Archive
Make Way for the DRM enabled Fashion Police
Or so the headlines could read if / when Apple get their patent for DRM enabled shoes and garments no less. Read on to find out more, and to marvel or shudder at the possibilities of tomorrow.
This interesting development is taken from a New Scientist report, as discussed on this blog. The main point of the patent is aimed at creating an electronic “pairing” between a sensor and an authorised garment, that way an electronic sensor will only work with its associated garment.
The benefits, according to the patent application which was filed in March 2007, would be the ability to prevent relocation of an electronic sensor (e.g. for an iPod enabled trainer) to an unauthorised garment (e.g. a competitor’s trainer).
This effectively binds the electronic sensor to the garment it was intended for, but it also hampers the choice of the users (also as intended) in trying out creative mash-ups of their wardrobe / electronics. This could give another meaning to the idea of wardrobe malfunction!
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Note: This post was previously published on my BCS DRM Blog, where you can find the original post, and reader comments, in the archives.
The Eye of the Beholder
Canon has filed a patent application for an innovative solution to the vexed question of how to prove ownership in photography. The application describes a biometric watermarking system, which works by capturing and embedding a photographer’s biological data (i.e. iris scan) into individual images.
According to Wired’s gadget blog, Canon’s application could provide a more robust authentication system for identifying the actual author / composer / taker of a picture. It included a link to a more detailed description of Canon’s Iris Registration Mode on the Photography Bay website. (Canon iris diagram)
Key features of the system include:
- Hardware based system (i.e. included in the device or camera)
- Acquisition of biological information of a photographer (i.e. Iris Scan)
- Enables copyright protection by reliably establishing the identity of the photographer
- Supports the registration of up to five users per device
- Allows for additional information to be added to the metadata
- Supports batch embedding to minimise any impact on the picture taking activity / experience.
On the surface, this sounds like an excellent solution for those that make a living from photography (including those annoying, to some, paparazzi). However, I wonder if / when, and how long it would take for someone to break even this system too. I welcome any comments on this one.
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Note: This post was previously published on my BCS DRM Blog, where you can find the original post, and reader comments, in the archives.
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