Over at Tel Aviv University, Dr. Alex Bronstein is developing a new way to detect pirated video using methods similar to the animal kingdom. By mapping a grid over the video and analyzing various aspects mathematically, he can create a type of “genetic code” that can then be used to determine similarities between other videos.
The technique is called “video DNA matching.” It detects aberrations in pirated video in the same way that biologists detect mutations in the genetic code to determine, for example, an individual’s family connections. The technique works by identifying features of the film that remain basically unchanged by typical color and resolution manipulations, and geometric transformations. It’s effective even with border changes, commercials added or scenes edited out
This can then provide a type of “similarity metric”, similar to geneology tests. The end result, he hopes, is a semi-automatic tool that can be used by the likes of YouTube and other studios to combat copyright infringement more effectively that current methods.
via Catching video pirates: Invisible DNA-like fingerprint on video assist law enforcement.
