Content-prioritised video coding for British Sign Language communication
Video communication of British Sign Language (BSL) is important for remote interpersonal communication and for the equal provision of services for deaf people. However, the use of video telephony and video conferencing applications for BSL communication is limited by inadequate video quality. BSL is a highly structured, linguistically complete, natural language system that expresses vocabulary and grammar visually and spatially using a complex combination of facial expressions (such as eyebrow movements, eye blinks and mouth/lip shapes), hand gestures, body movements and finger-spelling that change in space and time. Accurate natural BSL communication places specific demands on visual media applications which must compress video image data for efficient transmission. Current video compression schemes apply methods to reduce statistical redundancy and perceptual irrelevance in video image data based on a general model of Human Visual System (HVS) sensitivities. This thesis presents novel video image coding methods developed to achieve the conflicting requirements for high image quality and efficient coding. Novel methods of prioritising visually important video image content for optimised video coding are developed
Muir, Laura J.
British Sign Language ; Video communication ; Deaf people ; Video coding
Content-prioritised video coding for British Sign Language communication. Video communication of British Sign Language (BSL) is important for remote interpersonal communication and for the equal provision of services for deaf people. However, the use of video telephony and video conferencing applications for BSL communication is limited by inadequate video quality. BSL is a highly structured, linguistically complete, natural language system that expresses vocabulary and grammar visually and spatially using a complex combination of facial expressions (such as eyebrow movements, eye blinks and mouth/lip shapes), hand gestures, body movements and finger-spelling that change in space and time. Accurate natural BSL communication places specific demands on visual media applications which must compress video image data for efficient transmission. Current video compression schemes apply methods to reduce statistical redundancy and perceptual irrelevance in video image data based on a general model of Human Visual System (HVS) sensitivities. This thesis presents novel video image coding methods developed to achieve the conflicting requirements for high image quality and efficient coding. Novel methods of prioritising visually important video image content for optimised video coding are developed
content video cod british_sign language communication video communication british_sign_language_bsl important remote interpersonal communication equal provision service deaf_people however use video video application bsl communication limit inadequate video quality bsl highly structure linguistically complete natural_language system express vocabulary grammar visually spatially use complex combination facial_expression movement eye mouth lip shape hand gesture body movement finger spelling change space_time accurate natural bsl communication place specific demand visual_medium application must video image data efficient transmission current video compression scheme apply_method reduce statistical redundancy perceptual video image data base general model human visual system sensitivity present_novel video image cod method_develop achieve conflicting requirement high image quality efficient coding novel method prioritise visually important video image content optimise video coding develop