PASADENA, Calif., Feb. 18, 2010 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Cognitech Inc., has announced the successful forensic video processing and analysis of the United Nations requested digital video/audio recording of a purported Sri Lanka execution, with the use of their Video Investigator™ software. Before giving the scientifically pre-processed video to a forensic pathologist and terminal ballistics expert, Professor Philip Alston, UN Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions, requested forensic multimedia analyst and Cognitech® technical representative Jeff Spivak to video process and analyze the authenticity of the recording which purportedly depicts the executions of Tamils by Sri Lanka armed forces personnel. In part, due to the image processing results performed with the Cognitech Video Investigator software, UN Rapporteur Professor Phillip Alston, has requested a full scale investigation into the incident.
The video, originally shown on the UK Channel 4 in August 2009, shows Sri Lanka military soldiers shooting two bound men in the head while several men lay dead on the ground. The video, titled "VideoDJ.3gp," was taken using a cell phone and was originally obtained by the Journalists for Democracy in Sri Lanka. The authenticity of the video has been greatly argued by the Sri Lankan government from the initial viewing of the video on Channel 4 to the video analysis results reported by the UN Rapporteur. The purported crimes committed in the video are major human rights violations, prompting immediate action on the part of the UN.
According to the UN Report, the Cognitech® Video Investigator™ forensic software was used to process the first and second instances of visible weapon discharge, as well as the apparent drainage/splatter of blood and/or other fluid from the second victim's head in the video by using an accurate velocity estimation, corresponding video motion stabilization process, then artifact free zooming of patentedregions of interest. The motion-stabilized/zoomed versions of these segments were provided to the UN Rapporteur for further distribution to the forensic pathologist and terminal ballistics expert.
About Cognitech, Inc.:
In 1988, Cognitech Inc. designed and developed the unique Video Investigator™ hardware and software products for professional forensic, law enforcement and CCTV video applications. The latest from Cognitech is the Forensic Video Tri-Suite10, the most scientifically advanced and the only comprehensive forensic video processing and 3D analysis software in the world. Tri-Suite10 is comprised of Video Investigator™, VideoActive™ and AutoMeasure™. The Video Investigator™ software, which contains the Cognitech patented FrameFusion™ SuperResolution, is based on state-of-the-art patented algorithms that deliver fast/Real-Time results when executed on multi-GPU PC's and laptops. The High Definition video is captured, processed, and super-compactly stored with a revolutionary lossless Cognitech VideoZipper, a Cognitech patented proprietary codec for lossless video data. Cognitech software and hardware products are used by thousands of law enforcement technical investigators throughout the world.
The Cognitech Inc. logo is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/newsroom/prs/?pkgid=7111