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An optimal image watermarking approach through cuckoo search algorithm in wavelet domain

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Abstract

An evolutionary algorithm, called the cuckoo search (CS), is introduced in this paper for finding the optimal scaling factors (SFs) in digital image watermarking to improve robustness and imperceptibility. It is the first application of the CS technique to the image watermarking problem. The basic idea is to treat digital image watermarking as an optimization problem and then solve it using CS. Apply one/two-level discrete wavelet transform to the host image, then the coefficients of low and high frequency sub bands are modified by embedding the watermark multiplied by SFs. The SFs are optimized using the CS algorithm to obtain the highest possible robustness without compromising with the quality. To investigate the robustness of the scheme several attacks are applied to seriously distort the watermarked image. Empirical analysis of the results has demonstrated the efficiency of the proposed technique.

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Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank the anonymous referees for their critical and constructive comments that have greatly improved the quality and readability of this paper. This research was supported by Basic Science Research Program through the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) funded by the Ministry of Science, ICT & Future Planning (2014R1A1A1008177).

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  1. Department of Computer Science and Engineering, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon, 440746, Republic of Korea

    Musrrat Ali & Chang Wook Ahn

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  1. Musrrat Ali
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  2. Chang Wook Ahn
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Correspondence to Chang Wook Ahn.

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Ali, M., Ahn, C.W. An optimal image watermarking approach through cuckoo search algorithm in wavelet domain. Int J Syst Assur Eng Manag 9, 602–611 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13198-014-0288-4

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