The E-Sylum:  Volume 7, Number 43, October 24, 2004, Article 13

SHERLOCK HOLMES TURNS EYE TO PRINTERS

  Earlier, we published items about how governments have
  worked with makers of copiers and scanners to embed
  anti-counterfeiting mechanisms in their products.    The
  BBC published an article this week about how scientists
  are learning how to match up documents with the particular
  printer that produced them.

  "That staple of crime novels - solving a case by identifying the
  typewriter used to write a ransom note - is being updated for
  the modern day.

  US scientists have discovered that every desktop printer has
  a signature style that it invisibly leaves on all the documents
  it produces.

  They have now found a way to use this to identify individual
  laser printers.  The work will help track down printers used to
  make bogus bank notes, fake passports and other important
  papers."

  "In 11 out of 12 tests, the team's methods identified which
  model of desktop laser printer was used to print particular
  documents.

  "We also believe that we will be able to identify not only
  which model of printer was used but specifically which printer
  was used," Professor Delp said."

  "For a company to make printers all behave exactly the same
  way would require tightening the manufacturing tolerances to
  the point where each printer would be too expensive for
  consumers," he said.

  "We extract mathematical features, or measurements, from
  printed letters, then we use image analysis and pattern-
  recognition techniques to identify the printer," said Professor
  Delp."

  The team is also working on ways to manipulate printers so
  they lay down ink with more easily identifiable signatures."

  To read the full article, see: Full Article

  Wayne Homren, Editor

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