Reversible watermarking scheme with image-independent embedding capacity

Permanent distortion is one of the main drawbacks of all the irreversible watermarking schemes. Attempts to recover the original signal after the signal passing the authentication process are being made starting just a few years ago. Some common problems, such as salt-and-pepper artefacts owing to intensity wraparound and low embedding capacity, can now be resolved. However, some significant problems remain unsolved. First, the embedding capacity is signal-dependent, i.e., capacity varies significantly depending on the nature of the host signal. The direct impact of this is compromised security for signals with low capacity. Some signals may be even non-embeddable. Secondly, while seriously tackled in irreversible watermarking schemes, the well-known problem of block-wise dependence, which opens a security gap for the vector quantisation attack and transplantation attack, are not addressed by researchers of the reversible schemes. This work proposes a reversible watermarking scheme with near-constant signal-independent embedding capacity and immunity to the vector quantisation attack and transplantation attack

Device and method for monitoring vital signs

The present invention relates to a device (1) and method for monitoring vital signs of a subject. In particular, the device for monitoring vital signs (1) comprises an imaging unit (2) for obtaining image data (3) of said subject, an interface (7) for receiving motion data (8) of said subject and/or said imaging unit (2), a processing unit (4) for extracting vital signs (9) of said subject from said image data (3), and a control unit (5) for adapting parameters (6a, 6b) of said imaging unit (2) and/or said processing unit (4) based on the received motion data (8). A further aspect of the invention relates to a fitness device (10) comprising a device for monitoring vital signs (1) and a motion detection unit (13, 14, 15) for providing said device for monitoring vital signs (1) with motion data (8).</p

Device and method for extracting information from characteristic signals

The present invention relates to a device and a method for extracting information from detected characteristic signals. A data stream (76, 78, 80, 82) derivable from electromagnetic radiation (14) emitted or reflected by an object (11) is received and a plurality of characteristic index elements (50) varying over time can be extracted therefrom. The index elements (50) comprise physiological information (48) indicative of at least one at least partially periodic vital signal (12), and a disturbing signal component (58). For eliminating the disturbing signal component (58) to a great extent, the characteristic index elements (50) can be projected to a disturbance-reduced index element (64) having a distinct orientation in relation to a presumed orientation of the disturbing signal component (58). The disturbance-reduced index element (64) is chosen so as to reflect a dominant main orientation and length of the disturbing signal component (58) over time. Consequently, the mainly genuine physiological information (48) extracted from the data stream (76, 78, 80, 82) in this way can be utilized for determining the at least one at least partially periodic vital signal (12)

Video coding and decoding devices and methods preserving PPG relevant information

The present invention relates to a video encoding device (10, 10', 10") and method for encoding video data and to a corresponding video decoding device (60, 60') and method. To preserve PPG relevant information after encoding without requiring a large amount of additional data for the video encoder output stream, the proposed video encoding device comprises a selection unit (20, 20') for selecting in input video data (100) skin areas as one or more regions of interest (101), that can be used to provide a strong PPG signal, based on one or more predetermined selection criteria including the spatial size, temporal stability, illumination stability and/or color stability or based on the quality and/or content of PPG signals extracted from skin areas potentially usable as region of interest,, a first encoding unit (30,30') for encoding said one or more regions of interest (101) of said input video data (100) according to a predetermined encoding scheme with a first setting of the encoding to preserve PPG-relevant information in the encoded one or more regions of interest, wherein said first encoding unit (30) is adapted for encoding only the chrominance components (101a) of said one or more regions of interest (101) or for encoding said one or more regions of interest (101) by intra-block coding,, a second encoding unit (40, 40') for encoding remaining parts (103) of said input video data (100) according to said predetermined encoding scheme with a second setting of the encoding, and an encoder combination unit (50) for combining the encoded one or more regions of interest (102) and the encoded remaining parts (104) of said input video data into an encoder output video stream (105).</p

Method and system for obtaining a first signal for analysis to characterize at least one periodic component thereof

A method of processing a signal including at least a component representative of a periodic phenomenon in a living being includes obtaining at least one first signal having at least a component representative of a periodic phenomenon in a living being. Separate data representative of at least a periodic component of motion of the living being are obtained by obtaining a sequence of images showing the living being, synchronized with the at least one first signal, and carrying out video-based motion analysis of the sequence of images. The data are used at least to suppress a component of the first signal corresponding to the periodic component of motion of the living being.</p

Transportation Risk ANalysis tool for hazardous Substances (TRANS): a user-friendly, semi-quantitative multi-mode hazmat transport route safety risk estimation methodology for Flanders

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