Artificial Intelligence in Multimedia Production - Essay Example

? Artificial intelligence in multimedia production Data: Introduction Artificial intelligence an approach used to design intelligent agents. Intelligent agents are systems that are able to perceive their environments and use the perception results to maximize on its chances of success. Multimedia is an approach that combines sound, visuals, animations, text, and graphics into an object. Both artificial intelligence and multimedia are used to express and simulate human minds and thoughts in particular (Isahara & Ozaku, 1997). Both fields are aimed at placing creations into the minds of human in real time. Artificial intelligence is fused with multimedia to make the subjects more “human.” The processes are aimed at making human beings feel comfortable in the company of the creations. The creations create the feeling of cloning human companionship. The articulation of the two, is aimed at stimulating those human actions, e.g. feeling, touching and seeing, that seem complex to replicate. The whole topic of artificial intelligence in multimedia production cannot be described by one project or system. Artificial intelligence is a wide and broad area. To explore all corners of artificial intelligence, the report is mainly focused on the system and projects that expound on artificial intelligence based on multimedia. Several case studies on art project that incorporated artificial intelligence are described below. Case studies Thomas Ray, Tierra (1998) The Tierra is software created to represent natural evolution in the medium that is natural. The software uses artificial intelligence to create a virtual computer that runs on an evolving operating system. The software uses an evolving operating system called Darwinian operating system (Ackley & Littman, 1990). The Darwinian operating system has its architecture based on executable machine codes. The machine codes evolve with each execution. The machine codes can be either be mutated or recombined. Despite the changes in the codes, the resulting codes remain functional. The functionality of the codes is durable. The code evolves through the process of natural selection. The code improves itself with each change in the natural selection. The Darwinian operating system manages the memory that the software uses. Time is shared accordingly among the services that run along with the program. The operating system also controls the factors that tend to affect and distort the course of evolution. The factors include disturbances on the cycles, the mutation rates, and allocation of processor time to each creature that is within the covered ecosystem (Ackley & Littman, 1990). The operating system also records birth and deaths, a sequential code that covers all the creatures, and a gene bank where successful genomes are stored. The program uses artificial intelligence to automate ecological analysis. All types of interactions that take place among the creatures in the simulated ecology are recorded. The system produces synthetic organisms. The synthetic organisms are based on a metaphor of the computer. The CPU time is used as the energy in the ecosystem. The memory is used as the material in each organism within the ecosystem. Mutation is responsible for creating new forms into the ecosystem, a process represented by the evolving machine codes. Evolution precedes the ecosystems natural selection. Natural selection is represented by the competition of the different genotypes for energy (CPU time) and material (memory space) (Ackley & Littman, 1990). The system combines both artificial intelligence and multimedia using digital communities to diversify the ecosystem. The digital communities are used to represent coexistence and competitive exclusion, regulation of the population through parasite/host density, punctuated equilibrium, and enhancement of the community diversity through parasitic effect. The software represents a natural evolution in the digital medium. Kenneth Rinaldo, Autopoeisis (2000) Autopoiesis is an installation of robotic sculpture. The system is made up of 15 robotic sculptures. The robotic sculptures interact with humans and use the results of the interaction to modify behavior (Sacerdoti, 1977 ). The robotic use feedback to enhance modification. The robotics has various enhancements that enable them to collect feedback from the public. The robotics has infrared sensors that are used to sensor the environment around them. The fifteen robotics communicate with each other to analyze feedbacks. The robotics use computer networks and telephone tones to communicate. The telephone tones are audible, making a musical language for the robots. The robots interact with a viewer to collect feedback and effect the emergence and evolution of the system. The interaction and changes create the overall system evolution. The system uses a couple of techniques to create an interactive environment (Best, 2000). It utilizes smart sensor organization to sense the presence of a viewer. The robotic sculpture uses the sensor to respond intelligently to the viewer. The sensor data are compared in a central state controller. Autopoiesis breaks the monotony of use of mouse and keyboard between a user and computer. The one way communication direction between computers and users i.e. channeled command and result, makes the computer a “clever fool.” Autopoiesis brings a new dimension the human computer interaction. The system does not use standard interfaces e.g. keyboards and mouse, and playback methodologies as used in the CRT. The system presents an interactive environment. The interactive environment is immersive and detailed. The environment created by the system evolves in real time using the feedback gathered form an interaction between the system and a viewer. Autopoiesis evolves continually in response to each unique environment and viewer inputs. The robotic sculptures demonstrate a cybernetic orchestra of experience. David Rokeby, Giver of names The giver of names is a computer system gives names to objects. The system is made up a video camera, empty pedestal, video projection and a computer system. The camera is used to observe the top of the pedestal. The pedestal is where an object is placed so that the system may give its name. The projection is used to analyze the object for identification. A user places an object on the pedestal from where the computer takes the image of the object (Wactlar et al., 1996). The system performs different levels of image processing activities on the grabbed image. The image processing activities include; color analysis, outline analysis, and texture analysis. The system uses the projection to translate the image from its real state to imaged state. The system then sends the analytical process results to a database. The database is metaphorically linked and associative. The database consists of known objects, sensations, and ideas. The system compresses the results of the analyzed object and the stored known objects to determine the name of the object. The system uses both artificial intelligence and multimedia to determine names of object. The video camera is used for visuals. The projection is used for animations and graphics. The three representations i.e. video, graphics and animations, cover up multimedia. The system uses the uses words and ideas from the object to describe and simulate the human mind (Wactlar et al., 1996). This uses the simulation to resonate the perceptions of the object and construct a phrase in English, which is said out loudly. Both intelligence (simulation) and multimedia (audio sound) are used. Alex Galloway and RSG, Carnivore Carnivore is a data network surveillance tool. The system contains an application software that listens to internet traffic. The internet traffic includes email and web surfing. The system is usually based on a local network that is specific. The Carnivore then serves the listened data stream to interfaces over the net. The interfaces are creative called “client.” Each client is designed to interpret the received data in different ways and give feedback to the system. The clients animate, interpret, or diagnose the traffic of the internet (Bagga & Baldwin, 1998). The system has a library. The application was inspired by DCS1000. DCS1000 is a software that the FBI uses to perform wiretaps on electronic devices. The Carnivore has functionalities that perform; remote access, data targeting, filtering of the transport protocol, diagnosis on artist-made clients and volume buffering. Carnivore listens to the network traffic and keeps tracks of the different aspects of the traffic. The system intelligently translates the flow of data within then network to an experience that is aesthetic. The carnivore clients are data visualizations carnivore is designed to give access to artists to create visualizations (Bagga & Baldwin, 1998). Carnivore gives artists a new dimension and medium through which they are able to draw a source material. The system gives an artist an opportunity to both creating new visualizations and access to multiple art experiences. The system pulls information from the network, which is in form of text and images, and processes the information to unique visual language. The system uses intelligence to tap information from the network and multimedia to present the tapped information to the viewer. The materials are latter translated into art application by media artists. Nancy Paterson, Stock Market Skirt (1998) The system is an encapsulation of the dynamic and growing intelligence in the internet. The system interacts with the global flow of information over the in internet. The system functions by responding to a feed of data that is dynamic. The system is made up of PERL scripts, which are used to extract stock prices online. The scripts analyze the stock prices. The prices are extracted from web pages that quote the stock market. The system is connected to a skirt. The skirt line of the dress increases with the rise in prices of stock and decreases with the fall of stock prices. The system combines electronics and motor dynamism in its execution. A stepper motor and cables are attached to the hemline of the skirt. A webcam is used to monitor the fall and rise of the hemline the dress. The fluctuation is captured and displayed by the webcam in real time. These results are then sent to website that displays both the images of the fluctuating skirt and the stock prices. The length of the dress hemline is controlled by the fluctuation of prices in the stock market. The system uses both intelligence and multimedia in unison. The system has programs that act as sniffers of the internet flow. The uniquely gather stock market prices over the web. The webcam represents the multimedia part. The best part of the system is that it is dynamic. The system can be customized to extract another type of data, and even have another type of clothes wear to represent the fluctuation in the data. The system visualizes the modern day artist. Warren Sack, Conversation Map The conversation map employs text analysis procedures to produce graphical interfaces. The text analysis procedures perform the following steps to compute a graphical interface; the messages are threaded, quotations are identified, messages are parsed, and the lexical cohesion is carried out (Barbieri, 1985). The lexical cohesion is used to formulate the graphical interface. The system is based on Usenet newsgroup. The system shows the terms being used in discussions and how the discussions are conducted. The text analysis procedures produce; the most frequent discussion themes, a list of social networks and a semantic network. The interface is used by a user to quickly overview social and semantic structures of discussions. Conversation map is a browser designed make participant in a news group, to understand large-scale conversations that would take time to fathom. The conversation includes email lists and Usenet newsgroups. In principle, the system works like a normal mail program e.g. Netscape. In application, the system uses both artificial intelligence and multimedia in its functionalities. Through analysis procedures, the system is able to analyze content and existing relationship in the text messages. The results are used to create a graphical interface. A user can view trends in discussions. A participant is able to understand semantic and social relationships that emerge, as the discussion is underway. The analysis informs a participant about who is talking to who, what conversations are about, and even metaphors in the conversations (Wolfe, 1994). The system is largely applicable when large amounts of data are involved. Conclusion All the case studies that are involved in the research describe the lengths at with multimedia is enhanced by artificial intelligence. The Tierra system is used to represent ecosystem in a digital medium. . Autopoiesis system evolves continually in response to each unique environment and viewer inputs. The robotic sculptures demonstrate a cybernetic orchestra of experience. The Giver of Names system uses the simulation to resonate the perceptions of the object and construct a phrase in English, which is said out loudly. Both intelligence (simulation) and multimedia (audio sound) are used. The Carnivore system uses intelligence to tap information from the network and multimedia to present the tapped information to the viewer. The Stock Market Skirt system uses both intelligence and multimedia in unison. The system has programs that act as sniffers of the internet flow. The uniquely gather stock market prices over the web. The webcam represents the multimedia part. In the Conversation Map system, through analysis procedures the system is able to analyze content and the existing relationship in the text messages. The results are used to create a graphical interface. All projects and systems are work of art. All the projects were used to bring out the essence of artificial intelligence in multimedia. Each project is independent, but bringing the two fields together, results to a touch of class. The touch of artificial intelligence in them seems to put life into them. Art can be colorful and descriptive. Addition of artificial intelligence makes the colorful and descriptive art, unique. Reference Ackley, D.H. & Littman, M.S., 1990. Learning from natural selection in an artificial environment. In International Joint Conference on Neural Networks, Theory Track, Neural and Cognitive Sciences Track. Washington, 1990. IJCNN Winter. Bagga, A. & Baldwin, B., 1998. Entity-Based Cross-Document Coreferencing Using the Vector Space Model. In ACL-COLING ’98. Montreal, 1998. Barbieri, M., 1985. The semantic theory of evolution. London: Harwood Academic Publishers. Best, M., 2000. Microevolutionary language theory. Ph.D. Thesis. Cambridge: MIT Media Laboratory. Dawkins, R., 1989. 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