Irene Cheng, PhD
Contact
Professor, Faculty of Science - MSc Multimedia
- locheng@ualberta.ca
Overview
Area of Study / Keywords
Remote sensed data analysis Human perception and intelligence in multimedia computing Multimedia data science Healthcare Signal analysis Adaptive learning
About
Education
- Post Doc, Computer and Information Science (CIS), University of Pennsylvania, 2007
- Ph.D., Computing Science, University of Alberta, 2005
- M.Sc., Computing Science, University of Alberta, 1999
- B.Sc., Computing Science, University of Alberta, 1996
Additional Positions
- Scientific Director, Multimedia Research Centre https://mrc.science.ualberta.ca/
- Director, Masters with Specialization in Multimedia Program website: http://mmgrad.org/
- Research Affiliate, Glenrose Rehabilitation Hospital
- NSERC Computer Science Evaluation Group committee member
Research
Multimedia Research Group: http://crome.cs.ualberta.ca/mrc/
Areas
Remote Sensing Data Science
Human Perception in Data Science
Multimedia Graphics & Visualization
Computer Vision, Pattern Recognition and Multimedia Communications
Interests
My research interests include multimedia data transmission and Quality of Experience (QoE), mesh simplification and Levels-of-Detail, 3DTV, 3D textured mesh visualization, image processing and adaptive learning/assessment. I introduced the concept of Just-Noticeable-Difference (JND) and Relative Change on 3D TexMesh in the scale-space domain - validated following psychophysical two-alternative-choice methodology.
Summary
My research focus is on the analysis of multimedia patterns and their human perceptual impacts on real-world applications, e.g., animation, education, surveillance and healthcare. My techniques are built upon mathematical formulations like Random-Walks, Set Partitioning in Hierarchical Tree (SPIHT), Conditional Random Field (CRF), Scale-Space Filtering and Just-Noticeable-Difference (JND). Projects include: Improved automatic multi-exposure image fusion and correspondence; introduced perceptually enhanced techniques for automatic segmentation using visual cues and for enhancing medical or photographic image quality; motion capture data compression and transmission; multi-object tracking. The Computer Reinforced Online Multimedia Education (CROME) framework, which focused on adaptive learning/assessment, was designed and prototyped during the period from 2006-2012. More recent research is focused on Intelligent Analysis of Signal Decomposition and Aggregation in different application domains, which include satellite signal (InSAR) filtering and coherence estimation, LiDAR point cloud modelling, Parkinson's Disease progress tracking, vital sign pattern recognition and pressure injury monitoring.
Announcements
The MSc with Specialization in Multimedia Program provides students opportunities to work on practical applied projects with industries, and provides companies with skillful & knowledgeable students to participate in company projects. Visit http://www.mmgrad.org for detail.
Courses
MM 803 - Image and Video Processing
Quality assessment of image and video (or 3D data) is essential in many applications, which deliver educational content, medical images, games, movies, video-on-demand and so on. In order to generate high quality image and video, especially given the sheer volume of consumer demand and under constrained resources, e.g., time and bandwidth, it is necessary to understand the image and video processing pipeline from the initial creation limitations to the final display at the receiver. This course focuses on reviewing various image/video processing techniques, as well as the quality assessment metrics proposed in the literature. Sections offered at an increased rate of fee assessment; refer to the Tuition and Fees page in the University Regulations sections of the Calendar.
MM 806 - Virtual Reality and Tele-Presence
Virtual reality and augmented reality can provide an immersive environment where many scenarios can be simulated. For example, manufacturing and engineering tasks, medical planning and training, art and design, rehabilitation, Physics, Biology and Chemistry concept exploration and many others can benefit from a virtual reality environment . This course focuses on the challenges of setting up a user friendly virtual reality scene where users can interact in an intuitive and natural way. The use of interactive techniques and sensor-based devices, such as haptic and head-mount display, in creating a virtual environment for scientific analysis, visualization exploration and Tele-presence, as well as how mobile users can participate in these applications, will be discussed. Sections offered at an increased rate of fee assessment; refer to the Tuition and Fees page in the University Regulations sections of the Calendar.
MM 807 - Multimedia Project I
Sections offered at an increased rate of fee assessment; refer to the Tuition and Fees page in the University Regulations sections of the Calendar.
MM 807B - Multimedia Project I
Sections offered at an increased rate of fee assessment; refer to the Tuition and Fees page in the University Regulations sections of the Calendar.
MM 808 - Multimedia Project II
Sections offered at an increased rate of fee assessment; refer to the Tuition and Fees page in the University Regulations sections of the Calendar.
MM 808B - Multimedia Project II
Sections offered at an increased rate of fee assessment; refer to the Tuition and Fees page in the University Regulations sections of the Calendar.
MM 809 - Multimedia Supplementary Project
Sections offered at an increased rate of fee assessment; refer to the Tuition and Fees page in the University Regulations sections of the Calendar.
MM 809B - Multimedia Supplementary Project
Sections offered at an increased rate of fee assessment; refer to the Tuition and Fees page in the University Regulations sections of the Calendar.
MM 811 - AI in Multimedia
Artificial Intelligence (AI) in multimedia covers a wide range of topics. In general, it means simulating human intelligence using computer algorithms. This course introduces a high level understanding of machine learning/deep learning, which is a branch of AI. The instructor may decide to include reinforcement learning and other aspects of neural networks, as well as natural language processing depending on the course schedule. Sections offered at an increased rate of fee assessment; refer to the Tuition and Fees page in the University Regulations sections of the Calendar.
Scholarly Activities
Other - Advisory Board Member
Started: 2019
Alberta Artificial Intelligence Association (Alberta AI)
Research - Associate Editor
2015 to 2018
IEEE SMC Transactions on Human-Machine Systems
Research - Chair
2009 to 2011
IEEE Northern Canada Section, Engineering in Medicine and Biological Science (EMBS) Chapter
Research - Committee Member
2011 to 2019
IEEE ICME Steering Committee
Research - Committee Member
2020 to 2023
NSERC DG Computer Science Evaluation Group
Research - Director of the Review Editorial Board/ Chair of the Interest Group on Quality of Experience
2010 to 2014
IEEE Communication Society, Multimedia Communication Technical Committee (MMTC)
Research - General Chair (2011)/ Technical Chair (2013)
IEEE International Conference on Multimedia (ICME)
Research - IEEE SMC 2017 Technical Program Chair
Research - Mitacs College of Reviewers
Started: 2010
Mathematics of Info Tech & Complex Systems, Accelerate Program
Admin - VP, Board of Directors
2017 to 2020
Norwood Chinese Education Association
Featured Publications
Z.R. Zhou, X.Y. Sun, F. Yang, Z. Wang, I. Cheng
IEEE Journal of Selected Topics in Applied Earth Observations and Remote Sensing (JSTARS) . 2025 January; 17 10.1109/JSTARS.2024.3361444
J. Billson, MD S. Islam, X.Y. Sun, I. Cheng
MDPI Remote Sensing Special Issue: Semantic Segmentation of High-Resolution Images with Deep Learning. 2023 February; 10.3390/rs15051253
G. Lugo Bustillo, N. Hajari and I. Cheng
Elsevier Array . 2022 December; 16 10.1016/j.array.2022.100247
Z. Deng, S.H. Hu, S.B Yin, Y.B. Wang, A. Basu and I. Cheng
The Institute of Engineering and Technology (IET) Image Processing. 2022 April; 16 (9):2330-2350 10.1049/ipr2.12491
Xinyao Sun, Aaron Zimmer, Subhayan Mukherjee, Parwant Ghuman and Irene Cheng
MDPI Remote Sensing Special Issue: Earth Environment Monitoring with Advanced Space-borne Synthetic Aperture Radar: New Architectures, Operational Modes and Processing Techniques. 2021 July; 13 (13):2615 10.3390/rs13132615
N. Hajari, Gabriel Lugo Bustillo, Harsh Sharma, Irene Cheng
MDPI Sensor, 2020 Sep. 20(18), . 2020 September; 20 (18)
S. Mukherjee, A. Zimmer, X.Y. Sun, P. Ghuman, I. Cheng
IEEE Geoscience and Remote Sensing Letters. 2020 July;
X.Y. Sun, A. Zimmer, S. Mukherjee, Navaneeth KK, P. Ghuman, I. Cheng
MDPI Remote Sensing. 2020 July; 12 (14):2340
Navaneeth Kamballur Kottayil, I. Cheng, Frederic Dufaux and A. Basu
Springer - Signal, Image and Video Processing.
N. Rossol, I. Cheng and A. Basu
IEEE Transactions on Human-Machine Systems. 46 (3):1-10
I. Cheng and P. Boulanger
IEEE Transactions on Multimedia. 8 (3):550-563
R. Shen, I. Cheng, J. Shi and A. Basu
IEEE Transactions on Image Processing. 20 (12):3634-3646
C. Leng, W. Xu, I. Cheng and A. Basu
IEEE Transactions on Image Processing. 24 (12):4862-4875
I. Cheng, L. Ying and A. Basu
IEEE Journal on Selected Areas in Communications. 30 (7):1184-1192
I. Cheng, Steven P. Miller, Emma G. Duerden, Kaiyu Sun, Vann Chau, Elysia Adams, Kenneth J. Poskitt, Helen M. Branson, Anup Basu
Elsevier Journal NeuroImage: Clinical. 7