Mobile Multimedia Interfaces and Graphic Development Using Java ME

1. Mobile Multimedia Interfaces and Graphic Development Using Java ME Carlos D. Rivera Mentor : Dr. Bowles NSF#: 0353637

2. Acknowledgements Mentors Group Members • Rob Jansen • Lalique Gumbs-Prince • LaShea Johnson • Dr. Bowles • Dr. Eastman Special Thanks Additional Thanks • Tiffany Mintz • Dr. Libby Alford • Roxanne Spray • REU, SCAMP • C of C, USC • NSF

3. Outline Motivation Results Experiment Conclusions Introduction

4. Introduction

5. Introduction Computer Graphics • The field of visual computing, where one utilizes computers to generate: • Visual images synthetically • Visual/spatial information sampled from the real world

6. Introduction Computer Graphics • 35 year history • CGI, UI, data visualizations, and advertisements • Processing graphics is memory intensive • File formats vary according to platform and use

7. Introduction Computer Graphics • Essential to management of flux of everyday data • Rapidly growing technology • Represents a valuable source of applied research

8. Introduction Popular Graphical Development Trends over Time Mobile Laptop Desktop Medium TV Movies 1970 1980 1990 2000 Year

9. Introduction Current State of CG • As computer graphics are incorporated into mobile devices: • Empower user to quickly internalize data • Users become a network nodes; transmitting and receiving data at all instances

10. Motivation

11. Motivation Problems with CG on Mobile Devices • Computing capabilities of mobile devices limited • Development on mobile device graphics still in preliminary stages • Mobile phone graphics have not been as extensively researched as other forms of computer graphics

12. Motivation How can graphics on mobile phones be improved? Problem : Hypothesis : Mobile graphics can be improved by assessing various mobile development platforms and related technology to develop suggestions that improve their graphical frameworks.

13. The Experiment Envisioned project application Chose development platform (Java ME) Identified Software Engineering research process Developed a video game according to specifications

14. The Result

15. Graphic Development

16. Java ME Java Micro Edition Connected Limited Device Configuration (CLDC) Mobile Information Device Profile (MIDP) 2.0

17. Java ME Game API package Javax.microedition.lcdui.Canvas GameCanvas subclass Image object

18. PNG Portable Network Graphics • Bitmap image format that employs lossless data compression • Created as an alternative to the GIF image format • Does not require a patent license to use

19. PNG Portable Network Graphics • Supports : • Indexed and truecolor color depths • Alpha/Index transparancies • Textual metadata information

20. PNG Analysis PNG Problems • The processing of the subtle gradations of white to transparent • Variation in the rendered hues • Alaising of vector shapes

21. PNG Analysis PNG Problems • Graphical issues attributed to rasterizing of vector images • Transformation of image data from vector based to pixel based distorts original image

22. PNG Results PNG Conclusion • The mobile development platform, Java ME, does not support the vector image file format. • Because of this any image created using vector data becomes distorted and uncharacteristic of the original image. • This can be fixed by supplementing Java ME’s API with an image file format that supports the vector image file format.

23. Vector Imagery Vector Graphics Popular with image designers because data is: Infinitely scalable, Crisp, Highly-transformable

24. Vector Imagery Vector Graphics Are primarily used for: Icons, Motion Graphics, and Cartoon Imagery

25. Further Research What now? • Question: Which image file formats allow vector definitions of their image data so that this may be incorporated into the Java ME API? • Answer: A closely related graphic file format to the PNG is the SVG file format.

26. Scalable Vector Graphics SVG • SVG is a XML markup language that : • Is used in describing two-dimensional vector graphics • Can be static or animated • Can be either declarative or scripted

27. Scalable Vector Graphics Characteristics of SVG • Transformed, grouped and rendered in layers • Customization of XML namespace enhances searchability • Clipping paths, alpha masks, filter effects, and template objects • Rich set of event handlers

28. Scalable Vector Graphics Advantages of SVG • Can be compressed • Scripting can be done on SVG elements and affect other XML elements in the document • Scripting of SVG is a key component in web applications; gives a new look and feel to web • SVG has already developed two mobile profile standards aimed at mobile devices

29. Other Vector Graphics Vector Image Formats • SWF – proprietary vector graphics from Macromedia Corp. (Adobe) • PDF – open standard file format from Adobe, device independent • XPS – view independent document creation on Windows operating system

30. Future Mobile Graphics Vector Image Formats • Mobile Web, Semantic Web, XML • Divorcing content from presentation via RSS • Wireless Local Area Networks • WiFi • Rick Internet Applications • Google Earth • Device Independent Graphical APIs • Cairo, Windows Presentation Foundation • Custom User Interfaces • Stylus pen, virtual keyboards

31. Conclusions Conclusions

32. Conclusions Conclusions • Despite popular beliefs, mobile development will follow the same path desktop and laptop development for the past 10 years

33. Conclusions Conclusions • Despite popular beliefs, mobile development will follow the same path desktop and laptop development for the past 10 years • Increasing technological standards, specifications, and technologies will further blur the distinction between mobile devices and desktop computers

34. Conclusions Conclusions • Despite popular beliefs, mobile development will follow the same path desktop and laptop development for the past 10 years • Increasing technological standards, specifications, and technologies will further blur the distinction between mobile devices and desktop computers • Mobile graphics should strive to incorporate and predict the use of the latest graphical standards to speed the development and use of mobile devices to maximize its intended benefits

35. Final Conclusion Conclusion • SVG image format presents the most practical application of vector image file formats for mobile devices and its applications.

36. Further Questions Future Analysis • Will Java Community Process accept a proposal in its Java Specification Requests for the SVG image format inclusion inits implemenation of its GameCanvasclass API?

37. Further Questions Future Analysis • Will Java Community Process accept a proposal in its Java Specification Requests for the SVG image format inclusion inits implemenation of its GameCanvasclass API? • Will any other image file formats better standardize the image compression of both raster and vector file formats?

38. Further Questions Future Analysis • Will Java Community Process accept a proposal in its Java Specification Requests for the SVG image format inclusion inits implemenation of its GameCanvasclass API? • Will any other image file formats better standardize the image compression of both raster and vector file formats? • Will the development of Semantic Web, XML standards, open source APIs, and device-independent platforms change the way graphics are interpreted and designed?

39. Further Questions Open Discussion Future Analysis • Will Java Community Process accept a proposal in its Java Specification Requests for the SVG image format inclusion inits implemenation of its GameCanvasclass API? • Will any other image file formats better standardize the image compression of both raster and vector file formats? • Will the development of Semantic Web, XML standards, open source APIs, and device-independent platforms change the way graphics are interpreted and designed?