The ImageTcl Multimedia Algorithm Development System

The ImageTcl multimedia development system is a new Tcl/Tk-based development environment specifically targeting development of high-performance multimedia data analysis algorithms. Multimedia algorithm development is complicated by large volumes of data, complex file formats, compression and decompression, and temporal synchronization. Testing algorithms requires elaborate user interfaces which can display intermediate and result images, play audio, and adjust parameters. ImageTcl uses the features of the Tcl/Tk environment as a base on which to build a system that significantly aids this process. This paper describes the ImageTcl approach to algorithm development and describes several applications of ImageTcl in the Dartmouth Experimental Visualization Laboratory (DEVLAB).