The Forum will feature presentations by Stanford Center for Image Systems Engineering researchers and spokespeople
from Cypress Semiconductor, Eastman Kodak Company, Foveon, Future Image, Hewlett-Packard, Image Integration, Motorola and Palm. Topics to
be addressed include: |
- Video processing, encoding and transmission
- Designing sensors with low-light sensitivity, high dynamic range and high speed image capture
- Perceptual quality metrics based on human vision
- Defining the camera phone eco-system
- Quantifying camera phone image quality
- Evaluating quality in real world applications
- Quality evaluation in dynamic situations
- How much quality and at what price
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More About the I3A Camera Phone Image Quality Initiative
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The Need for Camera Phone Image Standards
Lack of standards and metrics for measuring and testing camera phone image quality is one of the key issues affecting our industry today. Camera phones currently on the market with identical sensor (megapixel) resolution capabilities produce vastly different quality images. When the novelty of camera phones wears off, consumers may become disillusioned with the technology. The industry will miss the opportunity to fulfill the market’s vast potential. We must show buyers what to look for and how to evaluate image
quality. |
CPIQ Mission
Launched in June 2006 by 45 representatives from key players in the mobile imaging industry, including carriers, handset, component and software manufacturers, the I3A Camera Phone Image Quality (CPIQ) initiative addresses the single most important issue in promoting the use and enjoyment of camera-enabled phones: image quality. The CPIQ Initiative is first identifying image quality metrics and associated test methods and will then develop a quality rating
system based on both objective and subjective data. |
| Join the CPIQ Initiative Your participation and representation will have synergistic benefit to the initiative and to the mobile imaging segment of the industry. For more information please contact I3A at 914-285-4933; or email us at i3ainfo@i3a.org. |
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James H. Clark Center
318 Campus Drive
Stanford, CA
Register by Dec. 1 for free on-campus
parking.
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| Register for this important technical forum by Friday, December 1 to get free on-campus parking. |
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I3A Welcomes New Members
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| We are happy to announce that our recent work has so intrigued a number of organizations that they have decided to become I3A members. Not only are our new members innovative companies active on the cutting edges of the imaging industry, they are based in locations as varied as California, USA; Finland; and Singapore, demonstrating the truly global reach of I3A. |
| Please join us in welcoming: |
Nokia Corporation, Strategic — www.nokia.com
Nokia is a world leader in mobile communications, driving the growth and sustainability of the broader mobility industry through easy-to-use and innovative products like mobile phones, devices and solutions for imaging, games, media and businesses. Nokia provides equipment, solutions and services for network operators and corporations. |
Avago Technologies, Participating — www.avagotech.com.
Avago Technologies is a leading supplier of innovative semiconductor solutions for advanced communications, industrial and commercial applications. With approximately 6,500 employees worldwide, Avago provides an extensive range of analog, mixed-signal and optoelectronic components and subsystems to more than 40,000 customers. The company’s products serve four end markets: industrial and automotive, wired infrastructure, wireless communications, and computer peripherals. It is recognized for providing high-quality products along with strong customer service and the industry’s best on-time delivery. Avago’s heritage of technical innovation dates back 40 years to its Agilent/Hewlett-Packard roots. |
Cypress Semiconductor Corporation, Participating — www.cypress.com
Leveraging proprietary silicon processes, Cypress’s product portfolio includes a broad selection of wired and wireless USB devices, CMOS image sensors, timing solutions, specialty memories, high-bandwidth synchronous and micropower memory products, optical solutions and reconfigurable mixed-signal arrays. |
Flextronics International, Participating — www.flextronics.com
Flextronics is a leading Electronics Manufacturing Services (EMS) company that offers complete design, engineering, and manufacturing services to aerospace, automotive, computing, consumer digital, industrial, infrastructure, medical and mobile OEM customers, with a network of facilities in over 30 countries. |
Nethra Imaging, Participating — www.nethra-imaging.com
Nethra Imaging is a semiconductor company focused on delivering imaging solutions for a wide range of digital consumer applications. The company uses proprietary algorithms to build flexible, fully programmable image processor chips for mobile imaging and PC video capture applications. Nethra entered the market in 2005 with a family of image processors for the rapidly growing mobile handset camera market. |
DxO Labs, Associate — www.dxo.com
DxO Labs was created late 2002 as a spin-off of Vision IQ, a world leader
in the field of computer vision, thereby benefiting from the latter’s 10 years’ experience in the field of image processing. Financed by leading European and Japanese venture capital funds, the company employs around sixty people at its site in Boulogne-Billancourt, near Paris, France. |
MDS Technology, Associate — www.mdstec.com
Provides Solutions and Services for Embedded System Development, including Smart Phone Embedded Systems. |
| Artificial Muscle, Inc., Associate — www.artificialmuscle.com Artificial Muscle, Inc. designs and manufactures actuator and sensing components based on the new technology platform called electroactive polymer artificial muscle (EPAM), for industrial, medical, consumer, automotive, and aerospace applications. EPAM devices are lightweight, efficient alternatives to actuators, small motors, generators, sensors, and speakers used in products ranging from automobiles to audio speakers. |
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2006 6Sight Conference and Mobile Imaging Summit Recap
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| 6Sight is committed to changing the discourse in the public and the media about imaging - away from the negative language of doubts and fears that has arisen out of circumstantial technology transitions, and to the optimism and energy of visual empowerment that truly is the “bigger picture” of our industry. |
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| Over 200 imaging industry experts attended 6Sight 2006 |
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| At 6Sight, three year-round initiatives were announced: The 6Sight Innovation Framework, the Citizen Climate Network, and the Future Image Visual Eloquence initiative (FIVE). All three aim to provide powerful PR platforms for the message of visual empowerment by the imaging industry. Here’s a brief recap of what each is about, and what to do if you’re interested in finding out more. |
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| The 6Sight Innovation Framework creates an IP-Protected forum where individuals (not companies) can submit ideas for new imaging products and services. A jury will award prizes for the most compelling ones. The initiative’s objectives are to find “homes” for innovative ideas that might otherwise remain unexploited, and to create an exciting new Public Relations vehicle for the imaging industry as a whole. The first phase is a consultative effort to establish the IP framework and the contest rules. To provide input, contact Jean Barda. |
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| Joe Byrd delivers opening remarks |
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The Citizen Climate Network envisions a Web-based destination
that showcases the visual contributions of a global network of grassroots journalists documenting evidence of the effects of climate change in their communities, and local initiatives to mitigate them. It is also intended as a content resource for other related initiatives. To join the Advisory Board or otherwise participate in the conversation, contact David Szetela. |
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| The Future Image Visual Eloquence initiative aims to develop and field-test original use-case scenarios that demonstrate new value propositions for visual communication tools, by connecting technology providers with organizations such as schools, museums, artist communities, research scientists, etc. These projects will provide learning experiences that will contribute to developing specifications for improved and next generation tools, as well as public relations opportunities. For more information contact Alexis Gerard. |
Mobile Imaging Summit Offers Glimpse of Imaging World to Come
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| The nearly 200 attendees at the 6Sight Mobile Imaging Summit got a glimpse into the cultural changes coming when a billion people worldwide have access to digital imaging. |
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| To broaden the concept of what a “camera” is, Dr. John Meyer, director, digital printing and imaging lab, HP Co., Palo Alto, Calif., displayed some innovative technologies coming from HP Labs. He described how hardware configurations, combined with mathematics, can create compelling human-like decision-making processes. For example, he showed a video of a wearable camera, providing a constant feed of images to a recording device. Normally, this would provide far too many images for anyone to deal with, but HP’s scientists use facial recognition and other algorithms to determine the significant pictures. These pictures, then, could be combined into a photo book. |
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| Dr. Paul Saffo said that the imaging world needs to replace the concept of “information” with “media.” |
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Dr. Paul Saffo, a strategist and author, suggested conference attendees delete the word “information” from their vocabularies, as it relates to imaging, to be replaced with “media.” Computers will enable consumers to experience their images interactively, as opposed to just passively viewing them. It’s this interactivity that is driving today’s markets. Google, for example, is an “interactive experience,” because
nothing happens until the user puts in a search term. And it’s millions upon millions of these interactive experiences that built Google’s value. |
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| Another highlight of the day was a demonstration by David Gedye, Group Manager, Microsoft Live Labs, of “Photosynth,” a compelling image-organization technology derived from Microsoft Corp.’s acquisition of Seadragon technology in 2005. The software uses “image tourism” to combine many different images of the same object – in Gedye’s example, it was Notre Dame cathedral — from many sources, and then build a 3 dimensional interactive model of the object. According to Microsoft, the technology provides a “seamless zooming around collections of pictures and efficient multi-resolution streaming transport between clients and servers.” |
| The Imaging Summit was co-hosted by FutureImage, I3A and PMA. |
| www.LiveFrom6Sight.com |
For those who missed the event, an archive is available at
www.LiveFrom6Sight.com The site already features a number of presentations delivered at the event, in PDF form available for download. It also has photos and video clips of the event, and comments from participants and speakers. |
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Industry Briefs
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| Robert W. Baird 2006 Back-to-School PC Hardware Study Published |
| The 2006 Back-to-School PC Hardware Study, a proprietary study of 100 retailers, 30 colleges, and 40+ college students regarding PC trends during the “Back-to-School” season. Among the findings are reports on preferences for hardware among retailers, higher education and students. |
| Celebrating the 10th Birthday of Canon’s Elegant ELPH |
| The original Canon ELPH of 1996 is arguably the only APS camera ever made that can be described as a resounding commercial success. |
| IBM Patent Filings to be Open |
| IBM is going to publish its patent applications online to share their details with the world and, perhaps, reduce the flood of patent infringement lawsuits. IBM made the change in corporate policy public after a two-month long research project this summer involving experts in law, academia, government and technology. The change in policy “is designed to foster integrity, a healthier environment for innovation, and mutual respect for intellectual property rights,” IBM said in a statement. It encouraged others in “the patent community” to follow its example. |
| Motorola to Acquire Good Technology |
| Motorola, Inc. (NYSE: MOT) and Good Technology, Inc. have signed a definitive agreement under which Motorola will acquire privately held Good Technology, a leader in enterprise mobile computing software and service. The acquisition will extend Motorola’s mobile computing capabilities and increase the company’s enterprise client base. Good Technology’s wireless messaging, data access and handheld security offerings provide intuitive and advanced productivity solutions for mobile professionals with enterprise-level device security and management. |
| Qualcomm Escapes Disaster In Broadcom Fight |
| Qualcomm Inc. (QCOM) averted a potential doomsday scenario in its legal battle with rival Broadcom Corp. (BRCM). A special administrative judge for the U.S. International Trade Commission ruled that Qualcomm had violated one of Broadcom’s patents, but rejected two other patent-infringement claims. More importantly, the judge didn’t recommend barring the importation of devices with Qualcomm chips, a request made by Broadcom that would have greatly hurt its rival. |
| Silver Halide Paper Market Getting Crowded Again |
| Just when it appeared as though the number of players in the silver halide paper business had bottomed out with the demise of Agfa and, shortly, Konica, leaving the pie for Kodak, Fuji and Mitsubishi to divide, two more players have pulled up their chairs to get into the game: China Lucky and Dai Nippon. |
| Sprint chairman to retire |
| The executive chairman of Sprint Nextel, Tim Donahue, the former CEO of Nextel, has announced he will retire at the end of the year. Donahue was instrumental in engineering the $35 billion merger between Sprint and Nextel last year. The company announced that Robert Bennett, president of Discovery Holdings, will join the board immediately. |
| Toshiba Intros Palm-Size Multimedia Projector |
| Toshiba America Information Systems Inc.’s digital product division introduced the one-pound TDP-FF1AU digital light processing (DLP) palm-sized multimedia projector for business and entertainment. The TDP-FF1AU projector is compatible with many mobile devices, such as mobile phones, portable DVD players, digital cameras, laptops, game consoles and USB memory sticks. |
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Digital Photography Trends
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| Digital Camera Pod Now Available |
| The Digital Bottle Camera Pod, now available online, can be easily attached to a soft drink bottle with a 1" to 1 1/4" bottle cap diameter – turning the bottle into an instant, multi-purpose camera support system. |
| Something Fishy With Your Image? New Plug-In Aims to Help |
| Image Trends announced today the release of the Fisheye-Hemi Plug-In, an Adobe Photoshop-compatible filter that renders more natural views of people, correcting the extreme distortion of bodies and faces that is common with rectilinear methods. Fisheye-Hemi attempts to preserve more of the original resolution, displays the intended composition and framing as seen in the viewfinder, and straightens vertical lines. |
| Fujifilm Brings New Toys to PhotoPlus |
| Fujifilm is showcasing the FinePix S5 Pro digital-SLR camera at PhotoPlus Expo 2006, marking the first public North American appearance for the camera. Features of the FinePix S5 Pro include a greater command of the expanded dynamic range generated by Fujifilm’s Super CCD SR Pro sensor, lower noise, and post-capture Face Detection Technology. |
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Camera Phone Trends
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| Micron challenges college students to camera phone photography and video contest |
| Micron Technology, Inc., is challenging college students to discover the photography potential of today’s camera phones. Micron is sponsoring a competition, dubbed the Micron Mobile Theater Contest, where participating students will capture the extraordinary, inspirational, and intriguing in single-frame shots and continuous video, using mobile phones designed with Micron memory and image sensors. |
| Mobile Phone Companies Commit to Environmental Action Plan |
| A group of mobile manufacturers, network operators, suppliers, recyclers, consumer and environmental organizations, led by Nokia, has committed to improve the environmental performance of mobile phones and to do more to raise consumer awareness and participation in take-back and recycling. |
| Nokia first to add Orb MyCasting service; premiers on Nokia N80 Internet Edition |
| Nokia is jumping on the place-shifting trend, saying it will work with Orb Networks to integrate Orb MyCasting into the Nokia N80 Internet Edition. That means when U.S. consumers buy the Nokia N80 Internet Edition starting in November, they will be able to access home photos, videos, music and TV. |
| Samsung starts marketing world’s first 10 megapixel camera phone |
| Samsung Electronics has started selling what it claims is the world’s first 10 megapixel multimedia phone that offers crisp video and top-notch digital camera functions. |
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Personal Spotlight — Peter Krause
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| Peter Krause, major contributor to the generation of American and International Standards that prescribe the methods and procedures for evaluating the performance of imaging materials, is retiring from standards work. Mr. Krause played an important part in the I3A Standards Program. His work has been characterized by dedication, initiative, productivity and technical expertise. |
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| Peter Krause |
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| Peter Krause has been active in photography throughout his career. He was associated with the Photographic Division of GAF, and its predecessor company Agfa Ansco, with service in the U.S. Army Air Corps during World War II. At GAF, he rose from quality control engineer to Director of Manufacturing of the Photo and Diazo Divisions, finally rising to serve as General Manager of European Operations. In 1968, he joined Ciba–Geigy Corp. as General Manager of its Photo & Instrument Division. He became president of Milford Inc. He retired in 1980. |
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| Since then, Mr. Krause has been a consultant to the photographic industry, has lectured extensively and has published many technical papers and reviews of photographic papers and films. He also wrote the chapter on color photography for Neblette’s eighth edition of "Imaging Processes and Materials," a guide for the Cibachrome process, and a White Paper on the silver in photography for the US Bureau of Mines. He has lectured on black & white and color photographic processes, the design and performance of films and papers and the stability and preservation of photographs. |
| Mr. Krause was vice president of Imaging Technology/Marketing, Inc., a contributing editor of Popular Photography, and an associate of Photofinishing News, Inc., which publishes a bi-weekly newsletter and the yearly International Photoprocess Industry Report. An additional long term involvement has been in the generation of American (ANSI) and International (ISO) standards. |
| He has been elected a Fellow of the Photographic Society of America and a Senior Member of the Society of Imaging Science and Technology. He was the first editorial vice president and the first editor of of Photographic Science and Engineering. He is also a member of the photographic group of the American Institute for Conservation. In 1986 he received the Photographic Administrators Award for technical achievement and in 1987 the Technical Achievement Award of the Photographic Manufacturers and Distributors Association. |
| He willingly volunteered and assumed responsibility for numerous projects. The I3A Staff and the imaging industry benefited from his counsel and contributions. We sincerely hope he’ll enjoy his retirement. |
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Member Spotlight — Cypress Semiconductor Corporation
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| Cypress Semiconductor Corporation (NYSE:CY) Leveraging proprietary silicon processes, Cypress’s product portfolio includes a broad selection of wired and wireless USB devices, CMOS image sensors, timing solutions, specialty memories, high-bandwidth synchronous and micropower memory products, optical solutions and reconfigurable mixed-signal arrays. |
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Cypress Imaging
Cypress offers image sensor solutions for automotive, consumer, and custom industrial applications, all of which are recognized for their outstanding image quality. Customers can achieve faster time-to-market and conserve design resources with Cypress’s numerous evaluation and development kits. Cypress imaging solutions feature industry-leading, proprietary technology, such as AutoBrite™ extremely wide dynamic range technology with excellent visible and near-infrared sensitivity to ensure that automotive applications perform optimally in varied lighting conditions. Semiconductor Insights (SI), the leader in technical and patent analyses of integrated circuits and electronic systems, recently awarded Cypress’s IM103 1/3 inch VGA-Format CMOS Image Sensor for machine vision automotive applications the 2006 INSIGHT Award for Most Innovative Image Sensor. |
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I3A Meetings and Events
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| To arrange to attend any of these meetings, please register on the members’ Web site or contact the Standards Department at i3astds@i3a.org. |
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Regularly Scheduled I3A
Initiative Conference Calls |
Bi-weekly,
Tue
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CPIQ
Initiative — 11:00 EST |
Weekly,
Tue |
CPP
Initiative — 13:00 EST |
| November 2006 |
| Thu 30 |
Annual
X–Ray Meeting – RSNA Chicago |
| December 2006 |
Thu
7 |
Camera Phone Image Quality Technical Forum and Workshop — Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA |
| TBD |
Management Committee |
| January 2007 |
| Thu 4 |
Management Committee |
| February 2007 |
| Thu 8 |
Management Committee |
| March 2007 |
Fri
9
8:30am |
Technical Forum at PMA — Las Vegas, NV |
Fri
9
6:30pm |
Spotlight
Reception and Annual Leadership Award Presentation at
PMA — Las Vegas, NV |
Sun 11 —
Mon 12 |
USA/TAG/ISO/TC42 — Las Vegas, NV |
| Mon 12 |
Standards Management Board — Las Vegas, NV |
| Tue 13 |
IT2 — Image Evaluation — Las Vegas, NV |
Tue 13 —
Wed 14 |
IT10 — Electronic Still Picture Imaging — Las Vegas, NV |
| June 2007 |
Wed
6 - Fri 8 |
I3A Annual Conference — Denver, Colorado |
Mon
25 - Fri 29 |
ISO/TC42 20th Plenary Meeting — Lausanne, Switzerland
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Industry Events
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| As a service to its members, I3A provides a listing of events affecting the imaging industry. |
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December 7, 2006
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 Camera Phone Image Quality Technical Forum
Stanford Center for Image Systems Engineering
Palo Alto, CA |
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December 8 - 11, 2006
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Photo Business Association
17th Photo Fair 2006
Bangkok, Thailand |
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January 5-8, 2007
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Nextgen Publishing
Digital Imaging & Technology 2007
New Delhi, India |
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January 8-11, 2007
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International Consumer
Electronics Show
2007 International CES
Las Vegas
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January 11-14, 2007
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AIPTA Photofair 2007
Mumbai, India |
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January 14-16, 2007 |
PPA
Imaging USA |
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January 19-21, 2007 |
SPAC
52nd Annual SPAC Show |
January 28 -
February 1, 2007
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Electronic Imaging 2007
San Jose, CA |
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January 29-30, 2007
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IMI
Ink Jet Academy: Theory of Ink Jet Technology |
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January 29-31, 2007 |
Lyra Research
The 2007 Lyra Imaging Symposium |
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January 31 - February 2, 2007 |
IMI
16th Annual Ink Jet Printing Conference |
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February 25-28, 2007 |
Mary Walker Exhibitions
Focus on Imaging 2007
Birmingham, UK |
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March 3-5, 2007
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IS&T
Int’l Symposium on Technologies for Digital Fulfillment
Las Vegas |
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March 6-7, 2007
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DIMA 2007
at PMA, Las Vegas |
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March 8-11, 2007 |
PMA 07
Las Vegas |
March 9, 2007
8:30 AM |
I3A Tech Forum
at PMA, Las Vegas |
March 9, 2007
6:30 PM |
I3A
Leadership Award Presentation and Spotlight Reception
at PMA, Las Vegas |
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March 22-25, 2007
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Photo Imaging Expo
2007
Tokyo |
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