Excavation of 'mysterious messages' by mobile phone

A new technology in Japan allows information to be hidden inside printed images that are not visible to the naked eye. But just take a picture in your hand, you can easily decode them.

Fujitsu is actively researching a technology that enables data encryption and embedding them in a printed image. These data will be completely "invisible" to the naked eye and can only be decoded with a digital camera or a camera phone.

Fujitsu believes that this technology will create a boost for the publishing industry. " The general idea is to allow printed pages to connect directly with the digital world ," said Mike Nelson, general manager of business at Fujitsu Europe.

In fact, this technology was inspired by the "camouflage" art that was born more than 2500 years ago. At that time, the ancient Greeks carved war warning messages about the wooden panels and then covered with beeswax. Another technique is quite common: they tattoo messages on "skinheads" and wait for long hair to cover up.

Meanwhile, Fujitsu technology takes advantage of the sensitivity of the human eye to yellow. " Often, the human eye is always having trouble looking at this color range. Meanwhile, the digital camera is designed to be perfectly compatible with the yellow color ," Nelson explained.

Capture and connect

Source: BBC Fujitsu's new print-out pictures look very ordinary, but only a "digital camera" can see the hidden code below. Nelson also added that any digital camera, including cell phone cameras, can decode information easily.

Currently, this technique has only saved 12 bytes of information, but it will soon be upgraded to 24 bytes - the same amount of data stored in a barcode. That data can be a phone number, a short message or a website link.

Therefore, Fujitsu claims that any printed document will be able to instantly connect to the online world by "embedding" a command, requiring the phone to access the Internet.

Nearly all current phone models can use this technology, but first, users must download a small java application. In addition, devices like PDAs can be used as long as they are equipped with cameras.

And because most modern phones can connect to the Internet, they have become the gateway to "picking up" content that advertisers want to send to phone users, such as images. , videos and music.

The first place to use this technology is in Japan, when a nightclub has embedded code inside the flyers. Through this leaflet, mobile subscribers will be provided with access links to music clips.

New horizon for printing

You can use any type of printer on the market to print the "invisible" code above, and Fujitsu is trying to sell this technology to publishers.

Nelson believes that the technology is more convenient and usable than bar codes, because it is "invisible" and has the ability to connect printed documents to the Internet via the phone. " New technology will open up a horizon for food wrap paper, message boards, catalogs, phone contacts and business cards ".

However, he does not think his company will compete with technologies such as RFID (a chip that uses radio frequency, can store information and scan in close proximity).

" The implantation of RFID chips into devices is both expensive and time consuming. While we can embed data into images right from the normal printing process ."

Trong Cam