A framework for robust forensic image identification

This work has researched the possibilities and limitations of using physical micro-structures for identification. Using the physical structure itself from an object negates the need to add a special marker for identification. Buchanan et. al. [10] found that paper documents, packaging and plastic cards contain microscopic surface structures that are unique for the sample. The naturally occurring randomness forms both a unique and currently unclonable identification token. The work addresses two main research questions. The first part of this work is devoted to an imaging algorithm that always extracts the exact same patch of micro-structure from an acquired sample, independent of how the acquisition was done. The second part of this work deals with the identification system as a whole and explores the fundamental bounds of an identification system based on micro-structures