Semi-OT: Adobe Photoshop won't open files of currency pics

Barry

This is creating quite an uproar on some of the photography discussion boards... Freedom of speech, deception, etc.
Link to story

nwcs

I don't know what I think of the actual purpose of the code but I find the concept of how the code detection works to be fascinating.

Barry

Apparently it's not new technology. There are some photocopiers that won't permit currency to be copied. Here's an Adobe pdf file with some info about it and the technology:
Link

coppercoins

That has to be some sort of urban legend - an image is an image. Pixels are pixels. I don't get how any software can "read" the image and know it's currency, and simply not open the file. I can see how notes can be made very difficult to scan with curved lines that make a horrid pattern when scanned, but adding code to software that recognizes currency? I don't think so. I'd have to see that one for myself.

Barry

Pattern recognition is fairly commonly used. For example, fingerprints, facial recognition, retinal scans, etc. Don't know why you doubt it can be done. I don't have the new version of Photoshop (CS) to test it personally, but there are plenty of sources verifying its validity. Here are a couple more:
AP News quoting Adobe themsleves
Link to Adobe forum where first described

SarasotaFrank

I've scanned currancy a number of times for selling notes, as well as in making "jokes" - putting someone's face on a one dollar bill and the like.

I use photoshop 5.5.