Deluxe sets up DMT unit to develop metadata tool set

The recently formed Deluxe Media Technologies (DMT), a wholly owned subsidiary of Deluxe Laboratories Ltd, is developing the products using an initial raft of 15 algorithms.

They perform functions such as facial recognition, speech-to-text, object recognition, brand recognition, time-code stamping and frameaccurate scene extraction.

DMT joint managing directors David Patton and Joe Trainor described the business as a “totally new area for Deluxe”.

It represents a further push into broadcast for the US-headquartered firm, which in 2010 acquired ITFC and Ascent Media, including the firm’s UK post houses Ascent 142, Soho Film Lab and Rushes.

“We want to focus on four key areas: access services, quality control and compliance, deep video indexing and library systems, and targeted ad optimisation for VoD,” Trainor said.

“Once we understand the content completely we can use this understanding to build automation inside manual processes.”

“The key thing is bringing together multiple information sources to create a thorough understanding of an asset with an intelligent layer on top; that’s the part that hasn’t been done before,” Patton added.

Trainor gave the example of a newsroom, which receives multiple sources of information, as one of the environments that could benefit from the increased use of metadata.

“We can index hundreds of sources of data in real time and by profiling an individual we can extract content that is pertinent and feed it to an individual via a dashboard.”

DMT plans to unveil more details at broadcast trade show IBC in September with beta clients to launch in 2013.