Admux: An Adaptive Multiplexing Framework for Haptic-Audio-Visual Communication

Abstract

Recent trends in multimedia applications strive to incorporate multi-modal media, such as audio, video, graphics, and haptics to enhance the user's experience. Traditionally, graphic images, audio, video, text and animations define the contents used in a multimedia system. Recently, researchers have made significant progress in advanced multimedia systems by incorporating virtual reality environments, haptics, and scent into the human computer interaction paradigm. However, each media is characterized by different and sometimes conflicting communication requirements (QoS requirements) that make the communication of multiple media data a real challenge. This thesis proposes Admux, an adaptive multiplexing framework and communication protocol for multimedia applications incorporating haptic, visual, auditory, and scent data for non-dedicated networks. First, Admux provides a standard description scheme for haptic-audio-visual applications using the Haptic Applications Meta Language (HAML) to grant the application an abstract access to the networking resources. Second, Admux uses a highly adaptive multiplexing scheme that adapts according to the application requirements, the media type (haptic, audio, video, etc), and the network conditions. Finally, the proposed framework enables dynamic media prioritization based on the application requirements and events. The simulation, as well as the implementation, evaluations have shown that Admux provides dynamic bandwidth allocation based on the network conditions, media type, and application events.