Delivery of Content

Large File Sizes Complicate Delivery of Images

The composite mosaics that are created by stitching PiAutoStage imagery may be tens to hundreds of MB in size. This presents a significant hurdle in delivering imagery to students or colleagues as these large files may be slow to download or may be inaccessible to those on data-limited connections. We have chosen to use Deep Zoom technology integrated with the OpenSeadragon webviewer as one solution that addresses some of these limitations.

Deep Zoom Images

Deep Zoom allows for streamlined viewing of high resolution images. It works by displaying only the area being observed, at a resolution approriate for the current magnification level. This method requires only small portions of the total image be displayed at a given time, thereby limiting the amount of data needing to be downloaded.

A blue recangle appears with a magnifying glass in the center. The blue rectangle then doubles in size. Four orange rectangles appear dividing the blue recagnle into quadrants. The upper left orange rectangle has magnifying glass in it. It then grows, and divides in the same manner into four green rectangles.
Tiling of the image and loading of only those tiles in the field of view, at a resolution required for the degree of magification.

OpenSeadragon

OpenSeadragon is "An open-source, web-based viewer for high-resolution zoomable images, implemented in pure JavaScript, for desktop and mobile."

OpenSeadragon is embedded into a webpage, allowing for easy delivery and viewing of materials.

We have successfully implemented OpenSeadragon to deliver teaching and research materials using learning management software (D2L) and standard Apache webservers. See the examples page for our implementations or view a wide range of uses on OpenSeadragon webpage.