Digimarc launches wireless watermarking initiative for easy navigation, e-commerce

Digimarc in Tualatin, Ore. has launched a mobile initiative to promote the use of its watermarking technology for ease of navigating and e-commerce using camera phones, according to the press release. The concept is similar to barcodes, but instead of incorporating a visible barcode in an advertisement, poster, etc., the watermark itself is invisible.

Users would take a photo of the watermark -- that could be embedded in a company's logo, for example -- in order to start a process of purchasing the product, receiving additional information, etc.

Digimarc suggests such uses as buying a product in a catalog, accessing streaming media to hear music clips and as a location finder that would enable someone viewing a poster of a movie to photograph the watermark to find the closest movie theater.

Invisibility uncloaked

However, if the watermark itself is invisible, companies employing the technology certainly must make customers aware of its existence! Digimarc shows an advertisement (see below) with a company's logo, X-Gear, that has an embedded watermark.

Digimarc says the watermark can turn logos into "printed 'hot spots.'" Hmmm. Given the popularity of "hotspots" as a term for locations of WiFi access, Digimarc needs to come up with another marketing term!