SPECIALIZED APPLICATION SOFTWARE 4 CHAPTER SPECIALIZED APPLICATION SOFTWARE Competent end-users need to be aware of specialized applications These software products make it possible for people to create various products from home Advanced applications use multimedia, Web authoring, graphics programs, audio and video editing software, and artificial intelligence

Competencies Describe graphics software Discuss audio and video software Describe multimedia Explain Web authoring

Competencies cont. Describe the impact of artificial intelligence Discuss virtual reality and VRML Discuss knowledge-based (expert) systems Discuss robotics

Graphics Desktop publishing Image editors Illustration programs Image galleries Graphic suites Desktop publishers mix text and graphics Image editors modify bitmap image files Illustrators modify vector files Image galleries are libraries of electronic images Graphic suites bundle separate programs

Desktop Publishing Programs that allow you to create publications Mix text and graphics Professional quality Popular programs Adobe Page Maker Microsoft Publisher QuarkXPress These programs allow you to create documents such as brochures, newsletters, newspapers, and textbooks

Image Editors Programs for creating and editing bitmap images Bitmap images use dots or pixels to represent an image Bitmap images are also called raster images Popular programs Microsoft Paint Adobe Photoshop Corel PhotoPaint Known as paint programs Bitmap images use thousands of dots called pixels to represent images

Illustration Programs Programs used to create and edit vector images Drawing programs Vector images use geometric shapes or objects Popular programs Adobe Illustrator CorelDraw Macromedia FreeHand Micrografx Designer Known as drawing programs Used to create vector images Vector is another common type of graphic file While bitmap images use pixels, vector illustrations use geometric shapes These objects are created by connecting lines and curves

Image Galleries Libraries of electronic images Used for a variety of applications Two basic types Stock photographs Clip art Image galleries are libraries of electronic images Types of electronic images Stock photograph – photographs on a variety of subject materials Clip art – graphic illustrations representing a wide range of topics Most applications provide a limited selection of free clip art

Image Galleries Organization Site Art Today www.arttoday.com Broderbund www.broderbund.com Design Gallery Live www.dgl.microsoft.com GifArt www.gifart.com Graphics Maps www.graphicsmap.com There are many Web image galleries Some offer free images and clip art, while others charge a fee

Graphic Suites Bundled graphic programs Can buy a larger variety of graphics programs at a lower cost Popular suites CorelDraw Graphics Suite Corel's Graphic Pack Micrografx's ABC Graphic Suite These suites combine several graphic programs into one package for a lower cost CorelDraw Graphics Suite includes five individual Corel graphics programs plus clip art, media clips, and fonts

Audio and Video Video editing software Audio editing software Enhances digital video footage Apple's iMovie & Windows Movie Maker Audio editing software Creates and edits audio clips Can create your own MP3s SonicFoundry's ACID Music & Syntrillium Software's Cool Edit Digital video editing software makes it easy to make digital video into professional quality home movies You can create and edit your own movies Video Reorganize and add effects to footage Assemble and edit home movies Audio Create and edit audio clips Add audio effects Filter out pops or scratches

Multimedia The integration of a variety of media into one presentation Video Music Voice Graphics Text Should include user interactivity Multimedia presentations can include a variety of media and should include interactivity Interactivity allows the user to choose the information to view, to control the pace and flow of information, and to respond to items and give feedback Pages are linked by buttons Multimedia is used in video games, Web presentations, and even word processing documents Ask students to give examples of how multimedia is used in business and education

Multimedia Links & Buttons Links are connections to related information Can be video, sound, graphics, or text files Buttons are special areas that provide navigation

Developing Multimedia Presentations Plan Design Create Support Multimedia Authoring Program Plan – determine the objective of the project Design – create a storyboard for the project Storyboard is a design tool used to record the intended overall logic, flow, and structure of a multimedia presentation Create – use an authoring tool to create interactive multimedia presentations Support – evaluate effectiveness, identify errors, and revise the project as needed

Web Authoring Develop and create a web site Web site design Create a graphical map of overall content Add multimedia elements like animation Macromedia's Flash Morphing Creating a Web site is called Web authoring It is easy to create Web pages with the many Web authoring programs that are available A popular Web site is a Weblog Weblogs are Web pages with dated postings like a bulletin board Ask students about using Weblogs

Web Authoring Programs Known as Web page editors or HTML editors Provide support for Web site design Creates HTML coding Popular programs Macromedia Dreamweaver NetObjects Fusion Microsoft FrontPage These programs provide support for Web site design and HTML coding Without knowing HTML, you can create a Web page using one of these programs

Emerging Applications Artificial intelligence (AI) Attempts to simulate human senses, thought processes, and actions Designed to help people and organizations become more productive Three areas of AI Virtual reality Knowledge-based (expert) systems Robotics Artificial intelligence is a field of computer science Mimics or simulates human senses, thought processes, and actions Includes reasoning, learning from past actions, and using senses such as vision and touch

Virtual Reality Artificial or simulated reality Generated in 3-D by a computer Commonly known as VR, artificial reality, or virtual environments Virtual reality modeling language (VRML) Used to create real-time animated 3-D scenes Cosmos Worlds from Cosmos Software Known as VR, virtual reality simulates reality in 3-D VRML is used to create real-time animated 3-D scenes Many sites exist on the Web with virtual reality applications

Knowledge-Based (Expert) Systems Artificial intelligence that uses a database for assistance Database is known as a knowledge base Many use "fuzzy logic" These systems use a database, or knowledge-based system that contains facts, rules to relate these facts, and user input to formulate recommendations and decisions Fuzzy logic allows users to respond to questions in a very humanlike way These systems are used in areas such as: Medicine Geology Architecture Nature

Robotics The field of study concerned with using robots Robots are computer-controlled machines Mimic the motor activities of living things Three types of robots Perception systems Industrial robots Mobile robots Robots are used in factories, manufacturing, home security, the military, and many other fields of human endeavor Can be programmed to do more that one task Often used to handle dangerous, repetitive tasks Types of robots Perception – imitate some of the human senses Industrial – perform tasks Mobile – act as transport

A Look to the Future Artificial Intelligence Research is being done to give robots a sense of values so they can make decisions independently The Saya robot is under development in Tokyo The Saya robot is hoped to be used as a communication device similar to a Web cam Research is being done on giving robots a sense of values

Key Terms animation (101) artificial reality (105) artificial intelligence (105) audio editing software (98) bitmap image (96) buttons (100) clip art (97) desktop publishing program (96) drawing program (97) expert systems (106) flash (101) fuzzy logic (106) graphical map (101) graphics suite (98) HTML editors (104) illustration program (97) image editors (96)

Key Terms image gallery (97) immersive experience (106) industrial robots (107) interactivity (99) knowledge base (106) knowledge-based system (106) links (100) mobile robots (107) morphing (101) multimedia (99) multimedia authoring programs (100) page layout program (96) paint programs (96) perception systems (107) pixels (96) raster image (96) robotics (107) robots (107) story boards (100)

Key Terms stock photographs (97) structured problem (105) unstructured problems (105) vector (97) vector illustration (97) vector image (97) video editing software (98) virtual environments (105) virtual reality (105) virtual reality modeling language (VRML) (105) virtual reality wall (106) VR (105) Web authoring (101) Web authoring programs (104) Web page editors (104)

FAQs What is multimedia? What is an image editor? I want to create a professional looking brochure. What software program should I use? What can I use to edit my home movies? Why is interactivity important in a effective multimedia presentation?

Discussion Questions Describe the three areas of virtual reality. Discuss how robots are used today to fight crime. How can virtual reality help people with different fears and phobias? Discuss the advantages of using a Web authoring program. Do you still need to know how to code HTML?