MediaMetro: browsing multimedia document collections with a 3D city metaphor

The MediaMetro application provides an interactive 3D visualization of multimedia document collections using a city metaphor. The directories are mapped to city layouts using algorithms similar to treemaps. Each multimedia document is represented by a building and visual summaries of the different constituent media types are rendered onto the sides of the building. From videos, Manga storyboards with keyframe images are created and shown on the façade; from slides and text, thumbnail images are produced and subsampled for display on the building sides. The images resemble windows on a building and can be selected for media playback. To support more facile navigation between high overviews and low detail views, a novel swooping technique was developed that combines altitude and tilt changes with zeroing in on a target. Categories and Subject Descriptors H.5.1 [Information Interfaces and Presentation (e.g., HCI)]: Multimedia Information Systems. General Terms Design, Human Factors. Key...

• Type: Conference
• Year: 2005
• Where: MM
• Authors: Patrick Chiu, Andreas Girgensohn, Surapong Lertsithichai, Wolfgang Polak, Frank M. Shipman III
• Keywords: City Metaphor, MM 2005, Multimedia Document, Multimedia Document Collections