Interdisciplinary Workshop on 3D Paleo-Anthropology, Anatomy, Computer Science & Engineering - Synergies for the Future - June, 19-20 2008 - Muséum de Toulouse, France Updated on 14/6/2010	EVAN Network (EC)
Museum of Toulouse		ODENT Project, CNRS

Ensuring the integrity of 3D digital paleontological data, whatever their form is (3D image or 3D mesh), is crucial. First, we must be sure that data we receive on a CD-Rom or through Internet were not falsified or artifacted. Secondly, it is indispensable to keep record of the origin of the data or of their digitization. It is not only a question of "copyright" but also to know exactly the material we are going to analyze. Endly, paleontological data can only be precisely studied only if we have some information about the context. It is then important to be able to retrieve quickly and confidently such information as description of the excavation site, morphometrics parameters, etc. Some solutions already exist as cryptographics or additional files but they require to change the transfer protocol by changing the format (for example, in the case of cryptography) or to by sending extra-information besides the 3D data file (for example, for an additional text file describing the material).

One solution is then to insert directly in the original file some information in an imperceptible way. This process is called "watermarking" or "steganography". It is now widely developed in the field of 2D imaging and some research is currently done on 3D images and meshes [Amat et al., 2007] [ICAR].

Digital paleontological data have some specific features. The shape of the objects can be very complex and be comparable to medical (fossil) or industrial (artifacts) data. Moreover, a 3D image of a fossil can intergrate many small fragments and each of them must be "watermarked" in order to ensure the integrity of the whole data.

A research topic will consist to:

• identify the features and the goals of ensuring the integrity of 3D digital paleontologial data,
• test the current algorithms and,
• develop some specific methods wich could be applied in the frame of large databases.

• Watermarking 3D images and 3D meshes: Applications for cultural heritage (presentation in pdf), William Puech, Assistant Professor, Head of the ICAR Team, LIRMM UMR5506, Montpellier, France
• ARCHEOGRID: a National Conservatory of 3D Data of Cultural Heritage, Robert Vergnieux, Head of the 3D Technology Platform, Institut Ausonius, UMR5607, Pessac, France

• [Amat et al., 2007] P. Amat, W. Puech, S. Druon and J.P. Pedeboy. "Data Hiding Method Based on the Topology Change of a 3D Triangular Mesh" in 15th European Signal Processing Conference, 2007 (text in pdf).

• [ICAR] http://www.lirmm.fr/icar/en_ligne/tatouage3d/