EE382C Embedded Software Systems - Complexity Distortion Theory Project

Brian L. Evans


Complexity Distortion Theory Project

A study of Complexity Distortion Theory, which is the tradeoff between rate-distortion performance in a compression system and computational complexity in a model of computation.
Information theory (Shannon) <----> Computing theory (Turing)
This is where information theory meets the theory of computing.

A key recent reference:

I also have copies of three journal papers on the topic submitted by Prof. Eleftheriadis at Columbia University. Columbia University is involved in Complexity Distortion Theory because of their work in the emerging MPEG-4 standard. In MPEG-4, they have the responsibility of developing the syntax for extending functionality of decoders. That is, they have to define a syntax that is general enough to support the MPEG IV coding toolset, but simple enough to be implemented on a virtual machine running on programmable processors in the decoder. A good example of a highly efficient software implementation of an MPEG-2 video encoder with improved rate-distortion performance is described in the following paper:


Last updated 01/26/98.