Yutaka Matsushita

3D interactive visualization for inter-cell dependencies of spreadsheets

This paper proposes a new technique to visualize dependencies among cells in a spreadsheet. In this way, the system firstly visualizes a spreadsheet on a plane in three-dimensional space, and draws arcs between interrelated cells. By allowing a user to select an arbitrary cell and lift it up with direct manipulation, the system utilizes the third dimension to ameliorate visual occlusion of crossing arcs. As the user lifts a focused cell up, the interrelated cells are lifted up together; thus hidden dataflow networks can be visually intelligible interactively. Because spreadsheets are aimed at calculation itself rather than appearances of outputs, their mechanism is relatively invisible and not obvious for ordinary users. Our visualization helps such users to understand structures and mechanism of spreadsheets.

Video retrieval method using shotID for copyright protection systems

In this paper, we define a shot-identifier (we called this shotID) which easily represents characteristics of each shot. The shotID is calculated from positional and color information. And we propose a video retrieval method using the shotID. The proposed method is robust to compression, format conversion, frame dropping and noise such as watermark and so on. Furthermore, we realize a copyright protection system for digital video with watermarking technique using ideas from spread spectrum communications based on our retrieval method.

Learning from TV programs: application of TV presentation to a videoconferencing system

In this paper, we propose to direct the visual image of a videoconferencing system. Pictures of current videoconferencing systems are often boring. We thought presentation of pictures on TV and in movies should be studied to improve videoconferencing. For this purpose, we investigated several debate programs on TV. We classified all the shots into eight classes, and then determined the duration of each shot and the transition probabilities among the classes in order to describe the structure of TV programs. From this, rules to control pictures have been obtained. After that, we made a twopoint multi-party videoconferencing system that utilizes the rules. The system includes automated control of changes in camera focus.

A new communication tool: time dependent multimedia document

Time dependent multimedia document (TDMD), a tool that supports human communication under distributed computing environments, is described. TDMD supports various types of communication media, including audio, video, text, graphics, and image. Multimedia presentation is formally defined, and it is shown that, TDMD can be represented uniquely as a tree structure. In the structure, hyperlink information can be included by introducing graphical interface buttons, which are treated the same way as other media. The content information included in a button is its visual appearance as a metaphor and the name of a destination node from which successive presentation begins when the button is selected. By using such link information, several browsing paths can be included in TDMD. Buttons also give viewers control over the speed of a presentation.<<ETX>>

Another dimension to hypermedia access

The OpenBook system using a book metaplhor allows a user to leaf through a set of nodes retrieved from a hypermedia just like a book. While leafing thrcmgh the book, the reader does not need to pay attention to the detailed description written in pages, but impressive information such as chapter titles and figures catches reader’s eyes. In other words, leafing through an electronic book takes advantage of a cognitive capability to skim the outlines of the contents. Moreover, the system supports a query-based access mechanism which supports a structure search mechanism for the purpose of finding potentially useful nodes. Furthermore, this paper describes a method of linearizing complex hyper-networked nodes to facilitate high speed browsing, which is a unique aspect of OpenBook.

A Network Based On Inter-vehicle Communication

This paper presents an inter-vehicle networking method as a means of data exchange. By using this method, each vehicle can know the position of its neighboring vehicles, the traffic information captured by other vehicles, and the neighbor nodes information such as speed or braking. Spread Spectrum communications, using optical media, is used to create links for the data transmission.

Interworkflow system: coordination of each workflow system among multiple organizations

Nowadays in many enterprises, for the purpose of efficiency improvement and the automation of the business, the workflow management system of the business process is coming into wide use. However, an individual workflow management system is introduced into each organization so the workflow system is effective as a business support inside a single organization, but it is difficult to apply this management system to coordinate business among more than two organizations. We propose Interworkflow system which coordinates each workflow system among multiple organizations. The Interworkflow system consists of three sub-systems and has a user friendly interface. We report on the fact that we have constructed an actual Interworkflow system that coordinates multiple workflow systems and confirm that it functioned effectively.

A networking architecture for mobility services using mobile agent approach

We propose a scalable service networking architecture as a TINA-like environment for providing various mobility services. The proposed architecture provides an environment that enables the advent of service providers and rapidly introduces multimedia applications, considering network scalability. For supporting customized mobility services, this architecture adopts a new service component, which we call Omnipresent Personal Environment Manager (OpeMgr). In order to support mobile users who move between heterogeneous networks, for instance, between the TINA-like environment and the Internet environment, we propose a structure of a gateway. In addition, the proposed architecture uses the fixed and mobile agent approaches for supporting the users mobility and we evaluated their performance comparing those approaches.

A virtual office environment based on a shared room realizing awareness space and transmitting awareness information

‘c’ ,. In t&s paper, we describe a system +at provides a “w&k-at-home” environment based on a &tual shared room built ,on”a 3D graphics w&k

The combination of edge detection and region extraction in nonparametric color image segmentation

ation. We realize ‘chwareness Space” o,n’ the system to avoid a tradeoff bet\veen’ ‘providing facility of informal comniunication and keeping one’s workSpace from &hers: ,a-ware’ness information. Also, this system provides the feeling of the presence at virtual office by using ‘fAround View? and “Sound Effect”. 1