TABLE OF CONTENTS In this new millenium, scarcely a week passes where we do not hear an announcement of some new technological breakthrough in the areas of digital computation and telecommunication. Particularly exciting has been the participation of the general public in these developments, as affordable computers and the incredible explosion of the World Wide Web have brought a flood of instant information into a large and increasing percentage of homes and businesses. Indeed, the advent of broadband wireless devices is bringing these technologies into the pocket and purse. Most of this information is designed for visual consumption in the form of text, graphics, and pictures, or integrated multimedia presentations. Digital images and digital video are, respectively, pictures and movies that have been converted into a computer-readable binary format consisting of logical Os and Is. Usually, by an image we mean a still picture that does not change with time, whereas a video evolves with time and generally contains moving and/or changing objects. Digital images/video are usually obtained by converting continuous signals into digital format, although "direct digital" systems are becoming more prevalent. Likewise, digital visual signals are viewed using diverse display media, included digital printers, computer monitors, and digital projection devices.
The frequency with which information is transmitted, stored, processed, and displayed in a digital visual format is increasing rapidly, and as such, the design of engineering...
