An expert in digital data forensics and information assurance,
Yun Q. Shi, a professor of electrical and computer engineering at
NJIT, will number among 30 New Jersey inventors from eight
companies and universities to be honored at the upcoming 2010
Thomas Alva Edison Patent Awards on Nov. 4. Hosted by the Research
& Development Council of New Jersey, the ceremony and reception
will take place at the Liberty Science Center.
The honor recognizes outstanding work from New Jersey scientists
and their respective organizations by highlighting the most
exceptional efforts. Shi invented a method of robust reversible
data hiding (known as steganography) which allows the original
digital cover image to be recovered without any distortion once the
hidden data has been extracted from the cover medium.
This technology, which earlier this year received four patents
has promising applications in digital forensics, intellectual
property security and the transmission of medical images. Other
NJIT researchers working on this project were Zhicheng Ni, PhD, an
NJIT alum who received his doctorate in 2005, and NJIT Professor
Nirwan Ansari.
In 2009, Shi cracked the code that enabled researchers around
the world to detect tampering with electronic images. “Using our
program, we could usually inspect a photograph on a computer screen
and know that someone has changed it,” he said. “We still cannot
say, nor can anyone else, where in the media the image has been
changed. But we will get there.”
“System and Method of Steganalysis,” developed by Shi and his
collaborator Guorong Xuan received a U.S. patent in 2009. The
research had already been licensed. Since 2003, Shi has received 13
U.S. patents in this area including the new ones this year. For
more information about the newest patents, please visit:
http://www.njit.edu/news/2010/2010-291.php
Yet more patents from him are coming. A prolific researcher, Shi
awaits receiving awards for almost a dozen more pending U.S.
patents. Steganalysis is a method of determining whether data has
been hidden in a digital medium.
Image tampering came to the world’s attention following changes
to two widely-recognized images–a Los Angeles Times photo of the
Iraqi War in 2003 and a BBC News image of the Israeli air strike
against Beirut in 2006. Since then, Shi, who lectures worldwide,
has made it his business to highlight new and better ways to detect
tampering with electronic images. For more about this researcher
and his work, please visit http://www.njit.edu/news/2009/2009-123.php
In related news, NJIT professors and alumni were among the
innovators honored recently at the 22nd Annual New Jersey Inventors
Hall of Fame Awards ceremony in Hoboken. Timothy Chang, PhD,
distinguished professor of electrical and computer engineering,
received a Special Award for his achievements in the areas of
ultra-high precision systems, genetic systems, robotics and motion
control. Shi was also recognized for all his work in digital
forensics and security. Vikki Hazelwood, who received an MS from
NJIT in 1998, received the Advancement of Invention Award for a
pioneering process for translational research in medicine. Richard
Caizza, who received a certificate in plastics technology from NJIT
in 1992, received the Inventor of the Year award for his
“Single-Handedly Actuatable Safety Shield for Needles” patent.
