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Hidden message in a deformation-based texture

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Abstract

We present stego-texture, a unique texture synthesis method that allows users to deliver personalized messages with beautiful, decorative textures. Our approach was inspired by the success of recent work generating marbling textures using mathematical functions. We were able to transform an input image or a text message into an intricate texture by combining the seven basic, reversible functions provided in the system. Later, the input image or message could be recovered by reversing the process of these functions. During the design process, the parameters of operations were automatically recorded, encrypted and invisibly embedded into the final pattern to create a stego-texture. In this way, the receiver could extract the hidden message from the stego-texture without the need for extra information from the sender. To ensure that the delivered message is unnoticeably covered by the texture, we propose a new technique for automatically creating a background that is harmonious with the message based on a set of visual perception cues.

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Acknowledgments

Jiayi Xu was supported by the Natural Science Foundation of Zhejiang Province, China (No. Q12F020007), the Zhejiang Provincial Education Department, China (No. Y201121352). Xiaogang Jin was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 61472351).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Hangzhou Dianzi University, Hangzhou, China

    Jiayi Xu & Li Li

  2. University of Yamanashi, Kofu, Yamanashi, Japan

    Xiaoyang Mao & Masahiro Toyoura

  3. State Key Lab of CAD & CG, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China

    Xiaogang Jin

  4. Digilant, Boston, MA, US

    Aubrey Jaffer

  5. Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, China

    Shufang Lu

Authors
  1. Jiayi Xu
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  2. Xiaoyang Mao
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  3. Xiaogang Jin
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  4. Aubrey Jaffer
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  5. Shufang Lu
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  6. Li Li
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  7. Masahiro Toyoura
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Xiaoyang Mao.

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Xu, J., Mao, X., Jin, X. et al. Hidden message in a deformation-based texture. Vis Comput 31, 1653–1669 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00371-014-1045-z

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