Tattoo Recognition Technology-Evaluation (Tatt-E)

2018-Oct-31: Tatt-E report published

The public report on Tatt-E has been published as NISTIR 8232 - Tattoo Recognition Technology - Evaluation (Tatt-E) Performance of Tattoo Identification Algorithms.  The report documents empirical evaluation of 12 tattoo recognition algorithms from two providers on a set of sequestered databases with up to 100,000 operational images provided by law enforcement. The evaluation measured the capability of these algorithms to perform automated matching of different photos of the same tattoo image from the same subject over time, detection of tattoos in an image, and tattoo localization.  A variety of factors influencing matching accuracy are described.

2017-Aug-04: Phase 3 submission window open

The phase 3 submission window is now open.  New participants must mail the properly completed participation agreement to NIST before their first algorithm is sent.  Instructions on obtaining the validation package will be emailed to new participants upon NIST receipt of either a signed participation agreement or an email to tatt-e [at] nist.gov (tatt-e[at]nist[dot]gov) indicating participation intentions.  The phase 3 submission deadline has been extended to September 29, 2017.

2017-Apr-19: Phase 2 submission window open

The phase 2 submission window is now open.  New participants must mail the properly completed participation agreement to NIST before their first algorithm is sent.  Instructions on obtaining the validation package will be emailed to new participants upon NIST receipt of either a signed participation agreement or an email to tatt-e [at] nist.gov (tatt-e[at]nist[dot]gov) indicating participation intentions.

2016-Dec-01: Final API and Participation Agreement available

The final evaluation plan and APIdocument, and its C++ interface header are now online. Implementers should conform to this API and submit Phase 1 algorithms to NIST by March 1, 2017.  Participants must mail the properly completed participation agreement to NIST before the first algorithm is sent.  An image of the mandatory operating system is also online.  Instructions on obtaining the validation package will be emailed to participants upon NIST receipt of either a signed participation agreement or an email to tatt-e [at] nist.gov (tatt-e[at]nist[dot]gov) indicating participation intentions.

2016-Sep-26: Draft API

The first draft of C++ API for Tatt-E algorithmsis now online. The document is open for public review. Please submit suggestions, comments and questions to tatt-e [at] nist.gov (tatt-e[at]nist[dot]gov) by November 25, 2016.

2016-March-10: Program Announcement Scope

The Tattoo Recognition Technology – Evaluation (Tatt-E) is being initiated by NIST to assess and measure the capability of systems to perform automated image-based tattoo recognition. Tatt-E is the follow-on to the Tatt-C 2015 activity, which engaged researchers with an open dataset of operationally collected tattoo images and use cases provided by the FBI to advance image-based tattoo recognition research and development. Tatt-E seeks to assess comparative and absolute accuracy, along with run-time measures on larger, operationally realistic datasets than seen in Tatt-C. Tatt-E will be focused on, but not limited to, the following primary operational use cases:

• Tattoo Identification - matching different instances of the same tattoo image from the same subject over time.
• Region of Interest - matching a small sub region of interest that is contained in a larger image.
• Tattoo detection/localization – determining whether an image contains a tattoo and if so, segmentation of the tattoo.
• Sketches – matching sketches to tattoos.

Interested Parties

Please contact NIST if

1. You are a developer of tattoo recognition algorithms.
2. You represent an organization possessing suitable tattoo datasets that may be valuable to our effort.
3. You have suggestions toward developing the technology or any more general interest in shaping how NIST proceeds with the Tatt-E program.

Test Progression

Software submitted to NIST will be evaluated on sequestered sets to quantify accuracy and speed. Algorithms must be implemented behind the formal C++ API to be published by NIST, which will be similar to the APIs used in prior NIST evaluations. The test will be conducted over at least three iterative cooperative test-report-test phases engaging algorithm developers. This process will culminate in the publication of reports on this website and in the open literature.

Important Dates

2016-Sep-26-2016-Nov-25: API publication and public comments period
2016-Dec-01: Definitive API published
2017-March-01: Phase 1 submission deadline
2017-June-14: Phase 2 submission deadline
2017-Sept-29: Phase 3 submission deadline

Subscribe to the tattoo program mailing list to receive emails when announcements or updates are made – tattooinfo-request [at] nist.gov (subject: subscribe) (subscribe).