c@173: 
c@173: # Piper
c@173: 
c@173: ## A protocol for driving audio feature extractors
c@173: 
c@173: Piper is a protocol for audio analysis and feature extraction. That
c@173: is, the task of processing sampled audio data to produce descriptive
c@173: output (measurements or semantic observations).
c@173: 
c@173: Piper defines a data schema and API that can be used for remote audio
c@173: feature extraction services, or for feature extractors loaded directly
c@173: into a host application.
c@173: 
c@173: Piper is intended to be used
c@173: 
c@173:  * as a programmatic interface for audio analysis and feature
c@173:    extraction methods for web applications and servers
c@173:  
c@173:  * to make [Vamp plugins](http://vamp-plugins.org), and feature
c@173:    extractors written in other languages such as Javascript, available
c@173:    through a service API or as loadable modules
c@173: 
c@173: The Piper schema is language- and serialisation-independent and the
c@173: API is transport-independent. We provide initial implementations using
c@173: JSON in Javascript and C++, and using Cap'n Proto in C++.
c@173: 
c@173: This repository contains the basic Piper schema. Implementations and
c@184: utilities can be found in neighbouring repositories.
c@173: 
cannam@206: The basic Piper schema is now in "shipping" state: it may be extended
cannam@206: in future, but always in ways that retain compatibility with existing
cannam@206: systems.
cannam@204: 
cannam@190: [![Build Status](https://travis-ci.org/piper-audio/piper.svg?branch=master)](https://travis-ci.org/piper-audio/piper)
cannam@190: 
c@173: ## Authors and licensing
c@173: 
c@173: Piper was made by Lucas Thompson and Chris Cannam at the Centre for
c@173: Digital Music, Queen Mary, University of London.
c@173: 
c@184: Copyright (c) 2015-2017 Queen Mary, University of London, provided
c@173: under a BSD-style licence. See the file COPYING for details.
c@173: