Seadragon Software
Encyclopedia
Seadragon was a team within the Microsoft Live Labs
. Seadragon is a web optimized visualization technology that allows graphics and photos to be smoothly browsed, regardless of their size. Seadragon is the technology powering Microsoft’s Silverlight, Pivot, Photosynth and the standalone cross-platform Seadragon application for iPhone and iPad.
Seadragon technology allows one to view extremely large and high resolution images without the loading time or latency typically associated with large images. The developers behind Seadragon also allow users to upload photos and create their own Seadragon style image to be viewed online.
, Sand Codex moved to Seattle in 2004 to accommodate founder Blaise Agüera y Arcas's wife's new role at the University of Washington
.
In 2005 Sand Codex received $4 million in angel
and venture capital
funding, including $2 million from the Madrona Venture Group. It was after this injection of capital that the company changed its name to Seadragon Software.
In early 2006, Seadragon Software was acquired by Microsoft
and organized within the newly formed Live Labs, a midpoint between Microsoft's online product groups and MSR
, under Dr. Gary William Flake.
Silverlight 2 released in 2007 with the Deep Zoom
feature. This marked the first publicly shipped Seadragon software. Seadragon made further contributions in Silverlight 3 and announced others for Silverlight 4
Photosynth launched the summer of 2008; almost 2 years after its Community Technology Preview, the public can now create and view synths. The Photosynth team officially broke off from Seadragon to join MSN
.
The Deep Zoom
feature of Microsoft's Silverlight technology is an adaptation of Seadragon technology.
Seadragon Mobile is an iPhone app created from Seadragon technology.
For the creation of Seadragon style content and images, when one uploads a picture it is converted into a number of Deep Zoom Image (DZI) format files which can be combined to make up a Deep Zoom Collection (DZC). This Deep Zoom Images creates a digital tiled mosaic, of small (256x256) images, with each tile representing a portion or layer or set of pixels of the image at one specific resolution. This Deep Zoom format allows for only the pixels needed for a particular view on the screen to be loaded at one particular time – this results in a more effective use of bandwidth and computer resources. This also means that the amount of data needing to be transferred at any one time is proportional to the number of pixels on the screen. This is an alternative to loading all the pixels (data) of an image all at once with standard image formats. The figurative “secret sauce” behind Seadragon is the technology that allows for the seamlessly smooth transition between the tiles and layers amongst the DeepZoom collection (DZC) files that make up an image.
Microsoft Live Labs
Microsoft Live Labs was a partnership between MSN and Microsoft Research that focused on applied research for Internet products and services at Microsoft. Live Labs was headed by Dr...
. Seadragon is a web optimized visualization technology that allows graphics and photos to be smoothly browsed, regardless of their size. Seadragon is the technology powering Microsoft’s Silverlight, Pivot, Photosynth and the standalone cross-platform Seadragon application for iPhone and iPad.
Seadragon technology allows one to view extremely large and high resolution images without the loading time or latency typically associated with large images. The developers behind Seadragon also allow users to upload photos and create their own Seadragon style image to be viewed online.
History
Founded in 2003, the company that would eventually become Seadragon Software was originally named Sand Codex. Based in Princeton, New JerseyPrinceton, New Jersey
Princeton is a community located in Mercer County, New Jersey, United States. It is best known as the location of Princeton University, which has been sited in the community since 1756...
, Sand Codex moved to Seattle in 2004 to accommodate founder Blaise Agüera y Arcas's wife's new role at the University of Washington
University of Washington
University of Washington is a public research university, founded in 1861 in Seattle, Washington, United States. The UW is the largest university in the Northwest and the oldest public university on the West Coast. The university has three campuses, with its largest campus in the University...
.
In 2005 Sand Codex received $4 million in angel
Angel investor
An angel investor or angel is an affluent individual who provides capital for a business start-up, usually in exchange for convertible debt or ownership equity...
and venture capital
Venture capital
Venture capital is financial capital provided to early-stage, high-potential, high risk, growth startup companies. The venture capital fund makes money by owning equity in the companies it invests in, which usually have a novel technology or business model in high technology industries, such as...
funding, including $2 million from the Madrona Venture Group. It was after this injection of capital that the company changed its name to Seadragon Software.
In early 2006, Seadragon Software was acquired by Microsoft
Microsoft
Microsoft Corporation is an American public multinational corporation headquartered in Redmond, Washington, USA that develops, manufactures, licenses, and supports a wide range of products and services predominantly related to computing through its various product divisions...
and organized within the newly formed Live Labs, a midpoint between Microsoft's online product groups and MSR
Microsoft Research
Microsoft Research is the research division of Microsoft created in 1991 for developing various computer science ideas and integrating them into Microsoft products. It currently employs Turing Award winners C.A.R. Hoare, Butler Lampson, and Charles P...
, under Dr. Gary William Flake.
Silverlight 2 released in 2007 with the Deep Zoom
Deep Zoom
Deep Zoom is a technology developed by Microsoft for efficiently transmitting and viewing images. It allows users to pan around and zoom in a large, high resolution image or a large collection of images. It reduces the time required for initial load by downloading only the region being viewed...
feature. This marked the first publicly shipped Seadragon software. Seadragon made further contributions in Silverlight 3 and announced others for Silverlight 4
Photosynth launched the summer of 2008; almost 2 years after its Community Technology Preview, the public can now create and view synths. The Photosynth team officially broke off from Seadragon to join MSN
MSN
MSN is a collection of Internet sites and services provided by Microsoft. The Microsoft Network debuted as an online service and Internet service provider on August 24, 1995, to coincide with the release of the Windows 95 operating system.The range of services offered by MSN has changed since its...
.
Implementations
Seadragon Ajax is a pure JavaScript implementation of the Seadragon technology. It is available as a standalone library and in an ACT for the .NET framework.The Deep Zoom
Deep Zoom
Deep Zoom is a technology developed by Microsoft for efficiently transmitting and viewing images. It allows users to pan around and zoom in a large, high resolution image or a large collection of images. It reduces the time required for initial load by downloading only the region being viewed...
feature of Microsoft's Silverlight technology is an adaptation of Seadragon technology.
Seadragon Mobile is an iPhone app created from Seadragon technology.
How Seadragon Works
Seadragon technology is based around two distinct platforms, one being Asynchronous JavaScript and XML the other being Microsoft’s Silverlight with DeepZoom application. Using the Silverlight version requires that the user downloads the Microsoft Silverlight application. Alternatively, the AJAX version requires only the standard JavaScript web plug-ins available in most browsers and portable devices. AJAX technology has allowed for the increased interaction and rich user experiences which are typically characteristic of Web 2.0 enabled websites.For the creation of Seadragon style content and images, when one uploads a picture it is converted into a number of Deep Zoom Image (DZI) format files which can be combined to make up a Deep Zoom Collection (DZC). This Deep Zoom Images creates a digital tiled mosaic, of small (256x256) images, with each tile representing a portion or layer or set of pixels of the image at one specific resolution. This Deep Zoom format allows for only the pixels needed for a particular view on the screen to be loaded at one particular time – this results in a more effective use of bandwidth and computer resources. This also means that the amount of data needing to be transferred at any one time is proportional to the number of pixels on the screen. This is an alternative to loading all the pixels (data) of an image all at once with standard image formats. The figurative “secret sauce” behind Seadragon is the technology that allows for the seamlessly smooth transition between the tiles and layers amongst the DeepZoom collection (DZC) files that make up an image.
File Format
All current implementations of Seadragon technology make use of the Deep Zoom Images, consisting of either a single Deep Zoom Image or a Deep Zoom Collection.Examples
- Photosynth uses Seadragon for its D3D viewer and Silverlight for its default viewer.
- PivotMicrosoft Live Labs PivotPivot is a software application from Microsoft Live Labs that allows users to interact with and search large amounts of data. It is based on Microsoft's Seadragon. It's been described as allowing users to view the web as a web rather than as isolated pages....
uses a combination of Seadragon and WPF to render images and collections. - ChronoZoom is a timeline for Big HistoryBig HistoryBig History is a field of historical study that examines history on large scales across long time frames through a multidisciplinary approach, focusing on both the history of the non-human world and on major adaptations and alterations in the human experience...
being developed for the International Big History Association by Microsoft ResearchMicrosoft ResearchMicrosoft Research is the research division of Microsoft created in 1991 for developing various computer science ideas and integrating them into Microsoft products. It currently employs Turing Award winners C.A.R. Hoare, Butler Lampson, and Charles P...
and originally by the University of California, BerkeleyUniversity of California, BerkeleyThe University of California, Berkeley , is a teaching and research university established in 1868 and located in Berkeley, California, USA...
and Microsoft Live LabsMicrosoft Live LabsMicrosoft Live Labs was a partnership between MSN and Microsoft Research that focused on applied research for Internet products and services at Microsoft. Live Labs was headed by Dr... - iBing (iTunes link) is the Bing search app for the iPhone. The mapping experience is built on top of the Seadragon Mobile.
- The Seadragon Showcase page lists a number of other examples live on the web.
- SimpleDLSimpleDLSimpleDL is digital collection management software that allows for the upload, description, management and access of digital collections and is UTF-8 compatible. SimpleDL is not limited by format and is capable of handling documents, PDFs, images, videos, audio files, and data only objects...
uses ajax seadragon for its image display.