Video geotagging format (WebVMT)

[tidoust]

The Web Video Map Tracks Format is a proposal for a text format derived from WebVTT that allows to associate geotagging information with a video, for instance to synchronize video playback with movement on a map.

The proposal was raised by Rob Smith (@rjksmith) and is being discussed in the Spatial Data on the Web Interest Group. See:

• Minutes of video geotagging format discussions during SDW IG F2F in Amersfoort, 20 February 2018
• Presentation slides in PDF

@rjksmith is working on an explainer document.

[tidoust]

@rjksmith prepared an WebVMT Explainer document

[rjksmith]

Plenary WebVMT Status Update

1. Explanatory specification first draft now published to engage interested communities and capture the evolving solution here.
2. Community outreach to the OGC Unmanned System Domain Working Group (UXS DWG) has produced an invitation to present at the OGC TC in Orleans, 19-22 March 2018.

[rjksmith]

WebVMT Status Update

1. The presentation to the OGC Unmanned System Domain Working Group (UXS DWG) was well received and produced valuable feedback.
2. YouTube integration of the browser playback tech demo, using Google's IFrame API, has now been successfully completed. Embedded videos can be streamed directly from YouTube's website, with WebVMT functionality provided on the local site, as detailed in the explanatory specification.
3. A new Crisis Response use case has been identified to enable the local population to document problems in a crisis area, for the benefit of relief co-ordinators, by using a smartphone app to record and share video information with accurate geospatial data in a common format.
4. A video capture tech demo mobile app has been created in response to the open call in the CrisisHack 2018 event, held at the Geovation Hub in London, 26-28 April 2018, as a successful proof of concept and for integration testing.
5. Community outreach effort is ongoing, with new contacts identified.

[tidoust]

Moving to Incubation following Spatial Data on the Web IG resolution during F2F.

[rjksmith]

WebVMT Status Update

1. The Area Survey use case has been updated to include rapid geo-indexing, using the small VMT file to index the large associated video file.
2. Support for user-loaded local files (video and VMT) has been added to the browser playback tech demo, which allows files recorded by a video capture app to be easily viewed in a webpage.
3. Progress was reported to the SDW IG at OGC TC in Fort Collins, 5-6 June 2018, including updates to use cases, technical demos and community engagement activities, and the presentation slides are available here.
4. SDW IG responded by voting to promote WebVMT to 'incubation' in the W3C Strategy Funnel.
5. Community outreach effort is ongoing, with a new website proposed to act as a focus for public engagement and as a platform for technical demos.

[rjksmith]

WebVMT Status Update

1. Progress Made

   1. Attended the Drone Futures conference on 13 June at Tech UK in London to engage with the drones community. Received good feedback on the WebVMT concept from manufacturers and users, with interest shown in the forthcoming website (item 1.ii), and identified some interesting new use cases.

   2. Made good headway with creating a public-facing website for WebVMT, to help engage communities, promote the format and encourage uptake. Planned pages include a features overview, several technical demonstrations, including YouTube integration, and a development blog.

   3. Created a Content Management System (CMS) plugin for easy integration of the WebVMT playback engine with the website (item 1.ii).

   4. Fixed a bug in the YouTube tech demo, resulting from anomalous API behaviour during pause.

   5. Identified a number of strategic and principal OGC members to approach regarding OGC Test Bed activities, as suggested at SDW IG meeting on 6 June in Fort Collins.

2. Next Steps

   1. Complete the WebVMT website implementation, and go live.

   2. Use the website as a focal point for community engagement activities to publicise the format and to inform key players, particularly those who can help move it forward through the standardisation process, early adopters and those interested in suitable Test Bed work.

   3. Develop the WebVMT specification to address outstanding issues and community feedback, including new drone use cases.

3. Help Requested

   1. Identify suitable points of contact in OGC member organisations - particularly strategic and principal members. Candidates include ESA, NASA, Ordnance Survey, Airbus, Esri, Geoscience Australia and Google, though other suggestions are also welcome.

   2. Find appropriate representation in the OGC Disasters CDS, as described in issue #1048.

[6a6d74]

@rjksmith - looks like you're making good progress. Did you get any of the "help requested"?
Additionally, I note that

• @MichaelGordon was going to provide an introduction to DSTL; did this happen?
• @lvdbrink suggested arranging a slot in the OGC Defence and Intelligence WG; did you consider this?
• there is a GitHub repo for OGC Testbed ideas (new ideas seem to be added as Issues) - did you look at this? (I don't see WebVMT on the list)

[rjksmith]

@6a6d74 Thanks for following up on this. No, I'm awaiting responses to my help requests.

• I've heard no news from @MichaelGordon.
• @lvdbrink Are you proposing a general introduction to WebVMT, or do you think there's a particular use case/aspect of interest to D&I DWG?
• I've not yet raised any WebVMT issues on the OGC Testbed ideas repo, as I thought it better to discuss with suitable OGC contacts first, to get an understanding of their aims and interests, for the best chance of success.

[rjksmith]

The community engagement website, proposed at the Fort Collins meeting in June, is now live at webvmt.org, with a features overview, blog and tech demos including:

• an introduction to WebVMT, filmed on location in Farnborough - the birthplace of British aviation;
• London to Brighton by train in 4 minutes, demonstrating YouTube integration.

[rjksmith]

WebVMT Status Update

1. Progress Made

   1. Established WebVMT community engagement website at webvmt.org - see details above.

   2. Refactored Javascript playback engine demo to support user-generated content loading.

   3. Added a new use case to the Editor's Draft for dashcams: Fastest Lap

   4. Added a mobile demo to the WebVMT website to display user-generated video with a map in a webpage, with downloadable sample content.

   5. Continued community outreach activities, using the WebVMT website as a focal point.

2. Next Steps

   1. Identify more activities to help progress towards the standardisation track.

   2. Update the Javascript playback engine demo to the latest Editor's Draft.

   3. Create a draft implementers' guide, outlining the syntax as an API reference document to help early adopters.

3. Help Requested

   1. Identify suitable WebVMT ideas to raise in the OGC Test Bed Ideas repo and determine which OGC members are interested in its development. w3c/sdw: Issue #1063

   2. @lvdbrink Discuss the proposed context for a WebVMT presentation to the OGC Defence and Intelligence WG and arrange a slot at their September meeting in Stuttgart.

   3. Identify suitable ideas for a WebVMT breakout session at TPAC in Lyons in October. w3c/sdw: Issue #1064

[rjksmith]

WebVMT Status Update

1. Progress Made

   1. Added a new use case to the Editor's Draft for dashcams: Police Evidence
   2. Updated Editor's Draft to include the TIMELINE block which links the VMT file to a media file: w3c/sdw: Issue #1035
   3. Community outreach to the Defence & Intelligence Domain Working Group has produced an invitation to present at the OGC TC in Stuttgart, 10-14 September 2018. Thanks to @lvdbrink for her help.
   4. Successfully recruited the first early adopter of WebVMT.
   5. Added MapBox GL API support to the Javascript playback engine.

2. Next Steps

   1. Add data model and file format sections to the Editor's Draft.
   2. Propose a suitable topic for a WebVMT breakout session at TPAC in Lyons in October. w3c/sdw: Issue #1064.
   3. Update the Javascript playback engine to the latest Editor's Draft.
   4. Continue community outreach and identify more activities to help progress towards the standardisation track.

[rjksmith]

WebVMT Status Update

1. Progress Made

   1. Presented WebVMT to Defence & Intelligence DWG and Emergency & Disaster Management DWG (including Law Enforcement and Public Safety DWG) at OGC Stuttgart on 10 September, which was well received. Thanks to @lvdbrink for her support.
   2. Registered to participate in the W3C Developer Meetup demos at TPAC in Lyon on 22 October.
   3. Presented WebVMT to the Media Timed Events Task Force telecon on 17 September, which generated useful feedback. Subsequently contributed presentation and indexing use cases to their GitHub issue and invited to participate in the Media Timed Events meeting at TPAC in Lyon on 22 October. Thanks to @tidoust for his support.
   4. Started the first draft of data model and file format documentation for the Editor's Draft.
   5. Integrated Ordnance Survey's Open Zoomstack trial data with the Javascript playback engine.

2. Next Steps

   1. Propose a breakout session for TPAC Lyon, entitled 'Video Metadata Cues Including Geolocation', based on the discussion in w3c/sdw Issue #1064.
   2. Complete the data model and file format documentation in the Editor's Draft before the TPAC meeting in October - w3c/sdw Issue #1075, incorporating feedback from w3c/sdw Issues #1035, #1049 & #1077.
   3. Update the Javascript playback engine to the latest Editor's Draft.
   4. Continue community outreach and identify more activities to help progress towards the standardisation track.

[rjksmith]

TPAC Breakout Session: Video Metadata Cue Support Including Geolocation

A breakout session was proposed at TPAC Lyon, 24 October 2018, to investigate the use of HTML timed text track metadata for geolocation support, with WebVMT as a particular use case. Requirements for the emerging markets are identified in the Editor's Draft use cases, also listed on the WebVMT.org website.

The key issue is whether existing metadata cues can provide support for general metadata, with a suitable identifier to discriminate different types, or whether a special type is required for geolocation support.

A collaborative approach was proposed between Spatial Data on the Web and the Media & Entertainment IGs within a Web Incubator Community Group activity to investigate this issue and prototype a solution.

• Presentation Slides
• Minutes

Many thanks to all concerned for their help and support.