Multimedia Fundamentals: Interaction and Applications
Understanding Multimedia
The term multimedia describes the combination or concurrent use of two or more media to present information. Generally, multimedia means the integration of text, graphics, sound, animation, and video to convey information effectively.
The term first appeared in education during the 1960s and 1970s, describing new ways to support the learning process in classrooms. Its origins are mainly in the arts and education.
Digital technology, particularly the personal computer (PC), informs, educates, persuades, and entertains using compelling color effects, animation, and sound.
A key element of the multimedia concept is interaction.
What is Interaction?
- Latin Origin: Describes a transaction or communication between two or more persons.
- Sociology: Distinguishes different types of interaction through which communication occurs between people or groups using conversation, symbols, and gestures. This communication results in changes in attitudes, expectations, and behavior.
- Computers: Interaction means that the execution of programs depends on user input; the user can control the program flow.
- Interactive Multimedia: The user affects the way information is presented and navigated.
Common Multimedia Elements
The media types often managed in multimedia include:
- Static images (photos or illustrations)
- Moving images (video or animation)
- Text in all its forms
- Audio (music or sound)
Multimedia Applications
Carrying Information
Since information delivery is so crucial today, the effectiveness of multimedia components is constantly studied and reviewed. Advertisers continually seek new techniques to engage potential customers using multimedia’s growing potential.
Interaction
Here, the user is included in the process, controlling the path and type of information presented based on their needs or desires. The most successful learning procedures often utilize this type of interaction.
Presentation and Information
An important aspect is product promotion. This can be done in several ways, such as direct conversation, reading materials, or TV commercials. Each method often involves the use of multiple multimedia components.
Features of Multimedia Communication
Multimedia Messages
- Most definitions state that the key feature is the integration of textual and visual content into a single message.
- According to dictionaries of computer and internet terms, multimedia is a combination of sound with visual information presented to inform or entertain.
- Commonly, multimedia messages are described as those combining text, audio, static images, and moving images (video/animation) on a single platform.
- In theory, multimedia messages shouldn’t be confined only to these primary codes, as multimedia communication defines the content, not necessarily the specific media used (which could vary). The keys to multimedia are essentially reduced to two concepts: Multicode Information and Communication Unit.
- The multimedia message, as mentioned, should be a polyphonic product, combining content expressed in various codes. Crucially, it must also be unitary. A true multimedia message is achieved not merely by juxtaposing textual and visual codes, but through their harmonious integration into a unified whole.