Britta Meixner

Bio: Britta Meixner is an academic researcher from FX Palo Alto Laboratory. The author has contributed to research in topics: Hypervideo & Interactive video. The author has an hindex of 11, co-authored 43 publications receiving 351 citations. Previous affiliations of Britta Meixner include Centrum Wiskunde & Informatica & University of Passau.

Towards an easy to use authoring tool for interactive non-linear video

Abstract: With growing bandwidths in the Internet and seemingly unlimited storage capacities on web servers, media became more and more important in the daily use of the World Wide Web. While about ten years ago only text and images with small file sizes (and as a result small resolutions) could be used, it is possible to watch high quality multimedia presentations nowadays. But those rarely exist because of tedious to learn authoring tools. A specialization to one main medium, in our case video, allows creating efficient authoring tools using well known paradigms. This work introduces an authoring tool called SIVA Producer. An iterative process for improving the usability of the authoring tool is described. Furthermore, a distinction of the terms "interactive video", "annotated video", "non-linear video" and "hypervideo" is given.

Subjective quality evaluation of tile-based streaming for omnidirectional videos

Abstract: In viewport-adaptive streaming of omnidirectional video, only the field of view is streamed in high quality. While this has significant benefits over streaming the entire 360 sphere, no standard test method for perceived quality and simulator sickness is available to evaluate the quality of experience (QoE) of such streaming approaches. QoE testing is important as tile-based viewport-adaptive streaming technologies are replacing classical approaches because of significant bandwidth savings and increase in viewing quality. In this work, we propose a testbed, a test method, as well as test metrics for QoE tests of viewport-adaptive streaming approaches. The proposed method is validated in two different test setups, using a specific tile-based streaming technology available in the market. The chosen input variables (videos sequences, resolution, bandwidth, and network round-trip delay) are tested for their statistical significance. We found that our test method is suitable for QoE testing of viewport-adaptive streaming technologies. We also found that simulator sickness scores increase with test duration, but that breaks between tests reduce this effect. With our systematic test approach, it is possible to compare metrics among different test setups. On the tested technology, we found that a typical network delay (47 ms) only has a minimal effect on the quality ratings. Furthermore, the magnitude of the network delay does not influence simulator sickness for the system we have tested.

Hypervideos and Interactive Multimedia Presentations

Abstract: Hypervideos and interactive multimedia presentations allow the creation of fully interactive and enriched video. It is possible to organize video scenes in a nonlinear way. Additional information can be added to the video ranging from short descriptions to images and more videos. Hypervideos are video-based but also provide navigation between video scenes and additional multimedia elements. Interactive multimedia presentations consist of different media with a temporal and spatial synchronization that can be navigated via hyperlinks. Their creation and description requires description formats, multimedia models, and standards—as well as players. Specialized authoring tools with advanced editing functions allow authors to manage all media files, link and arrange them to an overall presentation, and keep an overview during the whole process. They considerably simplify the creation process compared to writing and editing description documents in simple text editors. Data formats need features that describe interactivity and nonlinear navigation while maintaining temporal and spatial synchronization. Players should be easy to use with extended feature sets keeping elements synchronized. In this article, we analyzed more than 400 papers for relevant work in this field. From the findings we discovered a set of trends and unsolved problems, and propose directions for future research.

SIVA suite: authoring system and player for interactive non-linear videos

Abstract: In this paper, an intuitive authoring system and player for interactive non-linear video called SIVA Suite is presented for demonstration. Such videos are enriched by additional content. Possible forms of additional content are plaintext, richtext, images and videos. Interactivity is implemented based upon selection buttons which allow the user to follow different plotlines. Additional forms of interactivity are realized as clickable objects in the video and a table of contents for the video. The software provides a tool for manually cutting videos and an automated shot detection. The non-linear flow of the video can be designed using a scene graph with fork nodes. Editors for text and images support the user in adding information to the video. A finished video project is exported to an XML file with a specific schema and Flash video (flv) files. The player processes the XML file, plays the interactive video and shows additional contents. It can be customized to the requirements of the presentation of the video and the corporate design of the homepage the video is embedded in.

Interactive non-linear video: definition and XML structure

Abstract: A literature review on the term "interactive video" and "interactive non-linear video" revealed different levels of interaction in varying definitions. We give a formal definition of the term "interactive non-linear video" to clarify the elements and possible relations between elements contained in such videos. Furthermore, we introduce a new event-based XML format consisting of four required and two optional elements to describe this form of video. A scene graph consisting of scenes with triggers for annotations builds the core of the format. Formal definition and XML format are both illustrated by a real world example.

Multimedia in Learning

Abstract: A wide variety of media can be used in learning, including distance learning, such as print, lectures, conference sections, tutors, pictures, video, sound, and computers. Any one instance of distance learning will make choices among these media, perhaps using several.

Display screen or portion thereof with graphical user interface

Abstract: Newness and distinctiveness is claimed in the features of ornamentation as shown inside the broken line circle in the accompanying representation.

A Survey on Bitrate Adaptation Schemes for Streaming Media Over HTTP

Abstract: In this survey, we present state-of-the-art bitrate adaptation algorithms for HTTP adaptive streaming (HAS). As a key distinction from other streaming approaches, the bitrate adaptation algorithms in HAS are chiefly executed at each client, i.e. , in a distributed manner. The objective of these algorithms is to ensure a high quality of experience (QoE) for viewers in the presence of bandwidth fluctuations due to factors like signal strength, network congestion, network reconvergence events, etc. While such fluctuations are common in public Internet, they can also occur in home networksor even managed networks where there is often admission control and QoS tools. Bitrate adaptation algorithms may take factors like bandwidth estimations, playback buffer fullness, device features, viewer preferences, and content features into account, albeit with different weights. Since the viewer’s QoE needs to be determined in real-time during playback, objective metrics are generally used including number of buffer stalls, duration of startup delay, frequency and amount of quality oscillations, and video instability. By design, the standards for HAS do not mandate any particular adaptation algorithm, leaving it to system builders to innovate and implement their own method. This survey provides an overview of the different methods proposed over the last several years.

Authoring Data-Driven Videos with DataClips

Abstract: Data videos, or short data-driven motion graphics, are an increasingly popular medium for storytelling. However, creating data videos is difficult as it involves pulling together a unique combination of skills. We introduce DataClips, an authoring tool aimed at lowering the barriers to crafting data videos. DataClips allows non-experts to assemble data-driven “clips” together to form longer sequences. We constructed the library of data clips by analyzing the composition of over 70 data videos produced by reputable sources such as The New York Times and The Guardian. We demonstrate that DataClips can reproduce over 90% of our data videos corpus. We also report on a qualitative study comparing the authoring process and outcome achieved by (1) non-experts using DataClips, and (2) experts using Adobe Illustrator and After Effects to create data-driven clips. Results indicated that non-experts are able to learn and use DataClips with a short training period. In the span of one hour, they were able to produce more videos than experts using a professional editing tool, and their clips were rated similarly by an independent audience.