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Glossary

Media

Generally speaking, the term ‹media› denotes a means for representing and propagating information. Examples of media include: texts, speech, graphs, charts, pictures, motion pictures, animations, music and sound. Media are required for communication processes, although they can also be the result of communication processes. Source: The Concept of Media from the Department of Media, Duesseldorf University of Applied Sciences, 8.7.2002

Multimedia

Multimedia stands for »many media«. It is generally understood to refer in particular to the combination, or rather the integration, of different media. The most important prerequisite for this is digital representation since this enables computer-aided processing in the first place. The integration takes place on several different levels and concerns aspects such as the presentation, programming, transmission (via digital networks), chronological synchronisation and storage of media data. A further important aspect of multimedia is interactivity, i.e. the ability of the user to exert influence on the program run, for instance. Source: The Concept of Media from the Department of Media, Duesseldorf University of Applied Sciences, 8.7.2002

Virtual Reality
Virtual, i.e. artificially created, reality is generated only in computers. Computergenerated objects can be artificial or real persons, artefacts or complex mixtures and complicated backgrounds and are called virtual environments. Virtual reality is created via our perception of virtual environments. Virtual environments are computer-aided systems. They convey experiences based on visual, acoustic, tactile and olfactory stimulation. The virtual environments can be observed and altered, whether these are pictures/projections on a projection screen or images on a computer monitor for instance. The observers can interact with these artificially generated, computerised images and settings by altering them to appear as they want to see them by using a mouse, keyboard, joystick etc. or even by shifting their own bodyweight. For instance, they can view the image of the entrance to the Düsseldorf University of Applied Sciences from the right, the left or from above; they can observe the virtual image from all angles and »walk« through it.
Virtual Set Environment
A virtual set environment is used for producing multimedia contents for the application areas of television, film and web casting. Image elements are extracted from video and, by estimating the scene parameters to objects, are inserted into artificially designed scenes using techniques based on computer animation.