Multimedia Systems Laboratory

/ Noriaki Asada / Professor
/ Goutam Chakraborty / Assistant Professor
/ Yasushi Kikuchi / Assistant Professor

The present members of the Multimedia Software Systems Laboratory have diverse backgrounds and research interests. The primary areas of expertise of the current members include numerical analysis, nonlinear dynamics, complex systems, real and artificial neural networks, the application of physical principles to computing, genetic algorithms, fuzzy logic, fuzzy systems, nonlinear optimization algorithms, infrared astronomy, physical properties of cosmic dust, interplanetary physics, laser applied measurement technology, applied optics, motion analyses by video camera systems, recognition of facial expression and the like.

Research being done in this laboratory includes studying the use of visualization techniques to enhance the understanding of mathematical problems, for example, investigation of 3D graphs of complex functions using time, color, sound, as the necessary ``fourth dimension''. The display of zeros or critical points of functions appears to aid in understanding underlying mathematical structures.

Infrared camera can see not only thermal state of materials and animals but also chemical bonding state of molecules and atom species through spectroscopic techniques. These techniques can help to recognize human emotion through human surface color, including infrared color. A total system that consists of multi-CCD-cameras, high speed video cameras, infrared cameras and force vector mats system is very useful system to understand human motion and human facial expressions.

With the increasing speed of computation and communication, new generation computers and networks are aimed to support multimedia(MM) applications in addition to their existing responsibilities. Due to large size and time sensitiveness of data, it is usually a hard task to deliver the services to the expectations of the users. But the basic intention of the user, for the MM services, usually have a wide scope for tolerance and flexibility. There is scope of making variations in user's requirement, but still satisfying the user. Degradation in quality to accommodate new user, or improving of the quality due to lowering of traffic, within the range of user's flexible intention would improve the throughput of the resources as well as extend MM services more widely.

For creating the infrastructure, we need to develop two areas, to define a fuzzy language to express the user's intention and to take care of dynamically scheduling the resources through proper interpretation of user's request as well as the present system status. A network architecture to fulfill these requirements is already proposed.

Other research underway in the laboratory lies in nonlinear and complex systems and dynamics, real and artificial neural networks, the application of physical principles to computing, genetic algorithms, fuzzy logic and the like. Multimedia applications related to these ideas, are also being developed, as is the development of educational courseware and joint projects using Multimedia, hypertext, hypermedia, and virtual reality techniques.

Nonlinear dynamics methods for the control of unstable or chaotic systems (e.g. human heart, multiple trailer trucks backing up, high performance aircraft, economic systems) are becoming prominent, and are under study in this laboratory. Because these methods draw heavily on topology, they can be clarified by interactive graphical presentations. Multimedia display and interaction with controller and controlled system can enhance understanding and support the research.

Laboratory members have participated actively in scientific meetings, both in Japan and abroad. They are involved in joint research projects involving faculty from such institutions as the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) and the University of Texas, in the U.S. They have presented and participated in seminars, and in presentation of scientific results in fully refereed publications.

The laboratory is the coordinator for coursework in computer music and in the interaction of brain waves with physical devices. It has a wide variety of equipment available for use by students and faculty, typically interconnected via the campus network. A coursework in astronomical observation by cooled CCD cameras is coordinated, too. Students learn how to use equipment to get some data into computer system, how to process image data, how to analyze these data and how to study the nature through this courseware project.

Refereed Journal Papers

1. N. Shiratori, S. Suganuma, K. Sugiura, and G. Chakraborty. Flexible computer communication networks: From idea to application. Computer Communication Journal, 1997.

2. P. Chotipat, G. Chakraborty, and N. Shiratori. Neural network for optimal steiner tree computation. Neural Processing Letters, 3(3):139--149, August 1996.

3. B. Chakraborty, Y. Sawada, and G. Chakraborty. Layered fractal neural net: Computational performance as a classifier. Journal on Knowledge Based Systems, Accepted, 1997.

4. G. Chakraborty, M. Sawada, and S. Noguchi. Combining local representative networks to improve learning in complex nonlinear learning systems. IEICE Transactions on Fundamentals, Accepted, 1997.

1. G. Chakraborty and S. Noguchi. Improving generalization of a well trained network. In Proceedings of the IEEE Intl. Conference on Neural Network, Washington, DC, USA, June 1996. IEEE, IEEE Press.

2. G. Chakraborty and N. Shiratori. Soft resource reservation: A flexible guarantee of qos. In Proceedings of the IEEE Intl. Conference on Parallel and Distributed Systems, Tokyo, Japan, June 1996. IEEE, IEEE Press.

3. G. Chakraborty and S. Noguchi. Combining local representative networks. In Proceedings of the International Symposium on Nonlinear Theory and its Applications, Tokyo, Japan, October 1996. IEICE.

4. G. Chakraborty and N. Shiratori. Requirement definition, resource management and intelligent creation of user level protocol. In Proceedings of the International workshop on protocols for multimedia systems, Madrid, Spain, October 1996. ETSI Telecommunication.

5. B. Chakraborty, Y. Sawada, and G. Chakraborty. Layered fractal neural net: Computational performance as a classifier. In Proceedings of the International Conference on Knowledge Based Computer systems, Bombay, India, December 1996. NCST, Narosa Publishing House.

6. G. Chakraborty and S. Noguchi. Difficulty in learning vs. network size. In Proceedings of the IEEE, INNS International Conference on Neural Networks, Houston, Texas, USA, June 1997. IEEE, INNS, IEEE Press.

1. Goutam Chakraborty. Ministry of Education Scientific Research Fund, research title: Soft resource reservation using fuzzy logic for multimedia communication, 1997-98.

2. Goutam Chakraborty. The Okawa Institute of Information and Telecommunication Research Fund, research title: The design of flexible network using intelligent agents.

1. Goutam Chakraborty, April -, 1996. Membership of IEEE, ACM, SICE.

2. Goutam Chakraborty, April -, 1996. Referee of IEEE SMC, IEEE JSAC, IEEE Conferences on NN('95, '96), ICEC '96, FORTE '95 etc.

3. Goutam Chakraborty, April, 1996. Session Chair of ICEC '96.

4. Goutam Chakraborty, April, 1996. Organizing committee member CODEC' 98.

5. Noriaki Asada, 1996. Research on the project of Ministry SELENE Planned Camera.

1. A. Kumagai. Bachelor Thesis: Stereo View Analysis of Jumping Motion. Thesis Advisor: N. Asada, Aizu Univ., 1997.

2. M. Saito. Bachelor Thesis: 3-D Motion Analysis of Walking. Thesis Advisor: N. Asada, Aizu Univ., 1997.

3. M. Nagano. Bachelor Thesis: Measurement of Skin Temperature by Infra-red Camera. Thesis Advisor: N. Asada , Aizu Univ., 1997.

4. K. Noda. Bachelor Thesis: 3-D Throwing Motion Image Analysis. Thesis Advisor: N. Asada, Aizu Univ., 1997.

5. S. Fukusawa. Bachelor Thesis: Numerical Analysis of facial Expression. Thesis Advisor: N. Asada, Aizu Univ., 1997.

6. Y. Kotani. Bachelor Thesis: Compression of Moon Image Data. Thesis Advisor: N. Asada, Aizu Univ., 1997.

7. H. Yoshida. Bachelor Thesis: Lunar mineral analysis of Clementine Color Composite images. Thesis Advisor: N. Asada, Aizu Univ., 1997.

8. T. Nihei. Bachelor Thesis: Evaluation of Mathimatics Self-Studying System ``CALCULUS and Mathematica. Thesis Advisor: Y. Kikuchi , Univ. of Aizu, 1997.

9. K. Miura. Bachelor Thesis: Numerical Experiment for Matrix Algorims for Computing Zeros of Bessel Function. Thesis Advisor: Y. Kikuchi , Univ. of Aizu, 1997.

10. Y. Gotoh. Bachelor Thesis: Making Experimental Versin of Mathematics Self-Studying Sysmtem for Junior High School Students. Thesis Advisor: Y. Kikuchi, Univ. of Aizu, 1997.