SYSTEM TESTING AND PERFORMANCE EVALUATIONS OF AN EXPERIMENTAL 3D VIDEOPHONE

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SYSTEM TESTING AND PERFORMANCE EVALUATIONS OF AN
EXPERIMENTAL 3D VIDEOPHONE
ASIA PACIFIC TELECOMMUNICATION AND ICT
DEVELOPMENT FORUM (ADF)18 21 July 2005GOA,
INDIA

Presented by Nor Azhar Mohd Arif, MMU
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Overview of 3D Videophone

• current system application focus on one-to-one
  video communication
• application of 3D visual technologies especially
  cameras and display systems
• the 3D effects perceived are to enhance the
  accuracy of visual information
• users shall feel as if they were having
  face-to-face conversation through a window

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OVERVIEW OF 3D VIDEOPHONE (cont)
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Researchers

• Multimedia University (MMU), Malaysia
• - project leader
• Prof. Ryoichi Komiya chief researcher
• Nor Azhar Mohd Arif
• Tokyo Institute of Technology (TIT), Japan
• Prof. Yoshinori Sakai
• Takamichi Miyata
• Sanyo Electric Co. Ltd (RD unit), Japan
• Dr. Goro Hamagishi
• Hideyuki Kanayama
• Dr. Takahisa Ando

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Expertise

• MMU
• work on 3D videophone started in 1998
• experimental system installed in laboratory
• TIT
• well experienced in evaluations type of research
• on going evaluation related works by postgraduate
  researchers
• Sanyo
• manufacturer of 3D display
• technical consultant on 3D visual issues

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Previous Works

• comparison between 2D 3D video which one can
  represent visual information much closer to
  natural
• results 3D at least slightly better as compared
  to 2D
• evaluation of transmitted 3D video due to
  emulated ATM network impairments (CLR, CER, CMR,
  CDV CTD)
• having at least good quality according to ITU-T
  performance objectives for ATM network

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Objective

• evaluations on the 3D video communication
• experimental setup through subjective
• assessment method
• to rate the 3D visual information as compared to
  natural visual
• to rate the system acceptability
• to identify limitations of current system towards
  the first prototype development

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Experimental Setup

• two-way configuration consists of two sets of the
  experimental 3D videophone
• each set is installed into an evaluation booth
  built in the laboratory
• evaluation booths are to emulate video
  communication between two users at two remote
  places
• booths are equipped with safety features and have
  sufficient level of soundproof
• interior surroundings that are conducive,
  comfortable and effective for lengthy evaluations

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Experimental Setup (cont)
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Experimental Setup (cont)
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Experimental Setup (cont)
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Evaluations Methodology

• subjective assessment method based ITU-R BT.
  500-6 recommendation
• evaluations scale 5 grade scale quality scale
  and impairment scale
• each assessor is to communicate with the
  researcher through the experimental system on
  real time basis
• communication content is basically conversation
  between assessor and researcher on the
  evaluations details
• assessor to grade each evaluation item according
  to scale adopted based on their judgment

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Evaluation Scale
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Evaluation Items

• evaluation items are categorized into the
• followings
• 3D visual related elements
• eye contact
• system performance
• evaluation booths

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Evaluation Items (cont)

• 3D visual elements
• closeness of 3D visual to natural
• precision of 3D visual information to natural
• effectiveness for shorter duration
• effectiveness for longer duration
• acceptable level

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Evaluation Items (cont)

• eye contact
• perception of loss of eye contact during
  communication
• measured eye contact angle

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Evaluation Items (cont)

• system performance
• closeness of the system as a whole to natural
  face-to-face communication
• quality of products audio and visual
• noise system background
• system delay
• comfortable level

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Evaluation Items (cont)

• evaluation booths
• emulation of video communication between two
  persons at remote locations
• soundproof level
• safety measures

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Results
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Results (cont)

• measured angle of eye contact
• average of 21.17 degree
• maximum of 24.5 degree
• minimum of 20.0 degree

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Results (cont)
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Results (cont)
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Discussion

• limitations on system noticed by assessor
• in order of significance
• 3D display viewing angle limited number of
  angles
• level of eye contact due to the position of 3D
  camera system
• system noise due to cooling (fan) system of the
  3D display unit
• product quality (visual) of 3D display clarity
  of visual information

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Discussion (cont)

• items with average evaluation scale of between
• 3.0 and 3.5
• longer duration of communication
• acceptability of 3D visual
• system closeness to natural communication
• comfortable level of system
• product quality (visual)
• items with average evaluation scale of below 3.0
  
• level of eye contact
• system noise

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Conclusions

• 62 evaluation items have average scale of
• gt 3.5 (middle point between fair and good
  quality)
• Show bright future of 3D visual application to
  telecommunication.
• Necessity of improvement on experimental setup
  based on current limitations prior to first
  prototype development.

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Future Work

• investigation on the optimum lenses separation
  for 3D camera system
• figure out the best camera position to minimized
  the occurrence of loss of eye contact in video
  communication
• to determine the maximum and minimum range for
  orientation angle of 3D camera
• to utilize the newly developed 3D visual system

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Future Work
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Publications

• Nor Azhar Mohd Arif and Ryoichi Komiya,
  "Evaluations of An Experimental Setup of 3D Video
  Communication System", Multimedia Cyberscape
  Journal, Special Issue on Virtual Reality and
  Immersive Technology, pp. 55-59, January 2005.
• Nor Azhar Mohd Arif, Hafizal Mohamad and Ryoichi
  Komiya, "A Preliminary Study on Hardware Approach
  for Minimizing Loss of Eye Contact in 3D
  Videophone", Multimedia Cyberscape Journal,
  Special Issue on Virtual Reality and Immersive
  Technology, pp. 60-65, January 2005.
• Nor Azhar Mohd Arif and Ryoichi Komiya,
  "Application of Virtual Reality Telecommunication
  System for Telemedicine", 3rd APT Telemedicine
  Workshop Proceedings, pp. 118-122, January 2005.

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THE END
ASIA PACIFIC TELECOMMUNICATION AND ICT
DEVELOPMENT FORUM (ADF)18 21 July 2005GOA,
INDIA

• Thank you for your kind attention