drawing software constructs a PostScript program as the user draws




Bit-mapped painting (pixels) gives you these advantages:

More control over textures, shading and fine detail

Appropriate for screen displays, simulating natural paint media and embellishing photographs




Object-oriented drawing gives you these advantages:

Better for creating printed graphs, charts, and illustrations

Lines are cleaner and shapes are smoother




Some integrated programs contain both drawing and painting modules

Allows you to choose the right tool for each job Some programs merge features of both in a single application

Blurring the distinction between types Offers new possibilities for amateur and professional illustrators




Rules of Thumb: Creating Smart Art

Reprogram yourself . . . relax Choose the right tool for the job Borrow from the best Don’t borrow without permission Protect your own work

U.S. Copyright Office Web Site:http://lcweb.loc.gov/copyright/



Focus on Computer Graphics3-D Modeling Software

Used to create three-dimensional objects with tools similar to those in drawing software

Goal for some applications: to create an animated presentation on a computer screen or videotape

Flexible: can create a 3-D model, rotate it, view it from different angles

Can “walk-through” a 3-D environment that exists only in the computer’s memory





Images in wireframeview; those on the right are fully rendered to add surface textures



CAD/CAM: Turning Pictures into Products

Computer Aided Design (CAD) software:Allows engineers, designers, and architects to create

designs on screen for products ranging from computer chips to public buildings

Can test product prototypesCheaper, faster, and more accurate than traditional

design-by-hand techniques



Focus on Computer Graphics Computer-Aided Manufacturing (CAM) is the process by

which data related to the product design are fed into a program that controls the manufacturing of parts

Computer-Integrated Manufacturing (CIM) refers to the combination of CAD/CAM and is a major step toward a fully automated factory




Presentation Graphics: Bringing Lectures to Life

Automates the creation of visual aids for lectures, training sessions, sales demonstrations, and other presentations

Create slide shows directly on computer monitors or LCD projectors, including still images, animation, and video clips





You start by creating an outline of the main points of your talk, arranging headings and points in the appropriate order




You can design the background, borders, and text format yourself, or select a professionally designed template from the collection that comes with PowerPoint

The program places your text on this template for each slide in the presentation




You can print overhead transparencies or have slides made, but since there is a big screen computer system in the lecture room, you opt to create an interactive slideshow with animated visual transitions between slides




Microsoft Producer lets you combine a presentation with a video of the speaker and a table of contents


Rules of Thumb: Making Powerful Presentations


Remember your goal Remember your audience Outline your ideas Be stingy with words Keep it simple Use a consistent design Be smart with art Keep each slide focused Tell them what you’re going to tell them, then tell them,

then tell them what you told them


Dynamic Media: Beyond the Printed Page Modern media contains dynamic information, which is

information that changes over time or in response to user input Animation Desktop Video Audio Hypertext and hypermedia


We’re on the threshold of a moment in cinematic history that is unparalleled. Anything you can imagine can be done. If you can draw it, if you can describe it, we can do it. It’s just a matter of cost.—James Cameron, filmmaker


Dynamic Media: Beyond the Printed Page Animation: Graphics in Time

Each frame of computer-based animation is a computer-drawn picture; the computer displays these frames in rapid succession

Tweening: Instead of drawing each frame by hand, the animator can create key frames and objects and use software to help fill in the gaps



Dynamic Media: Beyond the Printed Page Desktop Video: Computers, Film, and TV

Analog and Digital Video A video digitizer can convert analog video signals from a television

broadcast or videotape into digital data



Dynamic Media: Beyond the Printed Page Many video digitizers can import signals from televisions,

videotapes, video cameras, and other sources Signals displayed on the computer’s screen in real time—at the

same time they’re created or imported

Digital video cameras capture footage in digital form Digital video can be copied, edited, stored, and played back

without any loss of quality Digital video will soon replace analog video for most

applications



Dynamic Media: Beyond the Printed Page Video Production Goes Digital

Today most video editing is done using nonlinear editing technology

Video editing software, such as Adobe Premiere, makes it easy to eliminate extraneous footage, combine clips from multiple takes, splice together scenes, create specific effects and other activities

Morphs are video clips in which one image metamorphoses into another

Data compression software and hardware are used to squeeze data out of movies so that they can be stored in smaller spaces



Dynamic Media: Beyond the Printed Page


Many Web sites deliver streaming video content to viewers with fast broadband Internet connections


Dynamic Media: Beyond the Printed Page The Synthetic Musician: Computers and Audio

Audio digitizer – captures sound and stores it as a data fileSynthesizer – an electronic instrument that

synthesizes sounds using mathematical formulas

MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Interface) – standard interface that allows electronic instruments and computers to communicate with each other





The iTunes Music Store helps Mac and Windows users purchase music by their favorite artists in protected digital format

Music is digitized on audio CDs at a high sampling rate and bit depth—high enough that it’s hard to tell the difference between the original analog sound and the final digital recording


Dynamic Media: Beyond the Printed Page Rule of Thumb: Digital Audio Dos and Don’ts

Don’t steal Understand streaming and downloading Know your file formats Don’t over-compress





Format Downloadable Streamable Typically used for...

MP3 Yes Yes Ripping (copying) CDs to the computer and to portable audio players

WMA Yes Yes Ripping CDs to the computer and for purchased music from online music stores

AAC Yes Yes Purchased music from online music stores

RealAudio Yes Yes Audio streams from commercial Web sites like CNN

MIDI Yes Yes Contains no audio—just sequences of commands to control musical instruments and music samples on a PC

Popular Digital Audio Formats


Dynamic Media: Beyond the Printed Page Samplers, Synthesizers, and Sequencers:

Digital Audio and MIDIMultimedia computers can control a variety of

electronic musical instruments and sound sources using MIDI

MIDI commands can be interpreted by a variety of:Music synthesizers Samplers



Dynamic Media: Beyond the Printed Page A piano-style keyboard sends MIDI signals to the computer

Computer interprets the MIDI commands using sequencing softwareSequencing software turns a computer into a musical

composing, recording, and editing machineElectronica—music designed from the ground up with digital

technology Some of the most interesting sequenced music





A growing number of musicians depend on sequencers to play along with live musicians in performances

• Abelon’s Live is a sequencer with special features for bridging the communication gap between human players and computer in concert


Dynamic Media: Beyond the Printed Page Hypertext and Hypermedia

Hypertext refers to information linked in non-sequential ways

Hypermedia combines text, numbers, graphics, animation, sound effects, music, and other media in hyperlinked documents Useful for on-line help files Lets the user jump between documents all over the Internet




Hypermedia documents can be disorienting and leave readers wondering what they’ve missed Documents don’t always have the links readers want Authors can’t build every possible connection into documents Some readers get frustrated because they can’t easily get “here” from

“there”




Documents sometimes contain “lost” links, Especially on the Web, where even a popular page can

disappear Documents don’t encourage scribbled margin notes,

highlighting, or turned page corners for marking key passages

Hardware can be hard on humansThe art of hypermedia is still in its infancy



Interactive Multimedia: Eye, Ear, Hand, and Mind

Interactive Multimedia: What Is It? A combination of text, graphics,

animation, video, music, voice, and sound effects that allows the user to take an active part in the experience

Requirements: high-quality color monitors, fast processors, large memory, CD-ROM drives, speakers, and sound cards




Multimedia Authoring: Making Mixed MediaUses authoring programs such as

HyperStudio and MetaCardBinds source documents together to

communicate with users in an aestheticallypleasing way





Multimedia authoring involves programming objects on the screen to react, or behave, in particular ways under particular circumstances

Macromedia Director MX, one of the most popular of such packages, includes pre-written behaviors that can be attached to on-screen buttons, images, and other objects



Rules of Thumb:Making Interactive Multimedia Work

Be consistent in visual appearance Use graphical metaphors to guide viewers Keep the screen clean and uncluttered Include multimedia elements to enliven the presentation Focus on the message Give the user control Test your presentation with those unfamiliar with the subject




Inventing the Future: Shared Virtual Spaces Virtual reality combines virtual worlds with networking

Places multiple participants in a virtual spacePeople see representations of each other, sometimes called avatarsMost avatars today are cartoonish, but they convey a sense of presence and

emotion




Tele-immersion: Uses multiple cameras and high-speed networks to create a

videoconferencing environment in which multiple remote users can interact with each other and with computer-generated objects

Combines the display and interaction techniques of virtual reality with new vision technologies that allow participants to move around in shared virtual spaces, all the while maintaining their unique points of view

Augmented reality (AR): The use of computer displays that add virtual information to a person’s

sensory perceptions



Lesson Summary Computer graphics today encompass more than quantitative

charts and graphs generated by spreadsheets Computers today aren’t limited to working with static images;

they’re widely used to create and edit documents in media that change over time or in response to user interaction

The interactive nature of the personal computer makes it possible to create nonlinear documents that enable users to take individual paths through information



Lesson Summary (continued) Today we can create or explore hypermedia documents—

interactive documents that mix text, graphics, sounds, and moving images with onscreen navigation buttons—on disk and on the World Wide Web

Multimedia computer systems make a new kind of software possible—software that uses text, graphics, animation, video, music, voice, and sound effects to communicate

Regardless of the hardware, interactive multimedia software enables the user to control the presentation rather than just watch or listen passively


slide 1 tomorrow's technology & you © 2006 prentice-hall, inc

Documents

tomorrows technology

computer graphics pixels

multimedia technology

computer graphics painting

computer graphics drawing

raster graphics

computers bitmapped

digital images