A robust image watermarking technique using SVD and differential evolution in DCT domain

• Published in: Optik (Stuttgart) Vol. 125; no. 1; pp. 428 - 434
• Main Authors: Ali, Musrrat, Ahn, Chang Wook, Pant, Millie
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier GmbH 01.01.2014
• Subjects: Algorithms; Approximation; Arnold transform; Differential evolution; Discrete cosine transformation; Evolution; Image quality; Mathematical analysis; Robustness; Singular value decomposition; Watermarking; Differential evolution; Arnold transform; Discrete cosine transformation; Singular value decomposition
• ISSN: 0030-4026; 1618-1336
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ijleo.2013.06.082

In this paper we applied differential evolution (DE) algorithm to balance the tradeoff between robustness and imperceptibility by exploring multiple scaling factors in image watermarking. First of all, the original image is partitioned into blocks and the blocks are transformed into Discrete Cosine Transform (DCT) domain. The DC coefficients from each block are collected to construct a low-resolution approximation image and apply Singular Value Decomposition (SVD) on this approximation image. After that watermark is embedded by modifying singular values with the singular values of the watermark. The role of DE algorithm is to identify the best multiple scaling factors for embedding process in order to achieve the best performance in terms of robustness without compromising with the quality of the image. To enhance the security, watermark is scrambled by Arnold transform before embedding. Experimental results show that the proposed scheme maintains a satisfactory image quality and watermark can still be identified from a seriously distorted image.