Persistent Interactivity in Digital Media: Embedding Clickable Objects on TV Screen Using Digital Watermarking Technology

In the evolving landscape of digital media, interactive “clickable objects” enhance user engagement by allowing on-screen clicks for additional information via metadata. Traditional methods store metadata separately, losing functionality when content is captured, shared, or printed. We propose an innovative approach using digital watermarking to embed clickable functionality directly within video or image data, preserving interactivity across all media forms. Our technique employs digital watermarking, traditionally used for copyright protection, to embed OR-code equivalent data invisibly within media, ensuring clickable objects remain functional after multiple generations of copying or capturing. This method eliminates the need for secondary devices, streamlining user interaction with primary content. The embedding process uses minimal data, preserving original content quality. For example, metadata for clickable objects is stored in URLs with as few as 5 bytes, plus relative object coordinates, totaling less than 10 bytes of embedded information. Advanced object detection algorithms ensure functionality even with partial screenshots. A prototype demonstrates watermark presence verification via screen capture or scanning a printout. Commercially, this technology offers significant potential for advertisers, content creators, and device manufacturers, enhancing viewer experience and enabling new engagement avenues by maintaining interactivity across all content redistribution and display forms.

Published

2024-10-21

Content type

Original Research

Keywords

clickable object, clickable video, interactive video, shoppable video, object recognition, object tracking, digital watermark, invisible watermark

DOI

10.5594/MOO/3033

ISBN

978-1-61482-965-2