journal article·2025-03-17Open access

Enhanced Dual Reversible Data Hiding Using Combined Approaches

Cheonshik Kim, Ching-Nung Yang, Lu Leng

Applied Sciences· Volume 15· Issue 6

Abstract

This paper proposes a reversible data hiding technique based on two cover images. The proposed method enhances performance by utilizing Hamming coding (HC), arithmetic coding (AC), and an improved Exploiting Modification Direction (EMD) technique. Since AC provides lossless compression for binary data, it is widely used in image compression and helps maximize the efficiency of data transmission and storage. The EMD technique is recognized as an efficient data hiding method. However, it has a significant limitation: it does not allow for the restoration of the original cover image after data extraction. Additionally, EMD has a data hiding capacity limit of approximately 1.2 bpp. To address these limitations, an improved reversible data hiding technique is proposed. In this study, HC and AC are integrated with an improved EMD technique to enhance data hiding performance, achieving higher embedding capacity while ensuring the complete restoration of the original cover image. In the proposed method, Hamming coding is applied for data encoding and arithmetic coding is used for compression to increase efficiency. The compressed data are then embedded using the improved EMD technique, enabling the receiver to fully restore the original cover image. Experimental results demonstrate that the proposed method achieves an average PSNR of 66 dB and a data embedding capacity of 1.5 bpp, proving to be a promising approach for secure and efficient data hiding applications.
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Research context

OpenAlex topics: Advanced Steganography and Watermarking Techniques · Chaos-based Image/Signal Encryption · Digital Media Forensic Detection

SciVX discovery tags are terminology-based. OpenAlex topics are source-provided classifications.

Affiliations

Department of Computer Engineering, Sejong University, Seoul 05006, Republic of Korea

Department of Computer Science and Information Engineering, National Dong Hwa University, Hualien 97401, Taiwan

School of Software, Nanchang Hangkong University, Nanchang 330063, China

Funding

National Science and Technology Council (NSTC) · National Natural Science Foundation of China · Technology Innovation Guidance Program Project (Special Project of Technology Cooperation, Science and Technology Department of Jiangxi Province) · Open Foundation of Jiangxi Provincial Key Laboratory of Image Processing and Pattern Recognition

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