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[[Michael Barnsley]] led development of fractal compression in 1987, and holds several [[patent]]s on the technology.<ref> {{US patent|4941193}} – Barnsley and Sloan's first [[iterated function system]] patent, filed in October 1987</ref> The most widely known practical fractal compression algorithm was invented by Barnsley and Alan Sloan. Barnsley's graduate student Arnaud Jacquin implemented the first automatic algorithm in software in 1992.<ref>[http://www.cse.buffalo.edu/tech-reports/95-05.ps Using Fractal Coding to Index Image Content for a Digital Library] Tech report</ref><ref>Arnaud E. Jacquin. Image Coding Based on a Fractal Theory of Iterated Contractive Image Transformations. IEEE Transactions on Image Processing, 1(1), 1992.</ref>All methods are based on the [[fractal transform]] using [[iterated function system]]s. Michael Barnsley and Alan Sloan formed Iterated Systems Inc.<ref>Iterated Systems Inc. changed its name to [http://sec.edgar-online.com/2001/03/30/0000931763-01-000662/Section20.asp MediaBin Inc. Inc.] in 2001 and in turn was bought out by [http://www.interwoven.com Interwoven, Inc.] in 2003)</ref> in 1987 which was granted over 20 additional patents related to fractal compression.
[[Michael Barnsley]] led development of fractal compression in 1987, and holds several [[patent]]s on the technology.<ref> {{US patent|4941193}} – Barnsley and Sloan's first [[iterated function system]] patent, filed in October 1987</ref> The most widely known practical fractal compression algorithm was invented by Barnsley and Alan Sloan. Barnsley's graduate student Arnaud Jacquin implemented the first automatic algorithm in software in 1992.<ref>[http://www.cse.buffalo.edu/tech-reports/95-05.ps Using Fractal Coding to Index Image Content for a Digital Library] Tech report</ref><ref>Arnaud E. Jacquin. Image Coding Based on a Fractal Theory of Iterated Contractive Image Transformations. IEEE Transactions on Image Processing, 1(1), 1992.</ref>All methods are based on the [[fractal transform]] using [[iterated function system]]s. Michael Barnsley and Alan Sloan formed Iterated Systems Inc.<ref>Iterated Systems Inc. changed its name to [http://sec.edgar-online.com/2001/03/30/0000931763-01-000662/Section20.asp MediaBin Inc. Inc.] in 2001 and in turn was bought out by [http://www.interwoven.com Interwoven, Inc.] in 2003)</ref> in 1987 which was granted over 20 additional patents related to fractal compression.


A major breakthrough for Iterated Systems Inc. was the automatic fractal transform process which eliminated the need for human intervention during compression as was the case in early experimentation with fractal compression technology. In 1992 Iterated Systems Inc. received a $2.1 million government grant<ref>[http://statusreports.atp.nist.gov/reports/91-01-0057TEXT.html government grant]</ref> to develop a prototype digital image storage and decompression chip using fractal transform image compression technology.
A major breakthrough for Iterated Systems Inc. was the automatic fractal transform process which eliminated the need for human intervention during compression as was the case in early experimentation with fractal compression technology.


Still fractal image compression has been used successfully in a number of commercial applications. onOne Software developed under license from Iterated Systems Inc. Genuine Fractals 5<ref>[http://www.ononesoftware.com/detail.php?prodLine_id=2 Genuine Fractals 5] </ref> is a [[Photoshop]] plugin capable of saving files in compressed FIF (Fractal Image Format).
Still fractal image compression has been used successfully in a number of commercial applications. onOne Software developed under license from Iterated Systems Inc. Genuine Fractals 5<ref>[http://www.ononesoftware.com/detail.php?prodLine_id=2 Genuine Fractals 5] </ref> is a [[Photoshop]] plugin capable of saving files in compressed FIF (Fractal Image Format).

Revision as of 21:16, 29 February 2008

Fractal compression is a lossy image compression method using fractals to achieve high levels of compression. The method is best suited for photographs of natural scenes (trees, mountains, ferns, clouds). The fractal compression technique relies on the fact that in certain images, parts of the image resemble other parts of the same image. Fractal algorithms convert these parts into mathematical data called "fractal codes" which are used to recreate the encoded image. Fractal compression differs from pixel-based compression schemes such as JPEG, GIF and MPEG since no pixels are saved.

The encoding process is extremely computationally intensive, however, the decoding process is done in near real-time.

Michael Barnsley led development of fractal compression in 1987, and holds several patents on the technology.[1] The most widely known practical fractal compression algorithm was invented by Barnsley and Alan Sloan. Barnsley's graduate student Arnaud Jacquin implemented the first automatic algorithm in software in 1992.[2][3]All methods are based on the fractal transform using iterated function systems. Michael Barnsley and Alan Sloan formed Iterated Systems Inc.[4] in 1987 which was granted over 20 additional patents related to fractal compression.

A major breakthrough for Iterated Systems Inc. was the automatic fractal transform process which eliminated the need for human intervention during compression as was the case in early experimentation with fractal compression technology.

Still fractal image compression has been used successfully in a number of commercial applications. onOne Software developed under license from Iterated Systems Inc. Genuine Fractals 5[5] is a Photoshop plugin capable of saving files in compressed FIF (Fractal Image Format).

A characteristic of fractal compression Genuine Fractals 5 takes advantage of is that once an image is converted to fractal code it becomes resolution independent allowing images to be scaled up or down using the same compressed data. This method, known as "fractal zooming", can result in smaller storage requirements compared to saving files in their native resolutions. Resolution independence by way of geometric transformation of encoded images is a capability unique to fractal compression.

To date the most successful use of still fractal image compression is by Microsoft in its Encarta multimedia encyclopedia[6], also under license from Iterated Systems Inc.

During the 1990's Iterated Systems Inc. and it partners expended considerable resources to bring fractal compression to video. While compression results were promising computer hardware of that time lacked the processing power for fractal video compression to be practical. Up to 15 hours were required to compress a single minute of video.

ClearVideo also known as RealVideo[7] (Fractal) and SoftVideo were early fractal video compression products with limited commercial success mainly due to the excessive encoding resource requirements. In 1996 Iterated Systems Inc. announced[8] an alliance with the Mitsubishi Corporation to market ClearVideo to their Japanese customers. The original ClearVideo 1.2 decoder driver is still supported[9] by Microsoft in Windows Media Player and the decoder is currently available for download[10].

Interest in fractal video seemed to have disappeared due to lack of available information, however in 2007 Total Multimedia Inc. announced further development of its SoftVideo fractal codec, renaming it to TruDef.

With the significant increase in computer processing power since the 1990's it is now likely fractal video compression can be achieved in real time. Renewed interest in this often misunderstood technology is leading to further development.


See also

Notes

  1. ^ U.S. patent 4,941,193 – Barnsley and Sloan's first iterated function system patent, filed in October 1987
  2. ^ Using Fractal Coding to Index Image Content for a Digital Library Tech report
  3. ^ Arnaud E. Jacquin. Image Coding Based on a Fractal Theory of Iterated Contractive Image Transformations. IEEE Transactions on Image Processing, 1(1), 1992.
  4. ^ Iterated Systems Inc. changed its name to MediaBin Inc. Inc. in 2001 and in turn was bought out by Interwoven, Inc. in 2003)
  5. ^ Genuine Fractals 5
  6. ^ Mathematics Awareness Week - April 1998 reference to Microsoft's Encarta fractal image compression
  7. ^ RealNetworks ClearVideo press release
  8. ^ Mitsubishi Corporation ClearVideo press release
  9. ^ Microsoft's ClearVideo support
  10. ^ ClearVideo codec download


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