Visual cryptography in single-pixel imaging

TL;DR

This paper introduces two innovative visual cryptography schemes integrated with single-pixel imaging, enabling secure secret image sharing and recovery using simple illumination patterns and a single detector.

Contribution

The paper presents the first combination of visual cryptography with single-pixel imaging, proposing two novel schemes for secure image sharing and recovery.

Findings

Successful secret image recovery with identical illumination patterns

Extension of VC applications to diversified scenarios

Use of opaque sheets in QR-code VC for enhanced security

Abstract

Two novel visual cryptography (VC) schemes are proposed by combining VC with single-pixel imaging (SPI) for the first time. It is pointed out that the overlapping of visual key images in VC is similar to the superposition of pixel intensities by a single-pixel detector in SPI. In the first scheme, QR-code VC is designed by using opaque sheets instead of transparent sheets. The secret image can be recovered when identical illumination patterns are projected onto multiple visual key images and a single detector is used to record the total light intensities. In the second scheme, the secret image is shared by multiple illumination pattern sequences and it can be recovered when the visual key patterns are projected onto identical items. The application of VC can be extended to more diversified scenarios by our proposed schemes.