Embedding Watermarks into Light to Spot Fake Videos

Researchers at Cornell University, New York, have created an innovative method for detecting altered or fabricated videos, which consists of embedding invisible watermarks in the light sources used in the production of genuine videos. They call this new type of watermarking ‘noise-coded illumination’ (NCI).

Computer scientist and graduate student Peter Michael led the project, which is detailed in a paper titled ‘Noise-Coded Illumination for Forensic and Photometric Video ^1’. The research discusses how light sources in a video can be secretly encoded through visual noise fluctuations. Rather than watermarking each individual video shot from an event, this method watermarks the light source itself to prevent video manipulations.

L to R: Abe Davis and Peter Michael with a watermarked light.

The researchers explained that programmable light sources, such as computer screens, photography lamps, and certain types of room lighting, can be modified using special software.

‘Video used to be considered a reliable source of truth, but that assumption is no longer valid,’ said Abe Davis, Assistant Professor of Computer Science at Cornell and the initial creator of the idea.