VisGenie is a generic video based information visualization system on computers running Microsoft Windows operating systems. capable of rendering video data in a manner suitable for the research / development purpose instead of entertainment, and visualizing the associated metadata streams. For this purpose VisGenie provides three basic functions.

Firstly, it offers extreme convenience to build up demos with multimedia visualization support from a bunch of aspects, such as media rendering, curves, objects, images, browsers, and 3D scenes. All of these can be finished by merely mouse clicking and dragging.

Secondly, VisGenie provide its own SDK so that you can create video analysis platforms or build up prototype products instantly. VisGenie also provide integrated support for Visual C++ and Matlab to create "VisGenie+VC" or "VisGenie+Matlab" projects. These features release you from the tedious system framework construction, improve the working efficiency significantly, and let you focus more on the kernel parts of your creative missions.

Lastly, for advanced users, it is possible to customize VisGenie, such as modify current visualization components or even create your own components, to satisfy the particular requirement of you. All of these make VisGenie a convenient, powerful, and flexible video information visualization system.

Some special features are highlighted below:

Rendering all video (image) files recognized by your Microsoft Media Player.
Supporting YUV file rendering directly in your Media Player.
Visualizing video signal and associated metadata through a bunch of visualization components
Providing a bunch of image formats for convenient processing.
Creating demos by merely mouse clicking.
Constructing video analysis applications immediately.
Integrating Visual C++ and Matlab into VisGenie projects.
And more...

In academic and industrial areas there exist a lot of application scenarios that require video based information visualization. For example, a project manager (or professor) working on video coding algorithms wants to make an attractive demo in his presentation showing the visual quality improvement by playing two videos simultaneously to compare the visual qualities and PSNR curves. A researcher working on video object detection wants to have a convenient system that can display video input, analysis procedure, and the detection results in an integrated environment. Unfortunately so far there are no systematic solutions to provide easy-to-use while powerful support to such quite diverse demand. To be more specific, some popular tools are introduced in a separate page for an insight view.

VisGenie was inspired by such desire, which was firstly launched as a course project, and then improved during the research and development work in the DVMM group at Columbia University.

We believe the researchers / developers from the following areas can benefit a lot from using VisGenie: image processing, computer vision, machine learning, pattern recognition, video coding, transcoding, retrieval, understanding, management, etc.

If your task is to create demos, virtually there is no pre-requirement to use VisGenie. Fundamental Microsoft Windows experience is enough because the only thing you need to do is to click your mouse. In order to realize simple video analysis applications, some basic coding skill in C/C++ is necessary so that you can implement your kernel video analysis algorithms. For advanced VisGenie functions, such as building up complex video analysis platforms, or customizing VisGenie, some knowledge about GDI drawing, Platform APIs, DirectShow, COM, and OpenGL is recommended.

The latest VisGenie release can be obtained for FREE from the download page.

 

	For problems or questions regarding this web page please contact with me at ywang AT ee DOT columbia DOT edu.
	Copyright © By Yong Wang All Rights Reserved
	Last updated: March 1st, 2005