CHALLENGE:
As home computers and the Internet gained popularity in the 1990s, the average PC couldn’t display the large files of photo-realistic images. And with the advent of digital cameras, large file sizes for photographs presented another problem: they were too big to be kept in limited camera storage. With the proliferation of computer technologies being used around the world, and the necessity to be able to view images on the Internet across a variety of devices, interoperability across systems and international borders was critical.
SOLUTION:
Technical experts began work on a joint international standard for the compression of continuous tone, grayscale, and color still images. The result was the publication of ISO/IEC 10918-1, Information Technology - Digital Compression and Coding of Continuous-tone Still Images: Requirements and Guidelines, providing the baseline for the JPEG image coding standard. Compressing images for more convenient storing and sharing, JPEGs can display 16.8 million colors while staying relatively small in size—allowing files to be transferred seamlessly and websites to be loaded quickly.
After the publication of the JPEG standard, the development committee has continued their work, delivering innovative imaging standards that serve new requirements in imaging applications. Subsequent standards have addressed image search and retrieval; coding of audio, picture, and multi- and hyper-media information; and high-dynamic range imagery.
IMPACT:
JPEG was quickly embraced by the growing population of image-heavy websites on the Internet, and it has maintained its popularity over the years. Today, JPEG is the most common image format for storing and transmitting photographic images on the World Wide Web, used by 77.1% of websites that rank in the top 1,000,000. It’s also the most common image format used by digital cameras and other photographic image capture devices. As an international standard, the JPEG file format provides unmatched interoperability for users worldwide and is compatible with most browsers, software, and apps.
Source(s):
Guidelines:
Case studies will be added to the Standards Boost Business webpage at ANSI’s discretion.