Stand N223, NAB 2012

WMG at the University of Warwick and spin out company, goHDR, will be exhibiting their cutting-edge video imaging technology at the world’s largest electronic media show in April. goHDR’s High Dynamic Range (HDR) video technology enables the image detail that is typically lost in the glare of bright light and in deep shadow on standard High Definition (HD) video to be revealed with the same clarity as seen by the human eye.

WMG and goHDR have been invited to showcase their HDR research at the NAB Show®, in Las Vegas, from 14-19 April. goHDR has already released a free beta version of its HDR viewer and will be demonstrating the latest advances, including 3D-HDR, from its research laboratories.

HDR video can capture ‘real world’ lighting without losing any detail in widely contrasting lighting conditions, so you can clearly see the football when it is kicked from sunshine into the shadow of the stadium. That requires five times as much data capture as ordinary video, equivalent to a CD of data a second. goHDR’s software technology solves the problem of how to compress, manage and display the huge data stream produced by HDR video cameras, making it possible to see high image detail and quality that exceeds standard HD technology.

Alan Chalmers, Professor of Visualisation and Innovation Director at goHDR, says: “We are going to be demonstrating a number of research prototypes at the NAB Show that we believe will enable a step change in TV viewing that has been waiting to happen for a number of years. Kicking off this revolution is our media viewer which you can download for free from our website. Our encoding software will shortly be available for license by camera manufacturers and broadcasters.”

He adds: “We are very excited to be demonstrating what HDR technology is capable of. This exhibition was the springboard for the first High Definition TV broadcast back in 1996. Our HDR technology, including our very latest 3D-HDR system, is as significant as that development and we are delighted to be presenting it at the same show.”

The NAB Show, run by the US National Association of Broadcasters boasts more than 1,500 exhibitors and an expected 90,000 attendees from 150 countries.

goHDR was set up in 2009 with assistance from Warwick Ventures, the University of Warwick’s technology commercialisation arm and is founded on research carried out by WMG. The company has produced a number of short films demonstrating HDR imaging, which can be viewed on the website.

Professor Chalmers explains: “You need to be able to see this technology in action to appreciate the difference it will make to people’s viewing experience. goHDR has access to the world’s first HDR camera capable of capturing 20 f-stops at 30 frames a second, and we have produced some short film clips that demonstrate what the future of cinematography can be with such technology.

About 3D-HDR

Traditional imaging techniques are incapable of capturing accurately or displaying the wide range of lighting in the real world. Some areas may be under-exposed and others over-exposed. High Dynamic Range (HDR) imaging technologies are an exception. HDR can capture and deliver a wider range of real-world lighting to provide a significantly enhanced viewing experience.

Stereoscopy or 3D, on the other hand, is an imaging technique which enables or improves the illusion of depth by presenting two offset images to each of the viewer’s eyes. It has been shown to provide a strong cue for distance judgements and is capable of improving task performance.

3D-HDR, also known as Stereoscopic High Dynamic Range (SHDR), has the potential of bringing these diverse technologies together, exploiting the advantages of both. This novel imaging method with an unprecedented level of realism has the potential to deliver both improved depth perception and a realistic representation of the scene lighting.

www.gohdr.com