NOT offered in Spring 2010

VIP call-out meeting posters:

• Spring 2008 - Original vs. Copy team
• Spring 2008 - Inkjet vs. Laser printing team
• Fall 2008 - Original vs. Copy team
• Fall 2008 - Inkjet vs. Laser printing team
• Spring 2009 - Data embedding team
• Spring 2009 - Image forensics team

GOALS: (1) To securely print and trace documents on low cost consumer printers such as inkjet and electrophotographic (laser) printers. Many types of printed documents need to be "secure" or traceable to the printer that was used to print them. Printed material is a direct accessory to many criminal and terrorist acts. Examples include forgery or alteration of documents used for purposes of identity, security, or recording transactions. (2) To determine property of images taken with a digital still camera. Law enforcement requires the inspection of computers to decide ownership of child pornography images and corrupted or counterfeited electronic media. Examples include locating digital rights management, watermarked images and steganographic images.

TECHNOLOGIES: Inkjet and Electrophotographic (laser) printing. Flatbed and drum scanning. Digital cameras and photocopy. Image processing, information embedding and watermarking.

ACCOMPLISHMENTS/DELIVERABLES: This is a new VIP team. Currently, this group is working on the identification of copied documents based on scanned images of the original document and its copy. This subject is closely related to relevant research work accomplished by Prof. Allebach's and Prof. Delp's groups.

RESEARCH ISSUES: Explore different alternatives to identify counterfeiting and forgery. Trace documents to specific printers. Embed information on text or images without altering their quality.

TEAM ADVISORS: Faculty - Jan Allebach, Edward Delp; Graduate Student - Maria Ortiz.

SPONSORS: National Science Foundation (NSF)

PROJECT PARTNERS: Center for Wireless Systems and Applications (CWSA)

DESIRED DISCIPLINES AND PREPARATION: EE - Background/interest in imaging, image processing, multimedia; Programming skills would be helpful but are not required. CmpE, CGT, CS - Background/interest in databases, web programming, and/or graphics and print media. Experience in these areas would be helpful but is not required. MANAGEMENT, CFS - Background/interest in marketing and commercialization is desired.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: http://cobweb.ecn.purdue.edu/~prints/about