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Object-Based Media

The algorithms and computational requirements of model-based media are still the subject of research, but it seems reasonable to predict that no one image representation or compression scheme will emerge as a clear winner. Instead support for multiple representations is likely to be necessary [6][21][22]. These multiple representations may be used for different applications: a full length feature movie is likely to use a different representation than an interactive video game. They will also be used within a single application: an interactive video game might incorporate objects represented graphically in 3D over background video sequences encoded using MPEG.

This multitude of media representations prevents the traditional solution: specialized processors operating in parallel with a fixed interconnect; and instead suggests that a more flexible approach must be developed. Frequently, a ``completely'' programmable solution is proposed. Unfortunately, the processing power of the most powerful single processor tends to be insufficient for typical object-based video processing task. Thus we are forced to consider programmable parallel solutions, possibly with some of the processors specialized for a class of algorithms.



wad@media.mit.edu