Video communication theory represents a growing discipline within modern scientific thought. It includes a diverse range of fields, such as developmental psychology, human-computer interaction, information storage and artificial intelligence. The core of the theory deals with the technology of the transmission of information, whether between people, between machines and people (in either direction), or between machines. It is an adjunct of communication theory, which covers everything from the written word to digital media; in this case, the medium concerned is that of visually recorded information, in the form of videos which are digitally encoded, stored, transmitted and recalled.
Visual Communication Theory
“Visual” communication theory is a distinct field all its own. It is a specialized discipline which involves the means by which information is conveyed visually. It is less focused on the medium than it is on the information itself: how it is conveyed, processed and applied. As such, the two specializations often tie in closely to one another: a solid understanding of visual communication theory is necessary to get any benefit from a specialized approach based on digital video technology. By synchronizing visual and auditory feeds, a number of processing tasks within artificial intelligence become greatly simplified; this works for the same reason that humans evolved these processes in coordination with each other (as opposed to, for example, hearing and smell).
Scientific Applications
Visual communication, which a computer or other machine would almost certainly perceive through a digital video medium, represents one of the fundamental ways in which human interaction is achieved — with each other, as well as with our environment. There are many ways in which a machine could potentially receive information and map its environment, including through auditory means, as well as avenues not available to human beings (like radar). The use of digital video, however, allows the conveyance of information (and a means of processing it) which is relatable to people, smoothing the way for a more intuitive human-machine interactions. The more “like us” an artificial intelligence’s means of gathering and analyzing information is, the easier it will be to relate to it, and to convey information back and forth.
The Potential for Artistic Applications in the Digital World
The artistic angle of communication theory is often overlooked. We know, for example, that many people demonstrate predictable musical preferences based on how they translate into electrical activity within the brain; these are patterns that can be mapped, and are widely used to create new popular music that — while often lacking innovation — is nonetheless successful. Communication theory in music is a viable specialization within the communications field, and it raises the question of the use of music (or something like it) to convey information between artificially intelligent software and machines. Some of the same principles that are involved in this branch of communication theory may have relatable applications across visual media, a hypothesis supported by the existence of similar predictable predilections regarding visual art.
Video communication theory explores the ways in which information can be conveyed, between any combination of human and AI audiences, through a video-based medium. As such, it ties into the crafting of intuitive human-computer interfaces, and is heavily involved in ongoing research and development within the AI specialization of artificial perception.
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