the 2nd coming?
Aware, Inc. and ChipWrights Drive Image Compression Solution for Next-Generation Embedded Imaging Applications
SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 13, 2002--
Aware Ports its JPEG2000 Codec to ChipWrights' CWvx Architecture
Aware Inc., a leader in wavelet-based image and data compression technology, and ChipWrights, Inc., a leader in digital signal processing (DSP) technology for mobile imaging applications, announced today at the Embedded Systems Conference that Aware has ported its JPEG2000 codec to ChipWrights' recently-announced CWvx architecture. This technology represents a major advance in the embedded software implementation of JPEG2000, specifically targeted at wireless devices and digital cameras.
Images are inherently data-intensive and complex. Image compression solutions are a key element in addressing today's bandwidth and storage limitations and in enabling powerful yet portable imaging technology. Today's more powerful image sensors require higher compression ratios. JPEG2000 compress images to sizes that are 30 to 50 percent smaller than traditional JPEG, without sacrificing quality.
"The JPEG2000 standard is computationally complex, which is why the CWvx architecture is ideal," said Robert Mungovan, vice president of Aware's Advanced Products Group. "ChipWrights has developed a new approach that enables very efficient embedded image processing. Thus, ChipWrights' new processor, coupled with Aware's optimized JPEG2000 codec, will provide a flexible, standards-compliant, image compression solution for next- generation embedded imaging devices such as digital cameras and cell phones."
"Mobile imaging applications demand new, more flexible data compression techniques," said Steven J. Wilson, vice president of marketing, ChipWrights. "Aware's expertise in JPEG2000 and image compression software allowed us to rapidly develop support for this emerging standard to meet the demand the fast-growing digital imaging markets. This will help establish a new standard for visual communications utilizing the latest wavelet-based coding techniques. Such technology advancements will help lower the cost and improve the performance of next-generation mobile imaging devices."
The Aware codec is optimized and designed from the ground-up for embedded processors, with a very flexible and modular application program interface and DSP-friendly C Model. This software design allows embedded developers to select the code blocks that best leverage the specifics of their architecture while, at the same time, allows them to select the JPEG2000 encoding options that best fit their application.
About JPEG2000
JPEG2000 is an image compression standard ideal for embedded applications. Created by the Joint Photographic Experts Group (JPEG), JPEG2000 was adopted as an international standard by the ISO (International Organization for Standardization) and ITU (International Telecommunications Union) in January 2001. JPEG2000 is based on state-of-the-art wavelet technology, and offers a number of benefits over the original JPEG standard, including higher compression, error resilience, and a multi-resolution or multi-layered file format that enables a lower quality or smaller versions of the image to be extracted directly out of the compressed file, which is ideal for wireless applications. A lossless compression option coupled with a layered file format make it useful for applications that can tolerate no image data loss. Lossy and more compressed versions of the image can be stored in the lossless file, which is created by one encoding step. Each layer represents a fully viewable but incrementally higher quality version of the image. For more information on JPEG2000, please visit aware.com.
About Aware
Aware, Inc. designs, develops, licenses and markets a variety of wavelet transform-based data compression software products. Its solutions enable digital image, video and certain types of data to be compressed to between 1% and 10% of their original size for applications in law enforcement, multimedia, the oil and gas industry, medical image transmission, the Internet and wireless.
Aware, Inc. also designs, develops, licenses and markets DSL technology that enables broadband communications over existing telephone networks. The company licenses its DSL intellectual property and software to semiconductor manufacturers and equipment manufacturers who sell products incorporating Aware's technology. Aware also markets to systems companies to encourage them to design its technology into their products, and to service providers to encourage them to deploy new broadband services based on its technology. More information about Aware can be found at aware.com. |
