Short Program

Details and program modifications will be announced and made available at the conference web site at:
http://www.ndsu.edu/conted/ICIMADE
or call 701-231-5376 or 1-800-726-1724 for further details.

ICIMADE will be held on the campus of North Dakota State University, Fargo, North Dakota, USA

[ Time Table Main Page ]

Thursday, May 31

5:00-7:00 pm (17:00-19:00) Registration (at Radisson)
7:00-9:00 pm (19:00-21:00) Social at Radisson

Friday, June 1

7:30-8:30 am (7:30-8:30) Registration (at NDSU Memorial Union)
8:30-9:00 am (8:30-9:00) Opening Remarks
9:00-10:00 am (9:00-10:00) Keynote
Software Systems for Virtual Academic Society
Timothy K.Shih, Tamkang University, Taiwan
Distance Learning/Virtual University system is one of the most important in the literature of multimedia and distributed computing. The presentation starts from the discussion of current distance learning approaches, with a highlight to some potential research problems.

State-of-the-art technologies toward possible solutions of such problems will be presented. The presentation will cover three important research topics: communication tools for virtual university operations, instruction design and assessment systems, and multimedia databases for distance learning. The methodologies to support the design of these systems rely on three virtual university operation criteria: administration, awareness, and assessment. On the other hand, Virtual Conference is another important academia activity. Traditional conference organization requires audiences to attend the conference at the same location. To save traveling cost and time, it is possible to hold virtual conference on broadband networks. Essentially, the communication facilities required for distance education and virtual conference are similar.

However, virtual conference needs other supporting tools, such as a nomadic continuous media server, to enable distributed conference activity. The second part of the talk covers a mobile virtual conference system, which allows session chairs and session servers located in remote areas to manage virtual conference events. With the proposed software systems for virtual academic society, multimedia communication for distance education and research collaboration can be established on the broadband network.

10:00-10:15 am (10:00-10:15) Break
10:15-11:45 am (10:15-11:45) Concurrent Sessions*
11:45-1:45 pm (11:45-13:45) Lunch / Keynote
Digital Game-based Learning
Marc Prensky, Corporate Gameware LLC
In a presentation based on his new book Digital Game-based Learning, Marc Prensky will address a growing and under-reported-on trend: The coming together of videogames and education for the generation raised on digital technology. This phenomenon represents the next generation after -- and a big step forward from — "edutainment." It is happening spontaneously throughout education and training to provide more engaging instruction at all levels. It is especially good at addressing the legendary attention problems of the "Digital Natives" of Gens X, Y and beyond.

The broad-based "Digital Game-Based Learning" phenomenon includes:

  • Pre-schoolers learning the alphabet and reading through computer games
  • Elementary students reviewing the K-6 curriculum on Playstations; scores rising 30-40%
  • Computer chess becoming a big part of K-12 curriculums
  • Typing (aka "keyboarding") games becoming the standard way to teach the skill
  • High schools students playing a multiplayer online game to learn electoral politics
  • Financial traders using computer games to hone their skills
  • Auditors using a computer game to learn about complex financial derivatives
  • Policy makers playing a Sim City-style game to understand the health care system
  • Business executives playing at running simulated HR departments and oil refineries
  • Engineers using a consumer-style videogame to learn new CAD technology
  • Military trainees fighting realistic battles in videogame-like simulators
  • Area Commanders-in-Chief playing out multi-force scenarios in a custom-designed video game

In his presentation Mr. Prensky will discuss the What, How, and Why of Digital Game-Based Learning and will show and discuss several examples from education, training and the military.

1:45-2:00 pm (13:45-14:00) Break
2:00-3:30 pm (14:00-15:30) Concurrent Sessions*
3:30-3:45 pm (15:30-15:45) Break
3:45-5:00 pm (15:45-17:00) Demonstration
Virtual Worlds for Education Research at NDSU
Brian Slator and the NDSU WWWIC Group, North Dakota State University
The World Wide Web Instructional Committee (WWWIC) at North Dakota State University (NDSU) is an ad hoc group of university faculty dedicated to developing internet-based education and research software. Members of this group foster cross-disciplinary, collaborative relationships with WWWIC faculty, students, and staff as well as those from other universities and institutions. The content of WWWIC immersive environment projects includes subject matter across a variety of disciplines such as anthropology, archaeology, cell biology, commerce, computer science, geology, and history. WWWIC's projects include the Virtual Cell for cell biology education, the Geology Explorer for geology education, and the Digital Archive Network for Anthropology for archaeology and anthropology education, as well as others. This demonstration will highlight many of these.
6:30 pm (18:30) Banquet at Ramada
Martin Davis, University of California - Berkeley
Martin Davis, a distinguished logician, is also the author of Computability and Unsolvability, which has been called “one of the few real classics in computer science.” A professor emeritus at New York University’s Courant Institute of Mathematical Sciences and a frequent lecturer, he is currently a visiting scholar at the University of California in Berkeley, where he now lives.

Saturday, June 2

8:00-8:45 am (8:00-8:30) Registration
8:45-10:00 am (8:45-10:00) Featured Speech
Internet2
Ted Hanss, University of Michigan
Internet2 (www.internet2.edu) is a consortium led by over 180 universities working in partnership with industry and government to develop and deploy advanced network applications and technologies, accelerating the creation of tomorrow's internet. Internet2 is recreating the partnership among academia, industry, and government that fostered today's internet in its infancy. The primary goals of Internet2 are to create a leading edge network capability for the national research and education community, enable revolutionary internet applications, and ensure the rapid transfer of new network services and applications to the broader internet community.

This talk will provide examples of the types of applications under development within the Internet2 community in support of research, teaching, and learning. These include streaming video (up to HDTV quality), high energy physics, data mining, digital libraries, virtual reality in health care, and much more.

Internet2 has recently expanded access to its national backbone, Abilene, to include K-20 organization outside the research universities that make up the core of the membership. This will, we hope, lead to new collaborations and new applications. In addition, Internet2 has many international partnerships, working together to support global education communities.

10:00-10:15 am (10:00-10:15) Break
10:15-11:45 am (10:15-11:45) Concurrent Sessions*
11:45-1:45 pm (11:45-13:45) Lunch / Featured Speech
Leveraging Distributed Expertise in Learning and Teaching with Technologies
Roy Pea, SRI International
Innovations in component software, richly-interactive multimedia, and community tools promise significant improvements to K-12 learning and teaching environments. To make rapid progress toward fulfilling these promises, we illustrate through two projects the importance of "leveraging distributed expertise"–from teachers, web developers, programmers, curriculum experts, and standards developers. The ESCOT Project focuses on bringing together, for middle school mathematics, diverse developers and teachers in "integration teams" to create new web-based interactive learning activities from powerful interoperable software components. Teachscape provides a comprehensive approach to integrating on-line and on-site use of web-based video case studies and communities for K-12 teacher learning and professional development.
1:45-2:00 pm (13:45-14:00) Break
2:00-3:30 pm (14:00-15:30) Concurrent Sessions*
3:30-3:45 pm (15:30-15:45) Break
3:45-5:00 pm (15:45-17:00) Concurrent Activities
Panel
Issues in Distance Education
Moderator: Nancy Olson, North Dakota State University
Issues related to distance education such as assessment, delivery platforms, instructional strategies for particular content, faculty development, course or lesson re-design, or any other topics of interest will be discussed. Discussion will be informal and problem-centered; panelists will attempt to address particular concerns and share possible solutions. Individuals are encouraged to bring specific pedagogical or technical issues/problems they have encountered in delivering mediated instruction.
Demonstration
HTML-eZ
Web Course Development for the 21st Century
Henry Borysewicz, AeroSpace Network, Scientific Computing Center
The AeroSpace Network at the University of North Dakota has recently launched a web tool that we call HTML-eZ (short for HyperText Markup Language made Easy -- eZ for short). We have applied for a patent on the technology behind the product and are currently seeking businesses partners interested in licensing it.

eZ is a tool that allows instructors to create and maintain graphically rich course web sites on their own, without learning any HTML. Some course web-tools only allow instructors to insert text into a rigidly defined template. Others simply allow document uploads. The HTML-eZ project does much more. eZ enables instructors to create and maintain an actual web site–allowing them to create and modify all aspects of their course web site, including content, layout, design scheme, and site navigation. Working in any standard word processor, instructors create content incorporating graphics, images, tables, etc. They upload their documents to the system through a web interface, where it is converted to HTML. All links, image names and locations, etc. are handled automatically by the system.

Using eZ does not require special skills or training. If instructors know how to use a web browser and a word processor, they already have all the skills they need to create a fully customizable, graphically rich course web site. Basically, there is not a whole lot to learn (that's why we call it eZ!). eZ handles HTML conversion and database functions, invisibly.

Since it is completely web-based, eZ can be used by anyone, anywhere, as long as they have Internet access. There is no hardware or software to purchase, install, upgrade, or replace - those functions are handled in one place, on our end. Updates and new features appear as they are implemented – no need for users to update software.

The demonstration will illustrate how eZ puts complete control in the hands of the instructor or course developer. They control every aspect of the course web site(s). They create, edit, and delete sites, change a site's look and navigation, instantly, working from their office or home. They choose font face, size, color, and alignment. Pages can include backgrounds, graphics, images, tables, links, anchors, etc.

Class interactivity is supported in a variety of ways. There is a Survey tool that allows instructors to poll their class over the web. Results are tabulated and displayed, both graphically and numerically, in real time. A Quiz tool creates multiple choice quizzes meant to facilitate student self-assessment. They are automatically graded, and provide instant feedback to the student. eZ creates an internal Messaging System, asynchronous discussion Forum, and a real-time Chat Room, automatically, for each class created. File uploads are facilitated, allowing students to turn in homework online. Come and see how easy it is to create and maintain a course web site using HTML-eZ.

6:30 pm (18:30) Entertainment / Dinner

Sunday, June 3

8:00-8:30 am (8:00-8:30) Registration
8:30-10:00 am (8:30-10:00) Concurrent Sessions*
10:00-10:15 am (10:00-10:15) Break
10:15-11:45 am (10:15-11:45) Concurrent Sessions*
11:45-12:45 pm (11:45-12:45) Lunch
12-45-1:45 pm (12:45-13:45) Featured Speech
Videoconferencing: Fresh Faces in New Places
Bob Dixon, Ohio State University
Bob Dixon, an internationally known videoconferencing expert, will discuss the current status of videoconferencing: what people from around the world are using it to accomplish, what works and what does not, secrets of making multiple connections, quality of service concerns, and the future of videoconferencing as he sees it.
1:45-2:00 pm (13:45-14:00) Break
2:00 pm (14:00) Closing Session and Door Prizes

*The concurrent sessions will be from peer reviewed papers in the areas of intelligent multimedia and distance education, contributed by international participants representing more than 20 countries around the world.

Tutorials

Multimedia Streaming: MPEG-4 Approach

Wael Badawy
Saturday, June 2, 2001
10:15-11:45 am (Part 1) and 2:00-4:30 pm (Part 2)

MPEG-4 is a new ISO/IEC standard that targets streaming multimedia. The MPEG (Moving Picture Experts Group) developed MPEG-1 and MPEG-2 that target interactive video on CD-ROM and Digital Television, respectively. The MPEG-4 provides tools to deliver multimedia content over different communication channels and targets a wide range of interactive applications. MPEG-4 provides new features such as scalability which enable the providers to transmit the same content using different channels, error-resilient techniques that allow robust transmission over wireless transmission, content-based approach that allows higher levels of interaction with scene contents. The MPEG-4 scene is presented as aural, visual or audiovisual objects or AVOs. The MPEG-4 became an International Standard for multimedia streaming in January 1999 and its second version, as an amendment to Version 1, achieved the status of 'Final Draft International Standard' in December 1999.

This tutorial will introduce the MPEG-4 Version 1 and Version 2 visual coding tools and their functionalities. It will focus on the applications of MPEG-4 for multimedia streaming and how wired and wireless multimedia streaming can benefit from MPEG-4 visual coding tools.

Tutorial Topics:

  • Brief introduction to Multimedia Structure
  • MPEG-4 scope and structure
  • MPEG-4 Version 1 and 2 tools
  • Visual
  • Audio
  • Systems
  • MPEG-4 Profiles
  • Streaming Multimedia using MPEG-4
  • M4IF
  • Wireless Multimedia Forum
  • Demo and Summary

The tutorial will target audience from several backgrounds.

Image and Video Compression Techniques & Standards

S. R. Subramanya
Sunday, June 3, 2001
9:00-10:00 am (Part 1) and 10:15-12:30 pm (Part 2)

The phenomenal increases in the generation, transmission, and use of digital images and video in many applications is placing enormous demands on the storage space and communication bandwidth. Data compression is a viable approach to alleviate the storage and bandwidth demands. This tutorial is intended to give an insight into a few major image and video compression techniques and a brief look at the popular image and video coding standards.

The tutorial starts with an overview of the basics of lossy compression techniques in general. The concepts and issues in quantization are introduced. Predictive image coding techniques are then covered, which primarily includes DPCM and ADPCM. Transform coding techniques using DFT and DCT are then addressed. A brief overview of Subband coding is then given, followed by Vector Quantization. The bi-tonal image compression standard JBIG, and continuous-tone image standard JPEG are then covered. Video coding techniques is the next topic which covers elements of motion estimation and motion compensation. This is followed by the motion video standard MPEG, and videoconferencing/videotelephony standards H.261/263.

This tutorial enables the participant to:

  • understand the principles of lossy data compression.
  • get an insight into a few of the major image and video coding techniques.
  • identify the issues involved and the evaluation metrics.
  • get an overview of the common image and video compression standards.

Topics Covered:

  • Lossy Image Compression Basics, Scalar Quantization
  • Predictive coding (DPCM, ADPCM)
  • Transform Coding (FFT, DCT)
  • Subband Coding
  • Vector Quantization
  • JBIG, JPEG Standards
  • Video Coding Techniques
  • Video Coding Standards (MPEG, H.261/263)

It is Time to Fuzzify Neural Networks

Ajith Abraham
Sunday, June 3, 2001
8:30-10:00 am (Part 1) and 10:15-12:30pm (Part 2)

Neural Networks and fuzzy inference systems have been widely used in several intelligent multimedia applications. Artificial Neural Network learns from scratch by adjusting the interconnections between layers. A valuable property of neural network is that of generalization, whereby a trained network is able to provide a correct matching in the form of output data for a set of previously unseen input data. Fuzzy Inference System is a popular computing framework based on the concept of fuzzy set theory, fuzzy if-then rules, and fuzzy reasoning. With crisp inputs and outputs, fuzzy inference system implements a nonlinear mapping from its input space to output space by a number of if-then rules.

Integrating Neural Networks and Fuzzy Inference Systems have attracted the growing interest of researchers in various multimedia applications due to the growing need of adaptive intelligent systems to meet the real world requirements. There are several approaches to integrate neural networks and fuzzy inference systems and very often it depends on the application. We broadly classify the integration of neuro fuzzy systems into three categories namely concurrent model, cooperative model and fully integrated model. We briefly discuss the features of each model and generalize the advantages and deficiencies of each model. We will also attempt to give some insights when to use which model.

This tutorial starts with some basic theoretical aspects of neural networks and fuzzy inference systems and their application areas stressing the advantages of each technique. We further discuss the step-by-step modeling of different neuro-fuzzy architectures. We also demonstrate how neuro-fuzzy techniques could be used for many practical applications involving image classification and data mining tasks etc.

  • What is soft computing?
  • From mammalian neuron to artificial neural networks
  • Different neural network learning algorithms
  • Feedforward neural networks
  • Kohenen's self organizing maps
  • Advantages of neural networks
  • Fuzzy inference system
  • Mamdani fuzzy inference system
  • Takagi Sugeno fuzzy inference system
  • Advantages of fuzzy inference systems
  • Why we need neuro-fuzzy systems?
  • Types of neuro-fuzzy systems
  • Some popular neuro-fuzzy architectures: ANFIS, EFuNN, NEFCLASS, others
  • Advantages of different neuro-fuzzy models
  • Application areas with simple examples
  • Beyond neuro-fuzzy: perspectives and directions