Enriched access to digital audiovisual content

This paper presents access engine to digital audio and related content developed under IST FP6 project EASAIER. The main driving force for the project was the lack of qualitative solutions for access to digital sound archives. An innovative remote access system which extends beyond standard content management and retrieval systems, addresses a range of issues identified, such as inconsistent formats of archived materials with related media often in separate collections and related metadata given in non-standard specialist format, incomplete or even erroneous. The system focuses on sound archives, libraries, museums, broadcast archives, and music schools, but the tools may be used by anyone interested in accessing archived material; amateur or professional, regardless of the material involved. The system functionalities; enhanced cross media retrieval, multi-media synchronisation, audio and video processing, analysis and visualisation tools, enable the user to experiment with the materials in exciting new ways.